A storm is gathering at the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) following the controversial sacking of 82 junior staff members as part of a wider purge ordered by President Yoweri Museveni targeting 152 employees lacking the requisite academic qualifications.
However, outrage is now growing after revelations that the senior officials, many of whom were the main culprits were untouched by the axe.
According to a well-placed source within the Authority, the dismissed workers largely held low-tier roles, including cleaning, plumbing, fire brigade, and general auxiliary services.
Meanwhile, senior administrators and heads of departments with questionable or outright missing academic credentials remain firmly in office, enjoying perks like air-conditioned offices and five course meals.
“The real rot is higher up. They’ve sacrificed the underdogs and spared the fat cats,” one insider remarked, noting that close to three-quarters of the 152 names listed in the President’s directive occupy senior roles.
The departments with the highest concentration of allegedly unqualified managers include: Finance, Aviation Security, Air Traffic Control, Human Resources and among others.
“These are sensitive departments. Yet many of the heads cannot produce a diploma, let alone a degree. But they are protected, while janitors are the ones being punished,” the source added.
The move has infuriated staff unions and internal management committees, who now accuse the UCAA of carrying out a “cosmetic purge” to impress the public and State House, without addressing the real dysfunction at the heart of the institution.
There is now growing talk of industrial action, with workers threatening to strike if the purge is not expanded to include the top brass who allegedly falsified or lack the necessary qualifications.
“If the President’s directive is to be implemented in spirit and truth, then no one regardless of rank should be above scrutiny. We are watching,” a union representative told this website.
This isn’t the first time the Authority has faced controversy over academic qualifications.
A few years ago, a storm erupted during the appointment of a new CEO when the credentials of a senior manager were challenged, casting a long shadow over the institution’s internal vetting procedures.
Sources say a list of the 152 staff identified in the presidential directive was reviewed internally, but only 82 low-level staff were dismissed, raising suspicions of selective enforcement, internal lobbying, and quiet protection of cronies.
As things stand, the UCAA risks paralysis at Entebbe International Airport, should the workers make good on their threats to strike a move that could disrupt both domestic and international flights, especially during the high travel season.
