On his maiden flight aboard the new Uganda Airlines flight to and from Dar Es Salaam Tanzania, President Museveni described his experience aboard the Bombadier as ‘a wonderful one’ and the pilots as ‘professionals’ who know their work.
The President later stopped briefly and talked to the pilots and some airlines crew before and after his flight.
The President who on Thursday decided to leave his Presidential jet for the National airline returned home after a one-day working visit to Tanzania where he witnessed the signing of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) tripartite host agreement that took place at State House in Dar- es-Salaam.
President Museveni took time talking to the Uganda Airlines crew including Captain Clive Okoth, Ahmed Bamweyana, Sheillah Kashillingi, Joseph Lukwago and Mark Kyaligonza and commended them for their professionalism.
He said that he had “personally handled a few spots of corruption” that were affecting the operations of the airline and assured the people that the “airline has a brighter future.”
He didn’t provide details.
But his remarks came hot on the heels of the recent suspension of top management of the Airlines over alleged corruption, inefficiency and greed.
Works Minister Gen Edward Katumba tried to downplay the forced exit of the top managers, saying the officials were not suspended but asked to step aside to allow training of junior staff.
“Because of the low tempo operations caused by COVID19 and the fact that we have not yet started the long haul operations, top management at Uganda Airlines, asked to take leave,” said Katumba.
The reports claimed the minister had ordered the national carrier CEO Cornwell Muleya and a number of top officials to leave office for up to three weeks “to allow for an internal investigation.”
The five senior officials included Mr Muleya himself, Finance Director Paul Turacayisenga, Marketing Director Rogers Wamala, HRM Joseph Sebowa and Safety Director Bruno Oringi.
The suspensions were linked to the alleged suspension to the airline’s “under-performance, abuse of office and financial mismanagement.”
The President’s comment seem to confirm the suspensions.
Corruption
Katumba most likely avoided handing suspension letters to the troubled national airline’s too leadership to avoid unnecessary negative publicity.
Interestingly, reports indicate that the former commercial director of Uganda Airlines Jennifer Banturaki, who was previously accused of corruption, has since returned to work.
In June 2019 Uganda Airlines contracted the services of Abbavater as its Publicity and Promotions Agency to design and perform sales and marketing activities across the network, under the supervision of our Commercial Department.
This Agency, according to Muleya’s brief to Museveni, was introduced to the airline by Banturaki.
“When the company was contracted to do this work, management was not aware that some of the managers within the airline, including the Commercial Director whose duty it was to manage this service, had intimate connections with this company,” said Muleya.
This only came to light after the Agency’s services to the airline were found to be below par to a point where management had to recommend to the Board to terminate their contract.
Further probing also revealed allegations that this Agency had either bribed their way into the company or attempted to bribe some managers at the airline in order to get the contract.
Apart from the poor performance on marketing activities, the company had issues of over-invoicing, non-payment of subcontracted media houses and other suppliers for services arranged even without permission from the airline Accounting Officer at the time.
In Dar, the EACOP host agreement was signed between the Tanzanian government and the investors in the East African crude pipeline project that will see the investors in the project get equal dividends according to the earlier agreement.
On arrival at Entebbe International Airport VVIP Section, the President was received by the Minister for Presidency Hon. Esther Mbayo, Head of Public Service John Mitala, AIGP Andrew Sorowen, Commissioner of Prisons Dr. Johnson Byabashaija and Airforce Commander Lt. Gen. Charles Lwanga Lutaaya.
