Calls pile up for Jenifer Bamuturaki arrest

Public pressure is mounting for further action to be taken against Uganda Airlines chief executive officer (CEO) Ms Jenifer Bamuturaki following her exit from the national carrier.

With fresh details emerging about alleged mismanagement, governance failures and an ongoing criminal probe into the airline’s operations, more voices have emerged in support of her arrest and possible prosecution.

Ugandans on social media have reacted angrily to news that the Board of Uganda Airlines has opted to advertise the CEO position nearly four years after Ms Bamuturaki assumed office. 

Lawyer and human rights activist Nicholas Opiyo said that if the government of Uganda was serious, Bamuturaki would be behind bars.

“In any sound and accountable system, this lady would not only be fired but also be in jail for a series of serious public mismanagement at @UG_Airlines and for suspected abuse of funds and corruption,” he said.

Others echoed similar sentiments, with some questioning why termination appeared to be the only consequence for alleged wastage of taxpayers’ money.

Medical researcher Dr Catherine Kyobutungi argued that Ms Bamuturaki should never have been appointed in the first place, warning that poor governance has normalised arbitrary hiring and firing in public institutions. 

Another commentator, Mike, called for the arrest of all officials involved in the controversial aircraft purchases.

Ms Bamuturaki’s departure comes amid an investigation launched last month by the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) in conjunction with the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU). 

Investigators are probing alleged abuse of office, embezzlement and false accounting, and have demanded extensive financial, procurement and banking records, including documents related to Boeing aircraft acquisition and the costly London route.

The airline, revived in 2019, has relied heavily on government bailouts, with nearly Shs1 trillion injected so far. In December alone, Shs696.5 billion was allocated for fleet expansion under a supplementary budget.

While the Auditor General’s latest report noted a marginal reduction in losses and a 19.2 percent increase in revenue, critics argue that the improvements are negligible compared to the scale of public investment. Uganda Airlines still posted a net loss of Shs230.81 billion in the 2024/2025 financial year.

Further complicating Ms Bamuturaki’s tenure are longstanding concerns over her qualifications. In 2022, Parliament’s Cosase committee found that she lacked the required postgraduate training stipulated in the job description, a finding that has resurfaced amid calls for accountability.