UGANDA – Uganda Airlines has appointed Jennifer Bamuturaki as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Ms Bamuturaki has been serving as interim CEO for more than a year after the firm suspended and later fired former CEO Cornwell Muleya, some board members and some staff over allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
In a letter from the works and transport minister, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, to the chairperson of the Uganda Airlines board dated July 5, the minister revealed that the directive to appoint Bamuturaki came from the President, Yoweri Museveni.
Ms Bamuturaki is now tasked with steering the recently revamped national carrier to greater heights in a crowded East African sky.
Ms Bamuturaki, who has over 30 years’ experience as a marketing consultant in the airline, hospitality and travel industries, earlier worked as the airlines commercial director when it had just resumed operations in 2019 but was pushed out by the board for alleged under performance.
She studied at Makerere University, where she obtained a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and Social Administration.
She also has qualifications in IATA sales training for airlines, hotel sales, and marketing, in addition to training in revenue management.
In 2019, when Uganda National Airlines Company was launched, she was hired as the airline’s Commercial Manager.
She has been credited for pushing for additional routes to the airline’s network including Dubai, London, Guangzhou and other regional routes.
Ms Bamuturaki formerly worked under the commercial department of the defunct Air Uganda for seven years and as a country manager for the East African Airlines.
A fortnight ago, the former Uganda Airlines CEO, Cornwell Muleya, was arrested and charged by the Inspectorate of Government for disobeying the Inspectorate’s orders. However, he was released on bail days later.
The Inspectorate of Government is investigating various acts of mismanagement of public funds by public officers at Uganda National Airlines Company (UNAC) between May and June this year.
Muleya was appointed the CEO of Uganda Airlines in 2019. However, his woes started on April 21, 2021, after Works Minister Katumba Wamala sent him and 12 other top officials on forced leave.
Earlier this year, his contract as the Uganda Airlines CEO was terminated on the orders of President Yoweri Museveni.
This comes weeks after the Airlines received landing rights at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport located in southern China.
Uganda Airlines also recently acquired rights to start flying to Heathrow Airport in London, UK.
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