This archive report was first published on 21 August 2021.
On August 21, 2021, suspended officials of Uganda Airlines submitted their written defences to the management and shareholders, setting the stage for a final showdown with investigators who wrote a damning report against them.
Uganda President Yoweri Museveni had ordered the dismissal and prosecution of board members, senior managers, and junior officers, including pilots, over a litany of accusations including mismanagement, graft, and incompetence.
However, fearing a legal backlash, officials at the Ministry of Works sought the opinion of the Attorney General, who recommended two separate tribunals to give the officials who have been on suspension since May a fair hearing.
The board and senior management are accused of engaging in corrupt practices such as bribery for jobs and in procurement, inflating prices, and failing the certification of the Airbus A330 fleet among other things.
One expatriate manager is accused of soliciting bribes in the recruitment of staff and procurement of ground handling services in Juba, while another manager faces six charges, including alleged failure to manage and use the airline's flight data system.
President Museveni was particularly angered by allegations that one pilot was sent to train as a first officer on the A330 without achieving minimum flying hours.
