After several months of serving in an acting capacity, Jenifer Bamuturaki has been appointed the substantive Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Uganda Airlines.
In a letter from the works and transport minister, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, to the chairperson of the Uganda Airlines board dated July 5, the minister revealed that the directive to appoint Bamuturaki came from the President, Yoweri Museveni.
A fortnight ago, the former Uganda Airlines CEO, Cornwell Muleya, was arrested and charged by the Inspectorate of Government for disobeying the Inspectorate’s orders. However, he was released on bail days later.
The Inspectorate of Government is investigating various acts of mismanagement of public funds by public officers at Uganda National Airlines Company (UNAC) between May and June this year.
Muleya was appointed the CEO of Uganda Airlines in 2019. However, his woes started on April 21, 2021, after Works Minister Katumba Wamala sent him and 12 other top officials on forced leave.
Earlier this year, his contract as the Uganda Airlines CEO was terminated on the orders of President Yoweri Museveni.
Who is Jenifer Bamuturaki?
Bamuturaki was born in Uganda. She attended Ugandan primary and secondary schools. She studied at Makerere University, where she obtained a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and Social Administration.
She also has qualifications in IATA sales training for airlines, hotel sales, and marketing, in addition to training in revenue management.
Bamuturaki’s career spans more than 30 years as a marketing consultant in the airline, hospitality, and travel industries. She has also previously worked with Air Uganda, “where she was directly responsible for route research.”
In 2019, when Uganda National Airlines Company was launched, she was hired as the airline’s Commercial Manager.
In 2021, she was appointed the acting Uganda Airlines CEO, a position she held until yesterday when she was elevated to being the airline’s substantive CEO.