Uganda Airlines has been battling financial storms for years, but a dramatic confrontation at State House may have marked the most decisive turning point yet. What began as a high-level accountability meeting reportedly ended in anger, humiliation, and the quiet political fall of the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Jenifer Bamuturaki.
In September 2025, President Yoweri Museveni summoned the Uganda Airlines Board and senior management to State House. The agenda was serious: mounting losses, controversial aircraft deals, audit red flags, and questions about missing revenue. The national carrier, relaunched in 2019 with strong government backing and heavy taxpayer investment, was expected to explain why its performance continued to worry both auditors and technocrats.
But sources say the meeting quickly turned tense. The President, already frustrated by repeated audit concerns, was reportedly unconvinced by the explanations he received. Officials present say Museveni felt management was recycling the same answers while financial problems deepened.
That frustration allegedly boiled over. In a moment that stunned those in the room, the President reportedly ordered Bamuturaki to leave the meeting. His words, according to insiders, were blunt and final. The outburst signaled more than anger — it showed a complete loss of confidence in her leadership.
Although there was no immediate public announcement, the message inside government circles was clear. Museveni later declined to approve any extension of Bamuturaki’s contract and directed the Board to advertise the CEO position. It was a quiet but powerful move, effectively ending her tenure without a dramatic dismissal letter.
The situation became even more serious as investigators stepped in. On January 7, 2026, the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) wrote to Uganda Airlines demanding extensive financial and procurement records. The letter, also copied to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, signaled that the matter had moved beyond internal management issues to possible criminal investigations.
CID is now probing allegations including abuse of office, embezzlement, and false accounting. Among the documents requested are approvals for Boeing aircraft procurement, fuel and aircraft leasing contracts, ticketing agency records, banking statements, internal audit reports, and spending related to the troubled London route.
One of the most alarming audit findings involves more than $9.2 million (about Shs35 billion) in passenger service fees. Auditors say these charges continued to be collected even after management reportedly scrapped the levy in July 2023. There is said to be no clear evidence that the money was properly banked, raising serious concerns about where the funds went.
Ticketing practices have also come under scrutiny. Agencies allegedly linked to airline staff are reported to have controlled the majority of heavily discounted tickets. This arrangement is said to have hurt revenue and raised conflict-of-interest questions. Fuel procurement and aircraft leasing contracts are also being examined, adding to the scale of the probe.
For President Museveni, the situation appears to have symbolized more than just poor management. Uganda Airlines is a flagship national project meant to boost tourism, trade, and Uganda’s global image. After repeated warnings from auditors and experts, insiders say the President’s patience finally ran out.
CID investigations are still ongoing, and no arrests have been announced so far. Bamuturaki and Uganda Airlines have largely remained silent in public. However, politically, the damage appears to have been done.
The national carrier now faces not only financial recovery but also reputational repair, as investigators follow the paper trail of money, contracts, and decisions. The dramatic State House confrontation may have lasted only minutes, but its impact on Uganda Airlines could be felt for years.
