Africa-Press – Uganda. Aviation expert Francis Babu has called for the immediate dissolution of the board of Uganda Airlines and a comprehensive forensic audit of the airline, arguing that both steps are critical to rescuing the struggling national carrier.
Speaking in an interview with NBS TV, Babu said the airline must be given a “clean slate” if it is to recover from operational and governance challenges.
“First of all, the present board must go,” Babu said, adding that senior managers who served under the former chief executive should also be replaced to allow new leadership to operate independently.
He warned that retaining the current management structure could undermine newly appointed Ethiopian aviation executive Girma Wake, who has been tasked with overseeing the airline’s management.
“If you put this expert now with the people who are in the airline, they’ll make him fail,” Babu said. He argued that the consultant should be allowed to assemble his own team, particularly in marketing, finance and operations areas he described as central to the airline’s survival.
According to Babu, weaknesses in those departments have contributed to flight delays, poor communication and financial management gaps.
Beyond management changes, Babu pressed for a full forensic audit to address allegations of mismanagement and corruption.
“We need a forensic audit, not just talk,” he said. “Let us clean the slate and start anew.”
He maintained that public scrutiny of the airline should not be curtailed, saying passengers are right to demand accountability over service failures.
“People are free to point out what is going wrong,” he said, noting that constructive criticism can improve performance.
Babu also defended the recent leadership appointments made by President Yoweri Museveni, arguing that executive authority over the airline ultimately rests with the Head of State.
In 2022, Museveni appointed Jennifer Bamuturaki as chief executive of Uganda Airlines. An acting CEO has since been named as the government awaits a substantive appointment expected by July.
Babu said the President has the constitutional mandate and institutional capacity to conduct due diligence on appointees.
On operations, he suggested that the airline should reassess its fleet strategy, recommending aircraft such as the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 MAX or the Airbus A220-300 the latter operated by Air Tanzania depending on route and capacity needs.
Despite the challenges, Babu said the airline still has an opportunity to rebuild if governance structures are strengthened and competent professionals are empowered.
“In fact, the startup which was started in 2021 is starting now,” he said. “We must carry out damage control.”
Uganda Airlines resumed commercial operations in 2019 after nearly two decades of dormancy but has since faced mounting financial and operational pressures, fuelling debate over its long-term viability.
