President Museveni has ordered the UCAA staff sacking over forged documents, targeting 152 employees linked to corrupt recruitment. He also demanded the dismissal of those responsible for hiring them. In a June 25 letter, he cited inefficiency and nepotism as unacceptable in the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority.
The trigger was an incident where Mama Maria Nyerere, the widow of Tanzania’s founding president, got trapped in a malfunctioning lift at Entebbe Airport. That episode, though brief, exposed deeper problems within the agency.
Following the lift incident, an internal investigation began. UCAA examined 2,688 academic documents in February 2024. The findings revealed that 82 staff members had submitted forged academic credentials. Officials had initially spotted irregularities during a 2023 recruitment process for aviation security personnel. That discovery prompted a wider audit of existing employees.
The review showed that many staff lacked the qualifications required for their positions. For example, diploma holders worked in roles demanding degrees, while others had used entirely falsified documents. These results fueled the president’s firm directive for the UCAA staff sacking over forged documents.
Transport Minister Fred Byamukama confirmed the order and promised immediate enforcement. He said UCAA had long struggled with poor governance, citing procurement fraud, broken infrastructure, and security failures. Recent complaints included damaged air conditioning, a terminal fire, and even the burning of mosquito net supplies in a cargo warehouse.
The ministry coordinated with UCAA to verify academic records. They contacted schools, universities, and national exam bodies to confirm the authenticity of submitted qualifications. This process validated the corruption claims and justified Museveni’s directive.
UCAA acknowledged that it had not consistently verified documents in the past. The agency had relied on internal training and industry-based assessments instead. That approach, however, allowed unqualified individuals into sensitive departments.
The 82 affected staff included both technical and non-technical employees. Many worked in aviation security, firefighting, airport operations, and air navigation. Despite the cost of training these individuals, UCAA pledged to follow proper disciplinary procedures. A committee has already reviewed 54 cases and plans to finalize the rest within a month.
This decisive UCAA staff sacking over forged documents marks a turning point. Museveni’s move reinforces the need for merit, transparency, and professionalism in public service. The aviation authority now faces pressure to rebuild credibility and restore efficiency in its operations.Read: Taxpayers lose Shs12.8b in failed Entebbe airport works
