NATIONAL AIRLINE SET TO RETURN AFTER AIR UGANDA EXIT

Kampala. The government is working on a plan to revive the national airline following Air Uganda’s board decision not to return to the skies, according to the Director of Transport at the Ministry of Works and Transport, Mr Godfrey O. Wandera.

A stakeholders’ workshop is scheduled for next week on October 16. The stakeholders include: Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Works and Transport, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), MPs and traders.

Earlier plans by Air Uganda to partner with the government in reviving the national airline came to naught. According to Mr Wandera, President Museveni had requested Uganda Development Corporation to buy five per cent shares in the carrier before it was grounded.

“The ministry tried to do some due diligence in a move to acquire some shares but when we asked for account details from Air Uganda, there was no response,” Mr Wandera said.

Commenting on the acquisition of shares, the Works and Transport minister, Mr Abraham Byandala, said: “There were discussions with Air Uganda and we wanted to make it a national airline but they withdrew, so there is nothing we can do.”

On reviving the national airline, Uganda Airlines, which was liquidated 14 years ago, Mr Byandala said there must be a paper presented before the Cabinet first, seeking re-establishment of the carrier.

According to Mr Byandala, Uganda needed to first have control over the Air Uganda board, more so under international rules, the airline could not be designated as a flag carrier in Bilateral Air Services agreements.