The Minister for Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama has ordered the arrest of 11 people, including Entebbe International Airport’s chief engineer, chief maintenance engineer and head of ICT, over alleged vandalism of critical airport installations.
The minister said the 11 were part of an organised group of people attempting to sabotage airport operations after a series of incidents involving the destruction, interference with and unauthorised access to vital aviation, electrical and information communication technology (ICT) installations at Uganda’s main international gateway.
Addressing journalists, Byamukama said preliminary investigations had exposed what he described as a network of insiders allegedly working with individuals outside the airport to vandalise expensive government installations and undermine the facility’s operations.
The minister said the damage initially estimated at approximately Shs3.7 billion could now cost government up to Shs23 billion because the destruction of individual components had affected interconnected systems, requiring extensive repairs and restoration.
“These are not ordinary installations. We are talking about critical aviation and electrical infrastructure that supports the safe and efficient operation of Entebbe International Airport. When you vandalise one component, you end up affecting another system, and that is how the cost of repairing the damage has escalated,” Byamukama said.
Among the affected installations are the airport’s main power supply centre, approach lighting systems, copper cables, cargo centre lighting infrastructure and specialised ICT equipment.
Byamukama revealed that some individuals allegedly gained unauthorised access to sensitive equipment, interfered with airport systems and deliberately damaged electrical infrastructure.
He singled out the destruction of the cargo centre lighting system, valued at approximately Shs800 million, and the vandalism of copper wires serving the approach lighting system, estimated at Shs600 million.
The approach lighting system is particularly critical to aviation safety because it provides visual guidance to pilots during aircraft approach and landing.
“These approach lights are not ordinary street lights. They are specialised aviation installations positioned at specific heights and intervals to guide pilots as they prepare to land. When somebody deliberately destroys such infrastructure, they are putting the safety of aircraft, passengers and airport personnel at risk,” the minister said.
The minister linked the alleged sabotage to longstanding corruption allegations at the airport, claiming that some former senior officials who were recently retired in the public interest had established networks that continued to influence operations through employees recruited during their tenure.
He said President Yoweri Museveni had previously intervened by directing the retirement in public interest of officials accused of engaging in corruption, abuse of office and questionable recruitment practices.
According to Byamukama, some of the former officials allegedly demanded bribes from companies seeking airport contracts and manipulated procurement processes for personal gain.
He further alleged that recruitment had been influenced by nepotism, with some officials favouring relatives, friends and associates who allegedly lacked the required academic qualifications.
“The President took a decision to clean up the airport because corruption had become deeply entrenched. You would find that for somebody to secure a contract, they had to pay a bribe. Even when somebody wanted a job, they were expected to pay. Some officials were recruiting their own relatives, brothers, sisters, wives, girlfriends and other associates, regardless of whether they had the necessary qualifications,” Byamukama said.
He alleged that the former officials and their associates had subsequently regrouped and mobilised some employees who remained at the airport to undermine the institution.
“They were removed because of corruption, but instead of accepting that decision and allowing the airport to operate professionally, some of them allegedly reorganised themselves and started using people they had recruited to vandalise government installations. This is no longer just about corruption; it has now moved to sabotage and destruction of public property,” he said.
The minister particularly pointed to former airport director Engineer Soma Ayubu, whom he accused of being linked to the alleged scheme.
Byamukama said Ayubu, who had previously headed the airport’s electrical department before becoming director, was among the former officials whose conduct was under scrutiny.
He further claimed that Ayubu was on the run and would be arrested when apprehended.
Byamukama also raised concerns about the conduct of some security personnel deployed at Entebbe Airport, accusing certain officers of allegedly colluding with suspects and providing misleading reports about the vandalism incidents.
He said the initial investigations had in some instances attributed the destruction to ordinary theft, yet the nature, location and sophistication of the affected installations pointed to a potentially more serious security threat.
The minister noted that some of the affected assets had been in operation since 1995 without similar incidents, raising questions about the sudden and repeated attacks.
“Our security at the airport is strong, but we discovered that some people within the security system were not giving us the correct reports. Instead of identifying the real problem, they were trying to protect one another because some of them were benefiting from different deals,” he said.
Byamukama added that government had received reports and supporting evidence from what he described as patriotic individuals who helped expose the alleged activities.
He warned that security officers found to have concealed information, compromised investigations or collaborated with those responsible would face disciplinary and criminal action.
“We are not going to tolerate security officers who are supposed to protect the airport but instead turn around and assist people who are sabotaging it. Anybody who gives the ministry false information or deliberately protects these individuals will be held accountable,” he said.
He said investigators were pursuing charges including negligence of duty and terrorism, arguing that deliberate interference with critical infrastructure could endanger lives and compromise national security.
“Some of these people neglected their responsibilities, and we shall charge them with negligence of duty. But we are also looking at terrorism because when you deliberately vandalise critical installations, interfere with electricity supplies and compromise aviation systems, you are threatening the safety and security of the entire airport,” Byamukama said.
He added that some suspects had already been taken to court after allegedly being caught in the act, while investigations into the wider network continued.
The minister also disclosed that authorities were investigating an incident in which a dead body was discovered on the airport runway after it was spotted by a landing pilot.
He said the circumstances under which the body ended up on the runway remained unclear and were being investigated.
“Imagine a body being found on the runway, which is supposed to be used by aircraft taking off and landing. It was a pilot who noticed it as he was landing. Our people had to respond immediately. We are investigating how that body got there and whether there is any connection to the wider security concerns,” he said.
Despite the scale of the damage, Byamukama assured the public that airport operations remained under control and that government had already started restoring the affected installations.
He said approximately Shs6 billion had so far been secured towards the restoration exercise, with additional funding expected to cover the outstanding works.
Government, he added, was targeting a two-month period to complete the major repairs, while temporary interventions had been put in place to ensure that affected systems did not compromise airport operations.
“We want to assure the public that there is no cause for alarm. Government has already started fixing the damaged installations. We have so far secured about Shs6 billion, and we are mobilising additional resources to ensure that all the affected systems are restored within two months,” he said.
Byamukama said the airport had alternative operational arrangements to address installations that were still undergoing repairs.
He also confirmed that restoration work on the cargo centre lighting system had commenced, while the damaged copper wires serving the approach lighting system had already been restored and were operational.
The minister said security had been strengthened across the airport, with government determined to prevent further incidents and hold everyone involved accountable.
“We cannot allow a few individuals to paralyse an important national installation because they are unhappy with decisions taken by government. Entebbe Airport must operate safely and professionally. We need zero corruption, proper accountability and sanity at the airport,” Byamukama said.
He vowed that the crackdown would continue, warning that more arrests and dismissals could follow as investigations progressed.
“We shall not close our eyes to corruption, and we shall not tolerate vandalism. Anybody involved, whether a senior official, an engineer, a security officer or an ordinary employee, will be held accountable. Our priority is to protect the airport, safeguard public resources and guarantee aviation safety,” he said.
