Museveni wants Uganda Airlines board charged

Following an inquiry that uncovered rampant corruption, collusion, and mismanagement, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has ordered the board of directors of Uganda Airlines to be dissolved. The President has ordered Works and Transport Minister Gen Edward Katumba Wamala to dissolve the board of directors and consider prosecuting Uganda Airlines officials whom he accuses of engaging in corrupt practices such as pocketing bribes and mismanaging the national carrier like personal property, according to sources.

The presidential decision is likely to draw attention to Uganda Airlines board chairperson Perez Ahabwe’s role in the affair, as he served as a junior cabinet member from 2009 to 2011. It is also expected to cast doubt on Benon Kajuna, the director of transport at the Ministry of Works and Transport, who served as the primary government representative on the Uganda Airlines board of directors. Mr Kajuna has remained in his job for several months, despite disclosures of the rot at Uganda Airlines and his suspected role in it. He oversees the national carrier’s operations on behalf of the ministry. General Katumba and other relevant government officials have been ordered by the President to detain all suspended Uganda Airlines executives and hand them over to the Inspector General of Government (IGG) for possible prosecution.

“All disciplinary actions, dismissals, contract terminations, prosecutions, and interdictions should be completed quickly and in accordance with legal procedures,” the President stated in a letter.

“All accused personnel should be referred to the IGG for possible prosecution and public monies recovery.” he continued In the meanwhile, the President has commanded that Uganda Airlines be handled by the permanent secretaries of the ministries of Works and Transport, as well as Finance, until otherwise instructed.

Several Uganda Airlines managers have been charged with extorting money from job applicants, bungling procurement contracts, recruiting family, friends, and church members across the network, keeping ghost personnel on the payroll, and hiring unfit pilots at the expense of passenger safety.

In an attempt to clean up Uganda Airlines, the President ordered a review of all of the airline’s contracts, both monetary and non-monetary in value, including catering services, fuel, ground handling, uniforms, aircraft spare parts, consumables, systems, and other items, as well as changes to ensure that the airline’s procedures comply with the Public Procurement and Disposal Authority’s procedures.