The acting Managing Director of the Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. David Mpanga Kakuba has revealed that preparations are in final stages to have Uganda Airlines back in the skies before the end of this year.
Addressing journalists Wednesday on the progress of the expansion of Entebbe Airport project, Dr. Mpanga said there have been some delays, regardless of which the inaugural flight of the revamped national carrier is expected by December.
“Initially it was scheduled for August but this was pushed to December. We are determined to see it begin flying by December,” Dr. Mpanga said.
He however, said that the airline will not be in the hands of the Civil Aviation Authority but rather government.
The national airline he said will have independent staff, and that the only role of CAA will remain to promote and regulate air transport in the country.
“Ours is to ensure that airlines operate safely and under a secure environment in the country but I can assure you government has pronounced itself that it is committed to ensuring the national airline is restored.”
The Director Airports and Aviation Security in CAA, Dr. John Tusubira Kagolo said a lot of ground work has been done to ensure the nation airline resumes after a being down for close to two decades.
He said that with the resumption of the carrier, marketing of the country’s tourist attractions will be easy.
“We will now be able to advertise our country using our own airline other than using other airlines,” he said.
Uganda Airlines which was established under President Idi Amin in 1977 was liquidated in 2001 after government failed to get private investors to revamp it.
Air Uganda, a private company attempted to fill the shoes as the national carrier but was also grounded in 2014 after CAA revoked its operating Licence.
President Museveni in June last year ordered for the revival of the airline, describing the lack of it as a big shame.
Meanwhile at today’s press address, the CAA boss Kakuba called for improvement of upcountry airports and airstrips, to ease on the transport of the growing number of foreign visitors.