Uganda Airlines (UR, Entebbe) has clarified what it terms "inaccurate", "speculative", and "premature" media reports about its ongoing fleet acquisition strategy, which, it stresses, remains within the purview of the government's constituted inter-ministerial fleet team.
"Given the nascent stage of these deliberations, any assertions of procedural irregularities are without merit. Definitive communications regarding fleet type considerations will be formally disseminated and authorised by the shareholder upon finalisation of the process," the state-owned airline's management said in a statement of clarification on August 27.
Following the appointment of a new board, CEO Jenifer Bamuturaki was quoted as saying that Uganda Airlines is acquiring two freighters and will add three more aircraft by August 2026 without specifying any details. The digital newspaper Monitor reported that the airline would use the added capacity to launch five more international routes, to Cape Town International (South Africa), Accra (Ghana), Oman, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), and Gwangju (South Korea), while domestic routes to be added in 2026 include Arua, Gulu, and Kasese.
In June, Uganda Airlines' chief commercial officer Adedayo Olawuyi told ch-aviation that the government had given the nod for the wet-lease of one B737-800(F). He also confirmed that the airline was finalising a narrowbody order with Airbus for two A320-200Ns and two A321-200Ns but that deliveries would not happen before 2031.
In the interim, Uganda Airlines aims to dry-lease one A320-200 and one A321-200 by October 2025. It has already extended its ACMI contract with DAT (Denmark) for one A320-200 by another 12 months.
The in-house fleet currently consists of two A330-800Ns and four CRJ900LRs, ch-aviation data shows.
CEO denies any wrongdoing
Meanwhile, Bamuturaki has denied any wrongdoing and insists the airline is still "working within" its 2018 business plan. This follows an exposé by Kampala-based ChimpReports newspaper, citing several confidential state correspondences submitted to the Inspector General of Government (IGG), "accusing Bamuturaki of trying to force a shift from Airbus to Boeing aircraft in defiance of the airline’s 2018 Cabinet-approved business plan". That plan endorsed Airbus for long-haul and mid-range routes on cost and efficiency grounds.
Allegations against Bamuturaki are that she tried to lead a management delegation to negotiate aircraft purchases with Boeing that included no technical experts (no engineers, pilots, or maintenance staff). The trip was subsequently blocked by the State House and the airline's board.
"Bamuturaki is alleged to have advanced deals to buy a 22-year-old Boeing 737-800 cargo jet for USD31 million - USD11 million above earlier valuations - along with four Boeing 787 passenger jets and several 737 MAX planes, effectively sidelining Airbus," the report reads. The allegation is that technical staff warned that the cargo jet’s engines were near mandatory replacement, but that their concerns were ignored.
As flagged before by ch-aviation, the fleet shift would have introduced a fifth aircraft type, adding operational complexities and costs in terms of maintenance, spare parts, fleet efficiency, operational flexibility, and pilot and cabin crew training.
In a reply to ChimpReports, Bamuturaki stated that no procurement decisions for Boeing aircraft have been finalised and cargo aircraft discussions are ongoing. She denied that Airbus was excluded due to lack of commissions. She also emphasised that all fleet acquisitions would follow due process and are subject to annual statutory audits by the Office of the Auditor General.
Boeing declined to comment when approached by ch-aviation.
