Uganda Airlines, the national carrier of Uganda, is currently under intense scrutiny regarding governance issues as Chief Executive Officer Jenifer Bamuturaki's leadership faces significant challenges. The airline's board has decided to re-advertise the CEO position, effectively ending her tenure.
In an internal communication sent to staff on February 2, 2026, Bamuturaki announced that the board resolved to open her position for public applications. She encouraged qualified employees to apply once the job description is posted.
This decision comes amid escalating governance concerns and an active investigation by Uganda’s Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit. Authorities are examining allegations of abuse of office, embezzlement of funds, and false accounting related to major procurement decisions and financial transactions within the airline.
A special audit has reportedly uncovered numerous irregularities, including untraceable revenues, questionable fuel contracts, and unexplained financial leaks, further eroding confidence in the airline's management.
Sources indicate that a 2025 meeting at State House, chaired by President Yoweri Museveni, was crucial to this development. During this confidential session, which reviewed several unresolved issues, the President is said to have abruptly instructed Bamuturaki to leave, marking a turning point in her leadership.
Uganda Airlines, which relaunched in 2019 with high expectations, has struggled to achieve profitability and reliability. Ongoing financial losses and service complaints have intensified pressure on the management, contributing to the urgency for a leadership change.
This is not the first leadership controversy facing the airline. Former CEO Cornwell Muleya was arrested in 2022 for failing to comply with an Inspectorate of Government summons amid corruption allegations; however, he was subsequently cleared by a court on technical grounds.
As the board prepares to advertise the CEO position once more, stakeholders believe this leadership shake-up could present a crucial opportunity to restore credibility to Uganda's flagship carrier, or risk deepening divisions if the underlying issues are not adequately addressed.