President Yoweri Museveni has ordered a sweeping purge at the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), directing the immediate dismissal of over 150 staff members accused of securing jobs through corrupt and irregular recruitment processes.
In a letter dated June 25 to the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, the President expressed deep concern over what he described as “massive corruption” within the UCAA—particularly in the hiring of unqualified personnel.
“I have received information that there is massive corruption in the UCAA in a number of areas, including the recruitment of unqualified people,” Museveni wrote.
He said the fallout from such practices has led to operational inefficiencies that have both embarrassed the nation and undermined service delivery at Uganda’s main airport.
Citing a recent high-profile incident as an example, the President pointed to the case of Mama Maria Nyerere, widow of Tanzania’s founding President Julius Nyerere, who was left trapped in a malfunctioning lift at Entebbe International Airport for four minutes. Museveni described the situation as “glaring” and “embarrassing,” and blamed it on systemic failures within the institution.
An internal review has since uncovered that 152 employees at UCAA do not meet the required qualifications for their respective roles. Museveni has ordered that all of them be dismissed immediately.
“All these must be sacked… I demand immediate action,” he instructed.
The President also directed the removal of senior managers responsible for recruiting the unqualified individuals, holding them accountable for their role in what he termed as institutional rot.
The letter was copied to the Vice President, the Prime Minister, and the Ministers of Education and Sports and Transport. The directive is expected to trigger a major shake-up at the UCAA.
