Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase) has intensified its oversight inquiry into the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), following severe operational and procurement queries raised by the Auditor General.
Led by Committee Chairperson and Kyadondo East MP Muwada Nkunyingi, lawmakers conducted a physical spot-check at Entebbe International Airport to assess the facility’s readiness and verify unresolved audit queries from the Auditor General’s report.
1. On-Site Inspection: Scanners, Transformers, and Idle Assets
The committee inspected major installations—including baggage conveyor lines, security screening checkpoints, power substations, and emergency response fleets. The Auditor General had flagged approximately Shs17.4 billion in idle assets and protracted procurement cycles across the facility.
Key Findings During the Spot-Check:
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New Terminal Baggage Scanners: Lawmakers discovered that specialized security scanners intended for the newly expanded terminal baggage handling zone had neither been installed nor delivered, leaving a crucial security link pending.
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Old Terminal Scanners Reverting to Manual: In the older terminal building, the primary screening machine experienced recurring technical faults. Management acknowledged that whenever components malfunction, security personnel are forced to resort to manual luggage inspections.
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Undelivered Power Transformers: A heavy-duty transformer unit listed in official records as an idle asset has yet to be physically delivered on-site. Nkunyingi warned that such protracted supply delays expose taxpayers to inflated costs due to market price fluctuations.
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New Fire Rescue Fleet: On a positive note, the committee noted visible progress in the aviation rescue division, confirming the delivery and deployment of modern airport fire trucks.
“At the new terminal, we found that the scanners for the baggage area haven’t been installed or even procured, or if procured, they haven’t been delivered. We shall seek a further interaction with Civil Aviation to understand what occasioned the delay because delayed procurement was a major observation by the Auditor General.”
— Hon. Muwada Nkunyingi, Chairperson, Cosase
2. Leadership Vacuum Sparks Parliamentary Friction
The site inspection followed a heated session in Parliament where lawmakers expressed concern over UCAA’s interim governance structure.
Cosase members raised queries over the high number of senior executives appearing before the committee in acting capacities, questioning whether they held sufficient administrative authority to account for structural audit queries. The committee specifically noted the absence of substantive Director General Fred Bamwesigye.
3. UCAA Response: Progress Made Amid Strong Traffic Growth
Responding to the committee’s inspection, Acting Director General Olive Birungi welcomed the oversight, noting that several bottlenecks raised in the 2024/2025 Auditor General’s report have since been resolved.
Entebbe International Airport Performance (2024 vs 2025):
├── Total Passengers: 2.48 Million (↑ 11% from 2.24M in 2024)
├── Cargo Volume: 69,595 Metric Tonnes (↑ from 67,098 MT in 2024)
└── Growth Drivers: Expanded airline frequencies, new route entries & tourism rebound
Despite operational hurdles, management highlighted that Entebbe’s international traffic continues on an upward trajectory, handling 2.48 million passengers in 2025—an 11 percent increase driven by new regional connections and expanding tourism arrivals.
Cosase has directed UCAA management to submit detailed procurement logs, delivery schedules, and technical action plans ahead of the next round of formal committee hearings.
