Akena said government should invest in cargo handling facilities across the country instead of concentrating development around a single airport if Uganda is to position itself as a regional export hub.
Speaking at a news briefing on Wednesday, Akena said he had previously submitted policy proposals to President Yoweri Museveni aimed at helping Uganda take advantage of growing trade links between South America, China, Europe and the Middle East.
He said one of the proposals contributed to a presidential directive issued on February 11, 2026, on the development of an airport in western Uganda, but argued that the country needs a wider network of export facilities.
“Team Uganda must win,” Akena said, explaining that his proposals were intended to benefit the country beyond political differences.
He said that despite what he described as challenges during the 2026 election campaign, he continued engaging government and submitted three proposals because national development requires dialogue among political actors.
One of his proposals focused on exploiting emerging air cargo routes linked to increased Chinese investment in South America.
Akena said Uganda could benefit from cargo aircraft servicing major projects in South America by positioning itself to export agricultural and other products to markets in the Middle East, Far East and Europe.
“The thinking was that when these air cargo planes come, they can carry between 10 and 30 tonnes to the Middle East, the Far East and Europe,” he said.
He said expanded market access for Ugandan products, including farmed fish, presents an opportunity that requires efficient transport systems.
“The question is how do you transport them from Uganda to China? You need planes,” Akena said.
He argued that attracting cargo flights alone would not be enough unless government develops supporting infrastructure such as cold storage facilities and export handling systems.
“We need export capacity. We need cold storage in Entebbe. We need cold storage in Gulu. We need cold storage in other airports. We need an export drive to get our products into these markets to support our people,” he said.
Akena said Uganda’s regional airports could all be developed into export hubs, arguing that the geographical advantages being considered for one airport could apply to others.
He said strengthening multiple airports would benefit farmers, fish exporters and other producers by improving access to international markets.
“I was looking at what can drive all these airports to become hubs for export, hubs for Uganda products, to raise our families,” Akena said.
He linked the proposed export strategy to efforts to address child malnutrition, saying increased household incomes would improve food security and enable families to better support their children.
Akena also explained his decision to decline a Cabinet appointment previously offered by President Museveni, saying his approach to economic challenges differs from that of the current administration.
“I think differently. The way I approach a problem is completely different,” he said.
Despite turning down the appointment, Akena said he remains willing to share ideas that can contribute to Uganda’s development.
He urged political leaders to focus more on policy solutions than personal disagreements, saying practical ideas are needed to create jobs, expand exports and improve citizens’ livelihoods.