Uganda Airlines Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Bamuturaki is expected to exit the national carrier, paving the way for leadership change aimed at turning around the loss-making airline.
Bamuturaki earlier this week informed staff that the position of Chief Executive Officer would soon be advertised. She has led Uganda Airlines for nearly five years, including a period in an acting capacity. The internal communication has widely been interpreted as confirmation that her tenure is coming to an end.
Uganda Airlines was relaunched in 2019 with the goal of boosting tourism, supporting trade and restoring national pride. Government invested heavily in the carrier, acquiring Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft for regional routes and Airbus A330-800neo wide-body jets for long-haul operations, with ambitions of positioning Entebbe as a regional aviation hub.
However, despite the investment, the airline has continued to post losses and has faced growing scrutiny over governance, procurement processes and human resource management.
Against this backdrop, President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday held talks at State House with Girma Wake, the former long-serving chief executive of Ethiopian Airlines. Wake is widely reported to be the leading candidate to replace Bamuturaki.
“We discussed matters regarding air transport, among other issues,” Museveni said in a social media post following the meeting.
Who is Girma Wake?
Girma Wake, born in 1943, is one of Africa’s most respected aviation executives. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines from 2004 to 2011, a period during which the carrier recorded remarkable expansion and profitability.
Under his leadership, Ethiopian Airlines implemented long-term strategic planning focused on fleet modernisation, staff training and the development of Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport as a major continental hub.
Wake oversaw the airline’s early adoption of modern aircraft, including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and strengthened Ethiopian Airlines’ role within the Star Alliance, significantly expanding its global network and competitiveness.
He is also credited with championing strong corporate governance. Ethiopian Airlines operates under a commercial mandate with a professional board, consistent state support and limited political interference in day-to-day operations—an approach often cited as the key reason the airline has remained profitable while many African national carriers collapsed.
After leaving the CEO role, Wake continued to play a major role in African aviation, serving as chairman of the Ethiopian Airlines Group board and sitting on several continental aviation bodies, including RwandAir. He has also advised governments and airlines seeking to replicate Ethiopia’s aviation success.
