Government has reaffirmed commitment to ensuring the safety of the aviation industry.
Speaking during the inauguration of the national committee on wildlife hazard management at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Kampala, the Minister for Works and Transport, Gen Katumba Wamala who was represented by the UCAA board chairperson, Justice Steven Kavuma said the increasing frequency of wildlife strikes, particularly bird strikes, poses a significant challenge to aviation safety not only for Uganda, but across the globe.
“This is one area of aviation safety where proactive and collaborative management can make a real and lasting difference. The formation of this national committee is both timely and necessary. It signals a decisive step forward in the government of Uganda’s commitment to systematically address the risks posed by wildlife around airports and in airspace,” the minister said.
He said the new committee brings together the essential minds and authorities from aviation, Makerere University, environmental science, wildlife biology, airport management and government agencies.
Speaking to the new committee members, Gen Katumba Wamala said what makes the committee special is not just its expertise.
“Together, you will be shaping policies, guidelines, developing integrated wildlife hazard management plans and recommending actions that will make our air travel safer. Your work will not only support airport operators and aviation authorities but will also contribute to global benchmarks in wildlife hazard management in aviation,” he said.
The UCAA Director General, Fred Bamwesigye who is also the committee chairperson said the development is a deliberate and strategic response to a pressing issue that has grown in significance over the years; the threat posed by wildlife, particularly bird strikes, to aviation safety in Uganda.
“Each wildlife strike is a potential threat to human life, to aircraft, and to operational efficiency. According to ICAO statistics, thousands of such incidents occur annually, with millions of dollars in damages and airport and airspace disruptions. Considering the growing air traffic, with increasing settlements near airports, and evolving wildlife behaviour, it is imperative to adopt a national, coordinated approach in minimising wildlife hazard around airports,” Bamwesigye said.
He said bird and wildlife strikes remain one of the most persistent operational risks facing airports globally and locally , noting that there is need for efforts to deal with them
Bamwesigye said the impact of bird strikes incidents goes beyond economic losses; it directly affects the safety of passengers, crew, aircraft, and airport operations.
“Entebbe being a bird sanctuary means that we inevitably must co-exist with the birds, while putting in place mitigation measures that ensure that the runways are free of birds prior to a landing or take-off. This comes at a huge cost and requires a lot of communal sensitization efforts, among others.”
He pointed to the growth in air traffic leading to expansion of airports and on the other side, proximity of human settlements and natural ecosystems to critical aviation infrastructure has increased significantly.
“These changes, while indicators of growth and development, also come with rising operational and safety risks, chief among them, wildlife strikes, particularly bird strikes requiring us to respond with a national, integrated strategy in bird and wildlife hazard management.”
Bamwesigye said the committee will be the primary national platform for policy coordination, data sharing, and inter-agency collaboration on wildlife hazard management.
“This committee is not simply a formality it is a working body with a clear mandate, measurable outcomes, and accountability to the aviation industry.”
The committee
The 19-man committee chaired by Fred Bamwesigye also has Eng, Bonny Barongo, the UCAA director for safety, security and economic regulation, Joses Tegyeza Kachetero( Ministry of Public Service), Winnie Nampeera(Ministry of Works and Transport), Dennis Kidega( Ministry of Lands) and Anne Lilian Kafeero from NEMA as members.
Others are Capt Emmanuel Twesigye(head of UWA airwing ), Dan Mirembe( Uganda Wildlife Authority), Col Collins Ainomugisha( UPDAF), Lt Alex Kagina(UPDAF), Emmanuel Barungi(Entebbe Airport), Gloria Kirabo(UCAA), Andrew Ssempungu(UCAA), Dr. Maria Flavia Nakanjako(MAAIF), Dr.Petra Akite(Makerere University), Capt Japheth Okabo Okeng( Uganda National Airlines Company), Irene Atto(UCAA), Emmanuel Bigirwa(UCAA) and Suzan Nafuna(UCAA).