Uganda Airlines Sets 60-Year Age Limit in Search for New CEO National carrier opens CEO recruitment to March 2, 2026 amid governance, procurement and cash-control queries.

Uganda Airlines has formally launched the search for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), setting a maximum age limit of 60 years as part of the eligibility criteria, 

The search comes at a time when the national carrier is facing mounting financial, operational and governance challenges highlighted in the Auditor General’s report for the year ending June 2025.

According to an executive vacancy announcement and an internal staff communication seen by this publication, the airline’s Board of Directors has initiated a competitive recruitment process aimed at appointing a results-oriented CEO to steer the carrier through its next phase of growth and stabilisation, a transition that comes amid growing public criticism of the current CEO, Jenifer Bamuturaki Musiime, over the airline’s financial performance and operational challenges.

In a public advertisement titled “Recruitment of a Chief Executive Officer – Uganda National Airlines Company Limited”, the airline outlined strict academic, professional and leadership requirements. Among the notable conditions is the requirement that applicants “must not be older than 60 years.”

According to the job profile, the airline is seeking a candidate with strong aviation leadership credentials, including at least a bachelor’s degree in aviation management, business administration, engineering, finance, law or related disciplines, with a master’s degree considered an added advantage. 

The ideal candidate must have a minimum of 10 years’ senior management experience in the aviation sector, preferably at executive committee level, demonstrate proven experience working with boards in regulated environments, and possess strong competencies in strategic leadership, financial management, corporate governance, commercial performance, stakeholder engagement, and organisational transformation.

Uganda Airlines, which was revived in 2019, currently operates a fleet of seven aircraft serving 17 destinations across Africa and selected international routes, including London. Headquartered at Entebbe International Airport, the carrier plays a strategic role in boosting tourism, trade and regional connectivity.

However, the leadership transition comes against a challenging financial backdrop. The Auditor General’s report shows that Uganda National Airlines Company Limited (UNACL) recorded a net loss of UGX 230.816 billion in FY 2024/25, only marginally improved from UGX 231.584 billion in the previous year — a reduction of just 0.33 percent.

 Although the airline registered 19.2 percent revenue growth, the audit attributes this to early stabilisation from heavy investment and route expansion, noting that the full commercial benefits of new routes, including London, are yet to mature.

The report further reveals that despite government capital injections totaling UGX 1.98 trillion, only UGX 200 million has so far been formally recognised as share capital, with the remainder recorded as share application funds and government capitalisation pending conversion. 

This has raised concerns over transparency and the airline’s true equity position.

Rising liabilities are also placing pressure on the airline’s finances. Trade and other payables increased to UGX 235.703 billion by June 30, 2025, up from UGX 171.685 billion a year earlier, signaling growing obligations to suppliers and service providers.

Operational inefficiencies were also flagged. The Auditor General noted delays in closing the A320 wet lease agreement, with a USD 930,000 security deposit still unrecovered and now subject to legal action. 

At the airline’s Juba office, USD 103,492 in cash collections were not banked as required and remain under criminal and legal investigation.

Fuel procurement and payment controls emerged as another major weakness. Penalties amounting to USD 1.78 million were imposed by supplier Mixjet without adequate supporting documentation, while fuel worth USD 17.39 million was uplifted and paid for without a valid contract. Of this amount, USD 9.29 million related to FY 2024/25 transactions with Vivo Energy.

The audit also highlighted non-compliance with public procurement guidelines, noting that the airline failed to reserve procurement opportunities for women, youth and persons with disabilities as required. 

In addition, 1,086 obsolete stationery items identified during the previous stock take were not included in the disposal plan.

Performance against planned targets was equally weak. Out of 29 outputs covering 34 activities valued at UGX 33.046 trillion, only one output was fully implemented, with 20 partially implemented and eight not implemented at all. 

Fleet availability challenges were also reported after CRJ900 aircraft 5X-KNP was grounded from September 2025 due to the unavailability of critical spare parts, increasing the risk of flight disruptions and customer dissatisfaction.

The Office of the Auditor General is also conducting a separate verification exercise on domestic arrears amounting to USD 78.56 million (UGX 282.062 billion) reported by the airline to the Ministry of Works and Transport.

It is against this backdrop that the airline is seeking a new CEO with strong strategic, financial and operational leadership credentials. 

According to the vacancy notice, the successful candidate will report directly to the Board and will be responsible for corporate strategy formulation, regulatory compliance, financial management, commercial performance, safety oversight, stakeholder engagement and organisational transformation.

The recruitment drive has also sparked intense public debate, with veteran journalist Andrew Mwenda weighing in strongly on the leadership transition. 

In a pointed statement, Mwenda praised President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for what he described as “finally saving Uganda Airlines” by dismissing what he termed a corrupt and incompetent CEO, while also crediting Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s intervention as decisive. 

Mwenda went further to propose that former Ethiopian Airlines CEO Girma Wake, now 83, should take over as chairman of the board, and suggested that the current Ethiopian Airlines CEO, whose contract in Addis Ababa reportedly ends in June, should be considered for the top executive role at Uganda Airlines.

 However, the airline’s newly established age cap of 60 years effectively rules out figures such as Wake from formally qualifying for the CEO position, highlighting the tension between public calls for seasoned aviation veterans and the strict eligibility criteria set by the Board.