What to Expect of Uganda Airlines' New Board of Directors

The newly inaugurated seven-member team of the Board of Directors of the Uganda National Airlines Company Limited faces an uphill task to guide the smooth operations of the national flag carrier.  

Led by their Chairperson Priscilla Mirembe Serukka, other members include Samson Rwahwire, Herbert Kamuntu, Patrick Ocailap, Barbara Namugambe, Abdi Karim Moding, and Ebrahim Kisoro Sadrudin.

They were approved by Cabinet on March 7 to replace the interim board which President Yoweri Museveni terminated in May 2021, including the Airlines’ Chief Executive, Director of Finance, Human Resource, and Director of Safety.

They were accused of abuse of office, corruption, and intrigues with top managers under the mother Ministry of Works and Transport. The Airlines is the flag carrier of Uganda which is a revival of older Uganda Airlines, which operated from 1977 until 2001 before launching new flights in 2019.

The new team appointed on a three-year tenure is expected to guide the smooth operations of the national flag carrier to fulfill its corporate mission and translate its vision into reality while protecting the company assets through transparency and accountability.

Here is a glimpse into the profiles of each of the appointees and what requisite expertise they probably will bring on board in order to reinvigorate Uganda Airlines:

Priscilla Mirembe Serukka

Currently, she is the Managing Director of Kairos Consult Limited, a company known for skills in business innovation and leadership. Mirembe is an accomplished senior-level NGO sector management expert in good corporate governance. 

She is an old student of Gayaza High School (1977-1983), holds a degree in Agriculture Economics from Makerere University, and a Masters in Management Studies from Uganda Management Institute - UMI. Her academic portfolio and familiarity in management are expected to aid her to administer the Airlines’ capital.

Samson Rwahwire

He is an associate professor at Busitema University with a background in aviation having served in the defunct Eagle Air as an aircraft maintenance engineer. Rwahwire received an integrated Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in aerospace engineering from the Czech Technical University, Prague in 2008. He has grown through the ranks to the level of associate professor of mechanical and materials engineering in the department of polymer, textile, and industrial engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Busitema University.

Abdi Karim Moding

Moding is the former Country Manager of SITA, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It is the IT provider for the air transport industry, delivering solutions for airlines, airports, aircraft, and governments.

Ebrahim Kisoro Sadrudin

Kisoro is a flight Captain but is now retired after 45 years of flying. He is skilled in Aviation, Airlines, Aircraft, Customer Service, Flights, Microsoft Office, Airports, Commercial Aviation, Aerospace

Herbert Kamuntu

Kamuntu is the Managing Director of Kachain Logistics Limited. The company is into the distribution of beverages, and consultancy. He is an aircraft engineer with 30 years of practice.

Patrick Ocailap

Ocailap is the Deputy Secretary to the Treasury at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. The Ministry owns 50 per cent shares in the national flag-carrier.

Barbara Namugambe

Namugembe is the Undersecretary, Ministry of Works and Transport.

Henry Musasizi, the Minister of Finance and Planning (General Duties) commended Government for assembling the new team in the most rigorous and transparent way ever. He expressed optimism that the national carrier will certainly is on the right to make a profit for the Government.

Meanwhile, Gen Katumba Wamala, the Minister of Works and Transport described the team as a good mix with different legal, business, safety, aerospace engineering, and human resource expertise expected to drive the national flag carrier to another level.