President Yoweri Museveni has ordered for the immediate removal of embattled Uganda Airlines CEO Jenifer Bamuturaki and appointed aviation veteran Mr. Girma Wake as a consultant to Uganda Airlines, and also serve as the national airlines acting CEO for the next three months.
In a directive issued late on Monday night, President Museveni ordered Transport Minister Gen. Katumba Wamala, to appoint 82 year old Wake in order to address the current leadership and management weaknesses in Uganda Airlines.
“I hereby direct that you go ahead and appoint Mr. Girma Wake as a Consultant/Advisor to assist in rectifying a number of management weaknesses in the airline. In addition, he is to serve as Acting CEO until we appoint a new CEO by July, 2026, as I had agreed with Ramadhan” he said.
President Museveni further noted that Mr Girma will work hand in hand with the board until a substantive Chief Executive Officer is appointed following Bamuturaki’s dismissal.
“I also direct that the current, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ms. Jenifer Bamuturaki be enabled to step aside immediately and handover to Mr. Girma Wake and the Board of Uganda Airlines. The Board should go ahead and organize whatever emoluments are due to her” he said.
Girma’s appointment comes days after Mr Museveni met Mr Wake and a Ugandan pilot based in Canada, Robert Kateera, at State House on February 4, 2026, following the exit of embattled Bamuturaki, who had been at the helm of the airlines since July 2022.
At the beginning of it’s revival, Zambian, Cornwell Muleya was appointed the pioneer CEO of the revived Uganda Airlines, serving from October 2019 until his suspension in 2021 and eventual termination in February 2022 following allegations of mismanagement and corruption.
Muleya led the initial setup phase before being replaced by Jennifer Bamuturaki.
Uganda Airlines woes
Girma’s appointment as the interim CEO, comes at a time when the national carrier is in a crisis and under investigation by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and Police Criminal Investigations Directorate over alleged abuse of office, embezzlement of funds and false accounting against officials of Uganda Airlines.
Since mid-last year, the National Airline has been in the spotlight over a number of issues including several corruption allegations, lack of spare parts, flight disruptions and un notified flight cancellations among other woes.
According to reports presented to parliament, the airline recorded a net loss of about UGX 324.9 billion in the 2022/ 2023 financial year, in 2023/2024, losses fell but remained substantial at about UGX 237.8 billion.
Girma’s appointment comes barely a day after the Board of Directors of Uganda Airlines had advertised the position, which now requires candidates to be over 60 years old, seeking to recruit a visionary and results-oriented CEO to provide strategic leadership and oversee the airline’s sustainable growth and performance.
