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The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Uganda Airlines Jennifer Bamuturaki, has been fired over alleged abuse of office and embezzlement of funds among other things.
The decision to fire her followed a State House meeting that sat in September 2025 that reviewed raging governance failures, disputed aircraft procurement decisions and increased financial losses at the national airlines.
On Monday February 2,2026, embattled Bamuturaki internally communicated to her staff via email saying bye bye to them.
Bamuturaki bowed to pressure after the Uganda Police Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit intensified investigations against her over alleged abuse of office, embezzlement of funds and false accounting involving airline officials.
In an internal email circulated to her staff on Monday afternoon February 2,2026, Bamuturaki informed her juniors that the airline’s Board would soon advertise the position of Chief Executive Officer, a clear indication that her tenure is soon ending.
“The Board will advertise the position of Chief Executive Officer shortly, and you are all encouraged to apply if you meet the required qualifications,” Bamuturaki communicated to her staff.
It should be recalled that on January 7, 2026, the Deputy CID boss Fred Lumala penned a letter to Uganda Airlines demanding extensive procurement, revenue and banking records.The letter was copied to the Head of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, underlining the seriousness of the matter.
The letter dated January 7,2026, states:
“The Criminal Investigations Directorate in liaison with State House Anti-Corruption Unit is currently investigating a case of abuse of office, embezzlement of funds and false accounting against officials of Uganda Airlines relating to financial transactions,” the letter states.
In the letter, the CID requested, among other documents: contracts Committee minutes approving the purchase of Boeing aircraft, procurement files for fuel suppliers, aircraft leasing firms and ticketing agents; revenue accounting, banking and cash-receipt records and internal audit reports and expenditure linked to the launch of the London route.
Audit Report implicates Bamuturaki in causing financial loss
A special audit found that more than $9.2 million (about Shs35 billion) in service fees continued to be charged to passengers after management scrapped the levy in July 2023. Auditors reported no evidence the money was banked, raising concerns of possible misappropriation.
Ticketing operations were also flagged after audits showed that agencies linked to airline staff including Nyanza Tours and Travel controlled over 90% of deeply discounted ticket classes, potentially suppressing airline revenue and breaching conflict of interest rules.
Fuel procurement contracts and aircraft leasing arrangements were similarly raised as areas of concern.
