Negative comments on Uganda Airline CEO on social media will kill our national asset- Minister

The Minister for Works and Transport Gen Edward Katumba Wamala has lambasted Ugandans who are using social media to attack Uganda Airline's CEO Jennifer Bamuturaki.

According to Gen Katumba, the comments against Bamuturaki are going to affect the airline business, much to the detriment of the country at large.

"There is something as Ugandans that we are missing, we may look good in the media castigating an individual, trying to downplay that individual but what is the far-reaching impact on the airline? As we send these negative comments and tweets, do we think about the impact of that as a country, as Ugandans?" Gen Katumba lamented.

Gen Katumba says that the airline does not belong to Bamuturako but the entire country.

"This is not for an individual, it is a national asset, but we spend a lot of energy trying to put people down. We should instead be jealously protecting this young baby, but we are not as Ugandans and it is a shame," he added.

He wondered why Uganda Airlines should be the one making negative news in the media while there are so many airlines collapsing and others in scandals.

"There are so many other airlines with problems, are there no airlines collapsing? Why are they not in the media? It does not pay to shoot ourselves in the foot; we need to refocus our energies," Gen Katumba said.

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Gen Katumba's comments come at a time when the airline is rocked by trouble after a COSASE report highlighted that the CEO Bamuturaki was neither competent nor qualified for the job.

Members of the COSASE committee also highlighted the irregularities surrounding Bamuturaki's appointment, while reports also indicated that the airline was taking a huge low dip citing losses of at least Sh500b in its debut period.