The Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has summoned current and former senior managers of Uganda Airlines to appear before the committee over unanswered queries raised in the Auditor General’s report for the financial year ended June 30, 2025.
The committee chairperson, Muwada Nkunyingi, directed that fresh summons be issued after Uganda Airlines officials failed to appear before the committee on Monday as earlier invited.
Nkunyingi ordered police officers to serve the summons, directing the airline officials to appear before COSASE on Thursday, August 27, at 8:00 a.m.
“I want to move and guide that this committee shall accordingly issue summons to Uganda Airlines to appear before the committee on Thursday at 8 a.m.,” Nkunyingi said.
The summons will target the airline’s accounting officer, Chief Finance Officer, Contract Committee Chairperson, Manager of Corporate Affairs, as well as the current and former Chief Executive Officers.
The committee has also directed the officials to carry all relevant documents that could help explain and clarify the findings and observations contained in the Auditor General’s report.
Nkunyingi said the summons were intended to enforce attendance and enable the committee to properly scrutinise Uganda Airlines’ management over the audit queries.
“We want to have the accounting officer of Uganda Airlines, the Chief Finance Officer, the Contract Committee Chairperson, the Manager Corporate Affairs, and the two chief executive officers, the current and the former chief executive officer,” he said.
He further directed police officers to provide proof that the summons had been delivered, warning that failure to execute them could lead to a request for the officers to be replaced.
“Our summons have to be delivered by police officers, and you must come back with the proof,” Nkunyingi said.
He said the committee would not tolerate delays in enforcing its summons, noting that it had previously received a commitment from the Director of the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) to support the committee in executing its work.
Nkunyingi warned that COSASE could summon the CID director if police officers failed to support the committee in enforcing the summons.
The committee is seeking explanations from Uganda Airlines management on several observations raised by the Auditor General in the 2024/25 audit report as Parliament continues its scrutiny of the national carrier.
The latest summons come amid growing pressure on Uganda Airlines management to account for issues highlighted in the Auditor General’s report.
An internal audit at Uganda Airlines uncovered financial irregularities amounting to Shs1.6 billion during the 2024/25 financial year.
The audit found weaknesses in planning and needs assessment, resulting in funds being allocated to areas where they were not required.
It also flagged several other irregularities, including payments for items that were not delivered, spending above approved budgets, unjustified expenses and payments made without purchase orders.
The report further indicates that the airline made some procurements without valid contracts, raising concerns about the management of public funds.
