The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has ordered all government officials to take Uganda Airlines whenever they are going to destinations it flies to.
The order is contained in a cabinet memo dated August 5, 2019. All cabinet ministers and ministers of state must ensure this directive is carried out, the memo reads.
It says that the president had directed all government officials in Ministries, Departments, Agencies and parastatals to fly Uganda Airlines to all destinations it would be flying to once the airline commences operations.”
Uganda Airlines started commercial operations on August 28, 2019, with a flight to Nairobi. It has since had flights to Juba, South Sudan, Mogadishu in Somalia, over the last two days, and today to Dar es Salaam Tanzania.
Uganda spent up to Sh421 billion on travel in the 2017/18 financial year. However, all expenditures on travel have been going to other airlines over the years.
Government officials travel a lot for training, benchmarking trips, and conferences. Analysts say this is a key constituent of travellers that the airline has to tap into to be viable – in a country where most people don’t fly.
Analysts have also said that with government officials, the airline should not allow travel on credit because the government, oftentimes, delays paying arrears.
Already, booking agents for other airlines say the government owes some money from previous trips by its officials. This may affect the Uganda Airline’s operations if officials are allowed to fly on credit.
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