Aviation expert Capt Derek Nseko has described the recent leadership shake-up at Uganda Airlines as long overdue, blaming deep-rooted governance failures and sustained political interference for undermining the national carrier.
Speaking to Canary Mugume on Next Big Talk on Next Radio on Tuesday, Nseko said the exit of Chief Executive Jenifer Bamuturaki was inevitable, warning that the airline had for years been “a time bomb waiting to explode.”
“While I won’t celebrate the sacking of Jenifer Bamuturaki, I welcome it as something that needed to happen, especially if the airline is to move forward. What we are seeing now is the result of long-standing governance issues,” he said.
According to Nseko, political interference has been the single biggest factor behind Uganda Airlines’ struggles, a challenge he noted is common across many African national carriers.
“The main issue is governance. Governments are supposed to create an enabling environment for airlines to thrive, not get involved in day-to-day operations. That is where we go wrong, even as a country,” he said.
Nseko cautioned that simply appointing a new chief executive, even one drawn from a successful international airline, will not resolve Uganda Airlines’ problems unless the operating environment fundamentally changes.
“Even if the replacement comes from a very successful airline, he or she will still fail if we maintain the same environment Uganda Airlines is currently operating in,” he said.
He further argued that the airline requires a comprehensive operational and commercial reset, saying internal systems have weakened and staff morale has significantly deteriorated.
“The airline is rotten to the core. Employee morale is extremely low. Right now, we have a serious reliability issue. Uganda Airlines is extremely unreliable,” Nseko said.
He also criticised the gap between the airline’s public branding and the actual passenger experience.
“Uganda Airlines branded itself as the friendliest airline, but that is not what passengers experience in practice. We need to get back to basics, and that will require an entirely new team,” he said.
Nseko’s comments come as Uganda Airlines enters a critical transition period following the departure of CEO Jenifer Bamuturaki, whose tenure ended amid investigations by the Criminal Investigations Directorate and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit.
Bamuturaki stepped down under mounting pressure after President Yoweri Museveni ordered investigations into alleged mismanagement at the national carrier.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the President is considering appointing a former Ethiopian Airlines chief executive to lead Uganda Airlines as part of a broader management overhaul.
President Museveni has reportedly authorised a sweeping shake-up of the airline’s leadership, reigniting public debate over whether Uganda Airlines’ challenges stem primarily from individual leadership failures or from deeper, systemic governance weaknesses.
Bamuturaki’s departure follows a period of sustained scrutiny. Auditor-General reports have repeatedly raised concerns over weak governance structures, the absence of an approved staff establishment, salary disparities and persistent financial losses at the airline.
In 2024, she appeared before Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE), where she was asked to present her academic documents as part of parliamentary oversight of public entities.
Despite the controversy, Uganda Airlines continued operations under her leadership until the latest developments.
As the search for new leadership continues, industry experts warn that unless governance frameworks are strengthened and the airline insulated from political interference, any incoming management team may face the same challenges that undermined their predecessors.