Some members of the Muslim community that graced the iftar dinner
The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has applauded the Muslim community for greatly contributing to the growing passenger traffic at Entebbe International Airport.
Fred K. Bamwesigye, the UCAA Director General, made the remarks during the UCAA Muslim community iftar dinner held on march 6, 2026 in Entebbe.
“The Muslim fraternity contributes greatly to the airport’s passenger traffic, especially during the Hijja period and Umrah. Many of you are also prominent business men and traders, who frequently use the airport’s facilities. We highly appreciate your patronage,” Bamwesigye said.
In 2025, Entebbe International Airport registered 2.48 million international passengers compared to 2.243 million in 2024 and 1.93 million in 2023. Cargo has also grown exponentially with 69,595 metric tonnes recorded in 2025 compared to 67,098 metric tones in 2024 and 59, 072 metric tones in 2023.
“These are clear signs of progress,” Bamwesigye said.
He noted that due to the current situation in the Middle East, some of the airline operations between Entebbe and the affected destinations have been impacted since Saturday, February 28, 2026.
“On that day, several flights to Dubai, Sharja and Doha could not take – off from Entebbe or land. This, especially affected operators of direct flights from Entebbe to those destinations, such as Qatar Airways, Emirates, Fly Dubai, Air Arabia and Uganda Airlines,” he said, adding that with various airports in the affected areas announcing phased resumption of operations, Air Arabia has since resumed flights to Sharja.
“Yesterday (Thursday), Fly Dubai also resumed morning operations to Dubai and has also operated this morning (one flight a day). They are yet to resume their evening flight. Fly NAS to Riyadh is the other Middle East bound operator which has managed to operate flights through this period. Qatar to Doha, Emirates and Uganda Airlines are the others yet to resume Dubai flights,” he added.
He revealed that on Friday night, they had scheduled Ethiopian Airlines and Fly NAS flights to take Muslim pilgrims to Medina for Umrah.
It should be noted that at the 2024 Iftar dinner, Bamwesigye made a commitment that this gathering would become an annual tradition with UCAA hosting the community members to share a meal together
“This event has become a cherished occasion, allowing us to share in the blessings of Ramadan while strengthening the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood within the aviation fraternity,” Bamwesigye said, adding: “Ramadan teaches us discipline, empathy, and communal harmony. It is a time to support one another, extend kindness, and uphold the highest standards of integrity and service. As professionals in the aviation sector, let us embody these values in our work, ensuring they reflect in our interactions, service delivery, and overall commitment to excellence as we continue to grow Uganda’s aviation industry.”
He added that UCAA remains committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment that respects and celebrates the cultural and religious diversity of our workforce.
