ENTEBBE – Uganda Airlines has signed a landmark Shs3.7 trillion ($982 million) agreement with American aircraft manufacturer Boeing for the acquisition of 10 new aircraft, marking the largest fleet expansion programme since the national carrier was revived in 2019.
The agreement was signed on Wednesday at State House Entebbe in the presence of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, senior government officials, and representatives from Boeing.
According to details released after the signing, the deal covers eight passenger aircraft and two cargo freighters, significantly expanding Uganda Airlines’ passenger and cargo capacity as it seeks to strengthen its position in regional and international aviation markets.
Reacting to the development, Dr. Tendo Ronex Kisembo, an aspirant for the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), described the deal as a “commendable move.”
However, Dr. Kisembo urged regional leaders to go further by reviving the defunct East African Airlines and establishing a Unified EAC Airspace, where all flights within East Africa are treated as domestic flights.
“Merging Kenya Airways, FlyRwandAir, Uganda Airlines, and Air Tanzania should be prioritised by our East African heads of State,” Kisembo said. “This will significantly boost the aviation sector due to affordable cost of flight tickets, increase cross-border mobility, and improve trade and domestic tourism.”
To illustrate his point, Dr. Kisembo cited the sharp difference in airfares between international and domestic routes of similar distance.
“International airspace from Entebbe to Nairobi costs $600 for a flight of 40 minutes, yet the same flight from Mombasa to Nairobi on domestic airspace costs only $150 for a return flight of 40 minutes,” he noted.
He drew a comparison with South Korea, which has a standard railway gauge, cheap airspace, and good roads that have made movement very fast – an example he said Uganda should emulate.
Beyond fleet expansion and airspace unification, Dr. Tendo also issued a specific call to action regarding in-flight and airport communications.
He asserted that all in-flight communication from cabin crew, the flight deck/pilot, and first officer should be conducted in both English and Kiswahili. Additionally, he demanded that all airport visual communication signages be translated into English and Kiswahili.
Citing examples, Dr. Tendo proposed:
· ARRIVALS / WANAOWASILI
· DEPARTURES / WANAOONDOKA
· IMMIGRATION / UHAMIAJI
· PASSPORT CONTROL / UDHIBITI WA PASIPOTI
“The route in East Africa should be domestic airspace where many people can afford,” Kisembo concluded, reiterating his vision for a more integrated, accessible, and linguistically unified regional aviation market.
