According to Uganda Airlines’ Management, media coverage of investigations into the airline’s operations is tarnishing the national carrier’s image, and they want COSASE to suspend media coverage.
The Management of Uganda Airlines has asked the Parliament Committee on State Authorities and State Enterprises – COSASE to suspend media from covering events surrounding the probe into it’s operations saying it is tarnishing the image of the national carrier.
The submission was made on Tuesday as the Uganda Airlines Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jenifer Bamuturaki was a no show to commence further discussions into loopholes raised in the Auditor General’s report for the Financial Year 2020/2021.
According to the Airlines Manager in charge of Quality Assurance, Mr Michael Kalisa who had appeared before the Committee to notify them of Bamuturaki’s absence, his boss will next appear in the second week of September because she is still fixing ‘key issues’ at their office that cannot be postponed.
“I am here on behalf of the CEO who asked me to deliver the letter which essentially requests that we reschedule to the second week of September sir,” Kalisa told the committee.
The request was, however, denied by COSASE Chairman Joel Ssenyonyi who questioned why someone would first wait for the exact day to alert the Committee of their absence or being unable to show up.
He instead issued a fresh summons for Bamuturaki to appear on Wednesday without fail to say that a team has been organised to arrest her should she fail to appear.
“She had better show up tomorrow, we are going to issue summons today. If she does not show up then we shall issue a warrant of arrest so that wherever she is, they can bring her here,” Ssenyonyi said.
Ssenyonyi also assured as long as he is still the Committee Chairman, all probe proceedings will be carried out in the presence of the media. He challenged the Airlines should not only be accountable to the Committee but to all Ugandans.
“If you don’t have anything to hide then, everything should be out there. We think that Uganda Airlines should be accountable to Parliament and also the public out there,” Ssenyonyi added.
Meanwhile, among other things being investigated in the Auditor General’s report are the exorbitant salaries being disbursed to top officials in the Airlines.
The Committee last week revealed the chief executive officer of Uganda Airlines earns at least sh87 million per month, while the Chief Financial Officer earns sh73m, Manager Finance earns sh58m, and the Director Maintainance is on sh80m.
Others including the Manager IT, they said earn sh36m, Human Resource Manager sh43m, Manager Cargo sh14m, and Quality Assurance sh43m.
Ssenyonyi however, wondered why some Pilots get UGX60m and others UGX50m. Some Cabin Crew members earn UGX4m, while others earn UGX2m.
He went on to question why the Airlines would continue disbursing exorbitant salaries to it’s workers when it is yet to start generating any profits.
“If the airline was making money, it would be okay; we want workers of the airline to be paid well but you made a loss of Shs 164 billion in the financial year 2020-2021, and yet people are being paid over Shs 80 million,” Ssenyonyi reasoned.
