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Minister of Works and Transport, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, on Sunday morning, saw off Uganda Airlines’ inaugural flight to the United Kingdom.
The maiden flight, operated by one of the airline’s two Airbus A330-800s, departed Entebbe International Airport at 10:05 am for London Gatwick.
This is the national carrier’s first route to Europe, five years since its revival.
Amid fanfare, the minister saw off a team of top government officials who are part of the inaugural flight.
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Officials on board
These include officials from the Ministries of Trade and Tourism, KCCA, the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), and the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACIED), among others.
The teams are expected to hold high-level meetings in the UK aimed at attracting investments and tourism to Uganda
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Also on the flight was the UK’s High Commissioner to Uganda, H.E. Lisa Chesney MBE.
Minister Katumba, in his remarks, charged the officials to represent Uganda’s interests while in London.
“We are not going to London to look for NGOs or ask for donations. We are going there to look for investment. We shall be facing a team of investors, and we need to convince them to come to Uganda,” he said.
“You are going out there to promote trade because we have what to trade with the people in the UK and beyond. You must not come empty-handed.”
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H.E. Chesney expressed excitement, noting that the new route would open up more opportunities and bolster relations between the two countries.
“There is no better time to be launching a direct flight when our two countries are committed to fostering much stronger links on the trade and economic sides,” she said
“I'm excited to see memebrs ot the British Chamber of Commerce booked on this flight and thinking about how to use the new connection to drive trade and bring in investments between the UK and Uganda."
A bright future
Mr Ramadhan Ggoobi, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, said the new route would be beneficial in terms of moving know-how and technology to Uganda.
He also pledged the government’s continued support to the new airline.
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“We are working on certain investments, and we think that in the near future we shall have more direct flights through Entebbe to the rest of the world,” he said.
Similar sentiments were shared by the airline’s CEO, Jenifer Bamuturaki, who commended different stakeholders who made the London flight launch a success.
“As we take to the skies on this new route invite you to choose Uganda Airlines for your future travel between Uganda and the UK,” remarked the CEO.
The Airline will be operating four weekly flights to Gatwick.