ENTEBBE, Uganda — Uganda Airlines’ top management has briefed Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba on the national carrier’s strategic growth plans amid ongoing structural changes intended to strengthen corporate governance, stabilize operations and improve its commercial performance.
The meeting, held Monday at the Special Forces Command Headquarters in Entebbe, brought together the airline’s executive leadership, led by Acting Chief Executive Officer Girma Wake, who presented the carrier’s plans to Gen. Kainerugaba.
The briefing comes at a time of what the Defence Press Unit described as “ongoing structural changes” at the airline, raising the stakes for its leadership as the national carrier seeks to improve efficiency and position itself for sustained growth.
The Defence Press Unit said the airline’s leadership team met Gen. Kainerugaba “to present the national carrier’s strategic growth plan.”
The delegation included Chief Finance Officer Allan Joel Kyeyune, Acting Manager for Human Resource and Administration Anne Apio, and Acting Chief Commercial Officer Shakila Lamar Rahim.
According to the statement, the engagement was part of efforts aimed at “improving corporate governance, steadying daily operations, and positioning the national airline for long-term commercial growth.”
The airline executives outlined a series of measures designed to increase the performance of the existing fleet while expanding the carrier’s international and domestic footprint.
Management said it intends to “optimize the performance of its existing aircraft” and expand international routes from Entebbe to major destinations in Asia, Europe and the Middle East, while also strengthening connections to regional African aviation hubs.
The plans also include the establishment of domestic routes to respond to what the airline described as internal travel demands.
A significant component of the strategy is reducing the airline’s dependence on external service providers.
The executives told Gen. Kainerugaba that the carrier is working to bring aircraft maintenance and ground-handling operations in-house as part of an effort to cut costs and develop local technical capacity.
The Defence Press Unit said the airline chiefs are also seeking to strengthen Uganda’s aviation workforce by training more local personnel.
“To reduce operational costs and build internal capacity, the airline chiefs said they are working to bring aircraft maintenance and ground handling services in-house while training local aviation personnel,” the statement said.
The management team further emphasized that government and industry backing would be essential if the strategy is to succeed.
“The leadership team emphasized that strong support from government and industry stakeholders will be critical to sustaining this strategy,” the Defence Press Unit said.
Gen. Kainerugaba, according to the statement, welcomed the progress presented by the airline’s leadership and pledged his support for the strategy.
The Defence Press Unit said he noted that “a strong national carrier is vital to advancing Uganda’s trade, regional integration, and economic goals.”
The engagement places the airline’s leadership under renewed attention as Uganda Airlines works through structural changes while attempting to expand its network and improve the utilization of its fleet.
The carrier’s proposed expansion into Asia, Europe, the Middle East and additional African destinations would significantly widen its international reach, while domestic operations would give it a larger role in Uganda’s internal transport network.
For management, however, the immediate challenge is turning the strategy into commercially sustainable operations.
Bringing maintenance and ground handling in-house could reduce long-term operational costs and give the airline greater control over key services, but would also require investment in equipment, infrastructure and specialized personnel.
The leadership’s presentation to Gen. Kainerugaba therefore comes as Uganda Airlines seeks to move beyond day-to-day operational challenges and establish a more self-sufficient model for growth.
The Defence Press Unit did not disclose details of any specific disciplinary findings or identify any individuals facing sanctions arising from the structural changes.
Instead, its statement focused on the airline’s growth strategy and the leadership’s plans to strengthen the carrier’s operations, governance and commercial outlook.
The meeting nevertheless signals continued high-level attention to Uganda Airlines as the government seeks to make the national carrier a stronger instrument for trade, tourism, regional integration and economic development.
Some top officials at Uganda Airlines could be in for some shock in coming days.
