Finance Minister Henry Musasizi has called for sweeping reforms at Uganda Airlines, urging the national carrier to adopt private sector business principles to improve efficiency, profitability, and competitiveness.
Musasizi said the airline must strengthen its commercial focus, improve operational efficiency, and position itself to deliver sustainable returns while supporting Uganda’s Tenfold Growth Strategy.
“The Board and Management of Uganda Airlines should implement key reforms to ensure that the airline becomes a profitable and reliable, world-class carrier and a major contributor to Uganda’s tenfold growth strategy,” he said.
He emphasised that adopting private sector business principles would be critical to improving the airline’s performance and ensuring its long-term sustainability.
Uganda Airlines Acting Chief Executive Officer Girma Wake outlined the carrier’s operational priorities and recent developments, saying the airline introduced a new schedule structure effective 1st July 2026. Wake said the airline also plans to launch Accra and Kigali routes as part of efforts to expand its network and strengthen its regional and international presence.
He, however, noted that the airline continues to face operational challenges arising from regional conflicts that led to the suspension of Dubai flight operations, volatility in global fuel prices, and the Ebola outbreak.
Wake called for the establishment of a specialised procurement framework tailored to the aviation sector to ease aircraft acquisition, leasing transactions, and procurement of aviation-specific goods and services.
Uganda Airlines Board Chairperson Priscilla Mirembe Serukka said the carrier requires recapitalisation to support aircraft acquisition, meet growing demand across its route network, and improve operational reliability.
She said the airline has successfully transitioned from a market-entry startup into a regional competitor and now controls 27 per cent of the market share at Entebbe International Airport, reflecting its growing role in the regional aviation sector.
The call for reforms comes as Uganda Airlines continues to expand its footprint, with new routes and increased frequency on existing ones. The carrier recently signed a deal with Boeing for 10 new aircraft valued at approximately Shs3.7 trillion, a move expected to significantly boost its capacity.
However, the airline’s ability to achieve profitability and sustainability will depend on how effectively it addresses its operational challenges and adopts the private sector principles advocated by the Finance Minister.
For now, the message from the government is clear: Uganda Airlines must transform from a state-backed carrier into a commercially viable enterprise that contributes to the country’s economic ambitions.
