Fresh details have emerged on how shrewd Kampala businessmen connived with officials at Uganda Airlines to smuggle alcohol into Mogadishu, Somalia.
It should be noted that in May 2021, the top managers of Uganda Airlines including the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Cornwell Muleya and other seniors managers were sent on a three -month over reported mismanagement.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni directed Works and Transport Minister, Gen. Katumba Wamala to overhaul the entire Airline top management after obtaining substantial evidence related to corruption and nepotism practiced at Entebbe Airport.
Museveni publicly reacted to the rot inside Uganda Airlines last month during the State of Nation Address and defended his decision to return Jennifer Bamuturaki to oversee the operations of the National airline having been sacked by Muleya while she served as Commercial Director.
It is understood that as Muleya and group are serving a three-month ‘forced’ leave, Museveni deployed Brenda Wadri from State House to investigate the rot in the Airline.
“The findings are shocking,” said a source, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
A separate source added that, the suspended officials had liaised with top businessmen in town to run down the airline by awarding themselves huge deals, kickbacks and commissions at the expense of taxpayers’ money estimated to be Shs100 billion.
DETAILS
It has been established that the suspended officials have launched a full scale, clandestine operation to retain their positions since their three- month- leave ends in August.
“They are moving faster by leaking to the media cooked stories linking the current management to the rot in the airline. The motive is to pre-empt the investigation,” our investigation revealed.
To remain relevant and try influence investigations, some of the suspended officials have recently been using various media platforms to talk about Uganda Airlines and the aviation industry in general.
“One of the suspended officials was last hosted by Rotary club of Madaraka Nairobi on July 12. His talk-shows are a calculated move to keep him relevant but also to pre-empt investigations. In all his talk-shows, this official has been bragging that he works very closely with President Museveni,” the investigation further reveals.
However, the official in question had in the past used the alleged closeness with the President to engage in very acts that tarnished the image of the Airline.
For example, in March this year, Somali government grounded Uganda Airlines plane in Somalia after learning that the carrier would smuggle alcohol into the country, thus undermining religious beliefs (Somalia is an Islamic State).
“It took the intervention of Museveni through UPDF to negotiate the release of the aircraft,” this website has further learnt.
“After this scandal, DAS Handling Limited, an airport ground handling service company in Uganda, fired all workers who loaded the alcohol on the plane to Mogadishu, but this same official shielded Uganda Airlines workers who were involved,” the investigations further reveal.
DAS is owned by affluent businessmen in Kampala.
Following this scandal, management of Uganda Airlines proposed “self handling” to get rid of DAS company, a move that can eliminate such actions but also save the airline billions.
However, before he was suspended, the official petitioned Ministry of Works to stop the self-handling system.
It is understood that some of the suspended senior managers still receive daily briefs from their juniors, a thing that is unethical and unprofessional.
“They work closely with a lady in the Finance Department. She is a daughter of a top official in Uganda Airlines,” our investigations show.
This website has also learnt that most senior managers in Uganda Airlines employed members of their families and relatives, one of the issues that prompted the President to take action.
