KAMPALA, Uganda — President Yoweri Museveni has appointed 83-year-old Girma Wake as the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Uganda Airlines.
In a directive dated 13 February 2026 to the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Katumba Wamala, the President cited “current leadership and management weaknesses” at the national carrier and instructed the minister to formalize Wake’s appointment as a consultant and adviser.
“I hereby direct that you go ahead and appoint Mr. Girma Wake as a Consultant/Advisor to assist in rectifying a number of management weaknesses in the airline,” Museveni wrote.
“I also direct that the current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ms. Jenifer Bamuturaki, be enabled to step aside immediately and hand over to Mr. Girma Wake and the Board of Uganda Airlines,” he added, instructing that the Board organize “whatever emoluments are due to her.”
Uganda Airlines Background
Uganda Airlines was revived in 2019 with the aim of promoting tourism, boosting trade, and restoring national pride. The government invested heavily in the airline, acquiring Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft for regional routes and Airbus A330-800neo jets for long-haul flights, with the ambition of turning Entebbe into a regional aviation hub.
However, despite these investments, the airline has continued to face financial losses and criticism over governance, procurement, and human resource management.
Who is Girma Wake?
Born in 1943, Girma Wake is one of Africa’s most respected aviation executives. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines from 2004 to 2011, a period during which the airline recorded remarkable expansion and maintained profitability.
Under his leadership, Ethiopian Airlines focused on long-term strategic planning, fleet modernization, and staff training, while developing Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport into a major continental hub. Wake also oversaw the early adoption of modern aircraft, including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and strengthened the airline’s role within the Star Alliance, significantly expanding its global network.
Wake is widely credited with championing strong corporate governance, ensuring Ethiopian Airlines operated commercially under a professional board with steady government support and minimal political interference, an approach cited as the reason for its sustained profitability, even as many African national carriers struggled.
After leaving the CEO role, Wake continued to influence African aviation. He served as chairman of the Ethiopian Airlines Group board, participated in several continental aviation bodies including RwandAir, and advised governments and airlines seeking to replicate Ethiopia’s success.
With his appointment at Uganda Airlines, Wake is expected to leverage his decades of experience to address management weaknesses and steer the airline toward growth and operational efficiency.
