Uganda Airlines moves to acquire 10 new aircraft

Uganda Airlines is set for a major expansion of its fleet, adding 10 new aircraft from both Airbus and Boeing.

The Ministry of Works and Transport yesterday tabled a supplementary funding request to Parliament seeking an initial payment of UGX 422.264 billion for the planes.

The amount is part of a larger UGX 1.696 trillion supplementary schedule requested by the ministry.

Minister of Works and Transport, General Katumba Wamala, appeared before Parliament’s Budget Committee on 1 December 2025 to justify the urgent funding request ahead of its consideration in the plenary sitting. 

He detailed the composition of the intended fleet, which comprises a blend of aircraft aimed at serving various market segments.

“Uganda Airlines is in the process of acquiring 10 aircrafts comprising four mid-range or narrow-body Airbus modules, four wide-body Boeing aircraft, and two Boeing converted freighters for cargo,” Gen Katumba stated. 

He specified that the requested supplementary budget would cover projected initial requirements for the financial year 2025/2026, including UGX 247.019 billion for pre-delivery payments at the signing of the purchaser agreement, and a further UGX 275.245 billion required in January 2026 for pre-delivery payments to both manufacturers, Boeing and Airbus.

The Minister defended the immediacy of the purchase, arguing that the global demand for new aircraft necessitates prompt action. 

He told the MPs that securing a manufacturing slot requires an upfront deposit, warning that delays would mean missing out entirely.

“We are buying just this, but when you look at companies like Qatar, they have made an order for 465 aircrafts with Boeing. So, if you don't pay for your slot, then you'll never get these aircrafts,” Gen Katumba explained. 

He clarified that the payment is primarily intended to “book our slot so that we can know when to finish the payment.”

The supplementary request, however, did not pass without challenge from the Committee members. 

Ibrahim Ssemujju, the MP for Kira Municipality, expressed his surprise that such an investment—amounting to approximately UGX 450 billion—was presented as an emergency outside of the main 2025/26 national budget.

“I wanted to find out from the minister, if in his view knowing the law that governs supplementary, where does this fall? Because it must be an emergency and unforeseen. So where does this fall?” Ssemujju questioned, criticising the handling of the acquisition as ‘shabby’ and arguing that it made Parliament look disorganised.

Adding to the scrutiny, Paul Omara, the MP for Otuke County, tasked Uganda Airlines management to provide assurances regarding the long-term viability and support for the new aircraft, drawing comparisons to past procurement issues.

“You remember the Bombardier we bought, later on, we soon discovered that there were no spare parts, they were no longer in production,” Omara stated.

He pressed the Minister and his team to guarantee Ugandans that the new procurement would ensure future support for the ten aircraft, safeguarding the significant public investment. The supplementary schedule is now awaiting a final vote by Parliament.