Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has challenged Uganda Airlines’ new leadership to transform the national carrier into a strong, commercially viable and profit-making airline capable of competing on the international market.
Gen. Muhoozi made the call when he met the executive leadership team of Uganda Airlines, led by Acting Chief Executive Officer Girma Wake, at the Special Forces Command (SFC) Headquarters in Entebbe.
The meeting comes at a critical moment for Uganda Airlines, which is undergoing structural and managerial changes intended to strengthen corporate governance, improve operational efficiency and put the national carrier on a sustainable commercial footing.
Wake presented the airline’s strategic growth plan to the CDF, outlining measures management believes can accelerate the carrier’s expansion and improve its performance.
Gen. Muhoozi welcomed the plan and urged the new management team to execute it with speed, discipline and commercial focus.
“I am confident that with your experience and the strategic plan you have presented, Uganda Airlines can grow faster and become a profitable venture,” Gen. Muhoozi said.
Wake Given A Fresh Mandate
The meeting comes after the departure of former Uganda Airlines CEO Jennifer Bamuturaki and the appointment of Wake to steer the carrier through its next phase.
Gen. Muhoozi has been instrumental in efforts surrounding Wake’s appointment and has now publicly backed his strategic direction for the airline.
Wake, a veteran aviation executive, faces the challenge of translating his experience into tangible improvements in Uganda Airlines’ operations, revenues and international standing.
The CDF urged him to use his experience to take the national carrier to new heights, particularly through improved aircraft utilisation, route expansion and stronger commercial management.
The expectation is that Uganda Airlines will increasingly operate as a business rather than simply as a government-supported national project.
Fleet Must Work Harder
One of the major issues highlighted during the briefing was the need to optimise the performance of Uganda Airlines’ existing aircraft. Management outlined plans aimed at ensuring that the fleet is deployed more efficiently and generates greater revenue.
Aircraft represent some of the largest investments made by an airline, meaning prolonged ground time or inefficient scheduling can quickly translate into financial losses.
The new management is therefore expected to focus on aircraft utilisation, route profitability, scheduling and passenger demand. Gen. Muhoozi’s emphasis on profitability reflects the need for Uganda Airlines to ensure that its growing operations are matched by sustainable revenues.
Expansion To Asia, Europe And Middle East
The airline leadership also presented plans to expand international routes from Entebbe to Asia, Europe and the Middle East. These markets are considered strategically important because of their potential for business travel, tourism, trade and investment.
Greater connectivity would also give Ugandan travellers more direct options while strengthening Entebbe’s position as an aviation gateway for the region.
The management believes that expanding international services can help Uganda Airlines capture a larger share of passengers currently travelling through foreign hubs.
However, the expansion is expected to be guided by commercial considerations, with the airline needing to ensure that new routes can attract sufficient passenger and cargo traffic.
Strengthening African Connections
Beyond long-haul routes, Uganda Airlines plans to strengthen its presence across African aviation hubs. The airline wants to develop Entebbe into a more effective regional connection point, allowing passengers to travel between different African destinations while connecting onward to international markets.
This strategy could strengthen Uganda’s position in regional aviation and provide additional traffic for the national carrier.
The airline’s African network is particularly important because regional routes can feed passengers into long-haul services and increase overall aircraft utilisation.
Domestic Flights On The Agenda
The management team also outlined plans to establish and strengthen domestic services to meet internal travel demands. A stronger domestic network would connect Ugandan cities and economic centres to Entebbe, potentially creating a feeder network for international flights.
Domestic aviation could also support tourism and business by reducing travel time between different parts of the country. For Uganda Airlines, the challenge will be to identify destinations where passenger demand can support regular commercial services.
Executive Team Joins Briefing
The meeting was attended by several members of the airline’s executive leadership.
They included Chief Finance Officer Allan Joel Kyeyune, Acting Manager for Human Resource and Administration Anne Apio and Acting Chief Commercial Officer Shakila Lamar Rahim.
Their presence reflected the broad nature of the changes facing the airline. The reforms cover finances, human resources, administration, commercial operations and route development, meaning that the transformation of Uganda Airlines will require coordination across the entire organisation.
Governance And Operational Reforms
The briefing comes as Uganda Airlines undertakes structural changes aimed at improving corporate governance and stabilising daily operations.
The new management is expected to establish clearer systems of accountability while improving decision-making and commercial performance.
The changes are intended to position the airline for long-term growth rather than short-term operational survival. Wake will therefore have to balance the desire for expansion with financial discipline. Adding routes that do not attract sufficient passenger or cargo traffic could increase costs, while failing to deploy aircraft efficiently could undermine profitability.
Uganda Airlines As An Economic Asset
The national carrier is also expected to play a wider role in Uganda’s economic development.
Direct air links can facilitate tourism, investment, trade and business travel while making it easier for Ugandans to access international destinations.
New connections to Asia, Europe and the Middle East could provide businesses with improved access to major commercial markets. At the same time, stronger regional and domestic services could support tourism and economic activity within Uganda.
Muhoozi’s Profitability Challenge
Gen. Muhoozi’s meeting with the Uganda Airlines team therefore represents more than a routine leadership briefing.
It is a direct challenge to the new management to demonstrate that the national carrier can become commercially sustainable.
The CDF has given Wake confidence in his strategic plan, but that confidence now comes with expectations for delivery.
“Uganda Airlines can grow faster and become a profitable venture,” Gen. Muhoozi said, underscoring his belief that the airline has the potential to perform significantly better.
For Wake and his team, the coming months will determine whether the proposed strategy can translate into increased passenger numbers, better aircraft utilisation, stronger revenues and improved operational efficiency.
The ultimate test will be whether Uganda Airlines can move beyond being simply a national symbol and become a competitive, efficient and profitable African airline.
Author Profile
- Charles Gazza Kodili is a seasoned journalist with over 20 years of experience in the media industry. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication. He’s currently the Chief Editor at the Investigator.
Charles can also be reached via; Tel: +256 774 108978
Email: [email protected]
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