Uganda Airlines Chief Executive Officer Girma Wake has ruled out mass dismissals at the national carrier, saying the ongoing restructuring is aimed at strengthening the workforce and addressing critical staffing gaps.
Wake made the remarks while appearing before Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) on Thursday and Friday, as lawmakers questioned the airline’s human resource structure, recruitment plans and the fate of employees who had been dismissed.
The committee, chaired by Muwada Nkunyingi, was reviewing the Auditor General’s report for the financial year 2024/25 when MPs raised concerns about reports of staff dismissals and fresh recruitment at Uganda Airlines.
The airline’s management team was led by Wake and included former Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Bamuturaki.
Nkunyingi said the committee had received numerous calls and complaints from individuals alleging unfair dismissal by Uganda Airlines.
He asked management to clarify whether employees had been laid off, how many had been affected and whether the required procedures had been followed.
The committee chairperson also questioned the decision to create a new department and recruit additional staff at a time when Uganda Airlines was struggling to meet its revenue targets.
In response, Wake told MPs that most of the complaints before the committee concerned employees who had been dismissed before he assumed leadership of the airline.
He said only two or three employees had been dismissed since he took over, adding that each case involved alleged violations of company policy.
Wake maintained that the current restructuring was not intended to trigger mass layoffs but rather to reorganise the airline’s workforce and fill critical gaps necessary for its operations.
COSASE directed Uganda Airlines management to submit the documents and other evidence it had committed to provide to the committee by Monday.
The committee said it would review the submissions and could summon the airline’s management again if further clarification was required.
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