The Director General Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) Mr. Fred Bamwesigye, has revealed Entebbe International Airport is fully prepared for an influx of passenger traffic with a number of dignitaries set to attend President Yoweri Museveni’s swearing in ceremony on Tuesday next week.
“UCAA has been working in close coordination with all relevant government stakeholders to ensure smooth, seamless, and dignified facilitation” he said.
Bamwesigye noted that a comprehensive operational plan was developed and validated through dry runs conducted on April 24 and May 4, which provides detailed protocols for handling the different categories of delegates expected.
“All necessary infrastructure is in place, including adequate parking for additional aircraft beyond routine operations. Renovation works, furnishings, and branding have been undertaken in select areas, notably the VVIP facility, which serves as the primary reception area for Heads of State and their delegations” he said.
Bamwesigye, who made the remarks while addressing journalists on aviation industry developments at the Uganda Media Centre on Friday, said Airlines have been fully briefed on operational expectations, and aviation fuel suppliers have been tasked to ensure adequate stock to meet the anticipated increase in demand, ensuring no disruptions or risk of scarcity.
Turning to broader industry developments, he revealed that the temporary closure of airspace in parts of the Middle East beginning February 28, 2026, affected several Airlines operating Middle East routes from Entebbe, including Emirates, Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Qatar Airways, and Uganda Airlines which temporarily suspended flights before resuming operations in phases.
Bamwesigye noted that the disruptions had a considerable impact on passenger and cargo traffic through Entebbe, contributing to increased ticket costs and reduced revenues across the sector.
“International arrivals fell by 7.9%, from 260,434 to 239,850 passengers. Similarly, international departures declined by 8.5%, from 290,594 to 265,941 passengers. Transit passenger traffic, however, recorded strong growth of 25.2%, rising from 22,394 to 28,035 passengers” he said.
He added, “Cargo exports declined sharply by 28.9%, from 10,534 in 2025 to 7,490 metric tonnes in the same quarter of 2026, while imports fell by 9%, from 4,932 to 4,490 metric tonnes”.
However, Bamwesigye noted that despite the decline in passenger and cargo traffic, aircraft movements increased by 7.7%, from 7,817 to 8,420 movements, and overflights grew by 2.6%, from 6,258 to 6,423, an indication of continued interest in Uganda’s airspace.
Hijja Pilgrimage Operations
The Director General has further advised faithful traveling for Hijja in Mecca, to plan their flights ahead of time in order to allow additional time for check-in and other airport processes to avoid inconvenience or the risk of missing their flights.
“The first group of pilgrims departing today will travel aboard Fly NAS, with subsequent departures on Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air Arabia, Ethiopian Airlines, and Fly Dubai, among others. Charter flights carrying approximately 385 and 250 passengers are also planned for May 18, and May 20, 2026, respectively. The majority of pilgrims are expected to return between May 31 and June 10, 2026” he said.
Bamwesigye revealed that additional accompanying vehicles may be redirected where necessary, in order for to maintain orderly traffic flow within the airport
