Kampala – A series of events have left government officials unsettled and in shock as a whip continues to be cracked of MDA! The latest victims are Uganda Air Cargo Corporation under the MInistry of Defence
President Museveni has terminated the long-serving General Manager of The Uganda Air Cargo Corporation Eng Kyankya and sanctioned the appointment of the Lt Gen Nakibus Lakara as new boss.
He has since appointed the National Enterprise Corporation MD. Lt Gen. James Mugira to the UACC Board.
A highly places source at Uganda Air Cargo Corporation confirmed to RedPepper DIgital that there was an impending investigation into the mismanagement of the Air Cargo including the controversial procurement of a junk C-130 Aircraft.
“Engineer Fred Kyankya was relieved and replaced by Lt Gen Nakibus Lakara, the current AMISOM Deputy Force Commander in Charge of Operations,” said Brig Karemire.
“In the interim, Col Emanuel Kwihangana from Airforce, on 22 May 2020 took over office pending the return of Gen Lakara from Somalia,” he added.
Lt Gen James Mugira, who also doubles as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of National Enterprise Corporation, the business arm of the armed forces, was appointed to the Board.
The appointment of new management, according to Defence officials, is aimed at providing efficient management to the strategic institution and also generate revenue for government.
UPDF and other agencies use UACC’s services for mainly airlifting in critical rescue missions as well as troop rotation to Mogadishu, Somalia among other destinations within the region.
The reshuffle at Uganda Air Cargo Corporation comes barely seven months since the business airline operated by the Ministry of Defence asked Parliament to support an Sh8b bailout from losses registered in 2014.
While appearing before the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee of Parliament on November 18, 2019, Capt John Otekat, the chairperson of the board for the Air Cargo, said the airline registered the loss during a shutdown between 2014 and 2016 when its operator certificate was revoked by the International Aviation Organisation.
However, three years since it resumed its operations, the airline is limping with the loss yet two of its aircraft remain grounded due to cracks on their centre wing box.
“This is the heart of the aircraft, it is the one holding the wing, the head and the tail, it is like a thorax of an insect,” Capt Otekat said.
UACC, further proceed to also ask Parliament for US$ 10 million (Shs 36.9 billion) to repair one of the two C130 aircraft, which was grounded since 2014.
Capt. Otekat also disclosed that the cost of repairing the aircraft has risen over the last five years from $2 million to $10 million, warning that it could increase further if money isn’t provided soon.
“For now what we are requesting is government to provide us with funds to repair the second aircraft, to give a back up to the existing ones. It is very difficult to win a contract if you have only one aeroplane,” he said.
in September 2012, Uganda Revenue Authority enforcement officials raided the old terminal at Entebbe International Airport, seizing an estimated 16 tonnes of dutiable goods that had not been declared to Customs officials.
In the September 2012 unregistered cargo burst, a Uganda Air Cargo aircraft returning from maintenance in South Africa was impounded at Entebbe Airport Old Terminal Wing .
The cargo found on the aircraft included refrigerators, flat-screen TVs, incubators, wines and glasses as well as generators and mattresses.
Mr Herman Ow’mugisha, the then Entebbe Airport’s Joint Security Committee head, led the 7pm sting operation, trapping 10 officials of the Air Cargo craft, a military-run airline, on board.
As the plane approached to land, the Control Tower told the pilot to taxi to Apron 4 of the Old Terminal where disembarking passengers, including Uganda Air Cargo General Manager Fred Kyankya, found themselves surrounded by armed police.
Mr Kyankya told Uganda newspaper, Daily Monitor, on September 6 2017, that the seized goods were “household items” his staff bought in South Africa for “domestic, not commercial use” in Uganda since they had some money and there was free transport.
“The allegation that the aircraft is used for smuggling is total madness,” he said, “The aircraft belongs to the military; its main job is to carry things for the UPDF between Entebbe and Mogadishu. So, when would it be used for smuggling?”
The then URA Commissioner General Allen Kagina confirmed that investigations were underway to establish why the imported items, which some sources said were worth several millions of shillings, were not declared.
Investigators disclosed that there were allegations that Uganda Air Cargo officials using a public facility to do private business, making false declaration of items on aboard the plane, tax evasion, smuggling and dangerous loading.
Fast-forward to 2020, The changes at UACC come at a time President Museveni is taking on high ranking officials from government institutions over corruption in the wake of the fight against ‘Parasites and Weevils’
About Author
Maurice Muhwezi | REDPEPPER Writer
http://www.redpepper.co.ug
Maurice Muhwezi is a distinguished Digital Media Manager with interests in areas published platforms, website management, team-building, business process improvement and creating e-customer solutions
See author's posts
