February 3, 2026
Written by Juergen T Steinmetz
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has dismissed Uganda Airlines CEO Jenifer Bamuturaki as investigations into alleged mismanagement continue. Sources say State House is considering appointing former Ethiopian Airlines chief executive Girma Wake to lead the national carrier. The shake-up signals a broader management overhaul at the loss-making airline.
Kampala / Entebbe, There are rumors in local media that Uganda President Yoweri Museveni has dismissed Jenifer Bamuturaki as chief executive of Uganda Airlines, as the government moves to overhaul the leadership of the state-owned carrier amid an ongoing mismanagement and procurement probe, according to multiple Ugandan media reports and sources familiar with the decision.
As eTurboNews confirmed from a reliable source who contacted Jenifer, these rumors are not true.
Local reporting indicates State House has been weighing a high-profile external replacement: Girma Wake, the former CEO of Ethiopian Airlines (2004–2011), who is widely credited with helping shape the airline’s long-running expansion.
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The talk about the leadership change follows a probe launched in early January by Uganda’s Criminal Investigations Directorate, working jointly with the State House Anti-Corruption Unit. Reporting indicates investigators are requesting extensive procurement, banking, ticketing, and contract records—including files related to aircraft acquisitions and supplier arrangements supporting long-haul operations.
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While the airline and government have previously framed Uganda Airlines as a long-term strategic investment for tourism and trade connectivity, the probe has intensified scrutiny of governance, spending, and commercial performance.
According to reports, Bamuturaki had already signaled an impending transition internally, telling staff that the board would advertise the CEO position and encouraging qualified internal candidates to apply, suggesting a formal recruitment process is being prepared even as State House weighs external leadership options.
As of February 3, there had been no standalone public statement from the Uganda Airlines board regarding the dismissal or the naming of a successor, according to the same reports.
Why Girma Wake is being floated
Museveni’s reported interest in Wake reflects a familiar playbook in African aviation: importing leadership that has scaled a complex carrier through fleet growth, hub strategy, alliances, and operational discipline.
Wake’s tenure at Ethiopian Airlines is often associated with laying the groundwork for the group’s later rise into one of the continent’s most successful airline systems, and he has held other regional aviation leadership roles as well.
If confirmed, the move would also be politically and commercially symbolic—signaling an attempt to “reset” Uganda Airlines with an internationally recognized airline executive at a time when public scrutiny is high.
Financial and route pressures in the backdrop
Uganda Airlines’ leadership turbulence comes as the carrier faces persistent losses, even as revenues have shown signs of improvement in recent audit commentary reported by local media. For example, Daily Monitor reports the airline’s net loss narrowed slightly in the most recent cited period, while also noting growing cost and payable pressures
Operationally, the airline’s long-haul ambitions have raised the stakes. Uganda Airlines launched nonstop service between Entebbe International Airport and London Gatwick Airport on May 18, 2025—an aviation and tourism milestone for Uganda, but also a capital-intensive route that has attracted attention in the context of the current records requests.
What happens next
Key questions now facing the carrier and the Ugandan government include:
- Who takes interim control while investigations and recruitment proceed.
- Whether the CEO search is fully open (with internal candidates considered) or if State House will directly pursue an external “turnaround” appointment.
- How procurement and governance findings—if substantiated—translate into reforms in fleet planning, supplier contracting, and financial oversight.
For Uganda’s tourism sector, the outcome matters: the national airline remains central to inbound connectivity, regional links, and Uganda’s positioning as an easier destination to reach—especially as direct long-haul service expands the country’s reach into key source markets.