Uganda Airlines CEO, Jenifer Bamuturaki
Jenifer Bamuturaki, the Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Airlines, has revealed the impressive performance the national carrier has recorded in the last five years.
Appearing before Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) to respond to Auditor General’s report for 2024, Bamuturaki revealed that in the five years Uganda Airlines has been in operation, the national carrier has cumulatively recorded revenue to the tune of Shs1.2 trillion, up from Shs28.5bn in 2019 when the national carrier started operations.
It’s important to note that the COVID-19 induced lockdowns didn’t spare Uganda Airlines and the aviation industry at large.
“Uganda Airlines has noted a significant increase in revenues. If we look at our revenues from the time the airline was started in 2019, the airline made only Shs28.5Bn, now the airline cumulatively up to the last financial year made Shs1.2Trn. That shows a growth pattern,” said Bamuturaki.
She further detailed the performance of Uganda Airlines, noting that the aircraft passenger numbers have grown from 71,000 passengers to 419,170 in 2024, and within the five years, the national airline has carried 1.1 million passengers.
“Uganda Airlines value to this country is seen in many ways. One, our contribution to the traffic into Entebbe is 23.4 percent. So, the figures that are announced by the regulator, Uganda Airlines portion is 23.4 percent, that is what we support. The airline supports 90 percent local supplier content on our aircraft, in our offices. 90 percent is sourced locally. The airline employs over 500 staff, of which only 4 percent are expatriates, meaning that 96 percent are Ugandan,” added Bamuturaki.
She also lashed out at social media users for damaging the image of the national airline over claims that the bombardier aircraft are unsafe for travel, describing such reports as false.
“It is unfortunate that social media has taken a different angle. In terms of our safety and airworthiness, our aircraft meet all international and safety standards. We make sure we comply with every regulation as well as every policy that is brought upon us by the regulator,” she said.
In the same meeting, Peter Amuge, Head of Engineering at Uganda Airlines, also refuted claims that the CRJ bombardier aircraft are unsafe for travel due to scarcity of spare parts, saying the spare parts are available on market although it takes over 300 days from time of order to delivery, while the middle men who stockpile these spare parts charge double the price on the market.
He remarked, “To put it on record, our aircraft are maintained to the top standards in accordance with the regulator, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), and the global requirements. All our aircraft are maintained to the highest standards and they are safe and we are regulated by Uganda CAA, which has the responsibility for oversight of all the aviation entities in the country.”
Amuge informed the Committee that the challenge of scarcity of spare parts isn’t unique to Uganda but rather, this is a global phenomenon brought about by the effects of COVID-19 pandemic that hit the aviation industry, that affected production of critical aircrafts parts.
Amuge explained: “This is a global issue and it’s not only to Uganda Airlines or to Uganda. It’s a global issue and it’s affecting all aircraft types that means the CRJ, the Airbuses, the Boeings, it’s a general issue and this is stemming from the challenges that came from the COVID-19 because when COVID-19 hit, the supply chain was interrupted. And so, the production slowed down. But also, after the COVID-19, airlines and the aviation market bounced back, so, there was a huge requirement for aircraft and all the production lines for aero planes were ramped up and these lines require the same parts that other aircrafts require.”
Amuge explained that if Uganda Airlines was to order for a windshield for an aircraft right now, it will take it 300 days to have that windshield supplied, however, having that same windshield obtained immediately from suppliers who stockpile these items would cost double the market price.
“So that is the scarcity we are talking about. But the parts are available, But the issue is just the scarcity and because of the scarcity, supply and demand, the price goes up. The issue of Mitsubishi stopping to manufacture the aero plane, they still supply the parts. The biggest parts supplier for us right now is Mitsubishi itself,” Emuge noted.
Medard Sseggona, Chairperson COSASE commended officials from Uganda Airlines for clarifying on the concerns on the scarcity of spare parts noting, “I think it was a question of context and how we understood it and I would not blame the press on this. What I did understand it to mean is that since the sale of this company, there was no production. I have since received, two telephone calls from persons interested in this industry basically saying, no, it is not a fact that there are no parts, parts are there because I think, as the engineer said, the suppliers are different. The context has been well understood.”
