Academic Qualifications! Fresh Tensions Rock UCAA As 13 Top Managers Face Probe

By Swift Reporter

The Committee on Physical Infrastructure has directed the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) to submit the academic credentials of 13 senior managers for verification, following the dismissal of 89 staff over forgery.

The directive was issued during a meeting of the committee chaired by Hon. Mwine Mpaka with UCAA officials led by the Minister of State for Works (Transport), Hon. Julius Maganda, and the Deputy Director General, Olive Lumonya, on Thursday, 16 July 2026 at Parliament.

During the meeting, Hon. Richard Sebamala (DP, Bukoto County Central) sought clarification on President Yoweri Museveni’s directive to dismiss more than 150 UCAA employees accused of using forged academic documents to secure employment.

“Are those 152 staff still working? What is the status of those who appointed them illegally? Are they still working and receiving taxpayers’ money?” Sebamala asked.

In response, Lumonya said investigations established that 89 employees had submitted forged academic credentials and were consequently dismissed without terminal benefits.

She explained that some employees falsified their Uganda Certificate of Education (O-Level) results. Whereas the affected positions required grades between A and C, some applicants who had obtained D, E or F grades altered their results to meet the minimum qualifications.

“UNEB confirmed that in some of the submissions there were forgeries. Some applicants either used another person’s qualifications or altered their grades in two subjects. They were given an opportunity to defend themselves, and following the disciplinary process, they left the Civil Aviation Authority,” Lumonya said.

The committee chairperson, questioned whether the authority was admitting to having recruited unqualified staff, thereby causing financial loss to government. He also asked what measures had been taken to recover salaries and other public funds paid to the dismissed employees.

“If you had 89 people who entered the institution using forged documents, yet many qualified Ugandans remain unemployed, how are we sure that all of you in top management are qualified?” Mwine Mpaka asked.

Hon. James Waluswaka (NRM, Bunyole West County) directed the authority to submit a complete staff list together with the investigation report into the forged academic documents.

Hon. David Gumisiriza (NRM, Ibanda County North) said it was extremely risky for an institution charged with regulating the country’s airspace to recruit unqualified personnel.

“This is an authority responsible for aviation safety. Employing unqualified staff exposes the country to serious risks and potential disasters,” Gumisiriza said.

Hon. Samuel Opio (NRM, Kole North County) questioned whether all the officials appearing before the committee had verified qualifications.

Lumonya responded that they had all been vetted, prompting the committee to demand detailed academic credentials and recruitment records for the 13 members of top management.

“If you have an Air Traffic Control Officer who is not qualified, then this is a very serious issue,” Opio said.

The committee gave UCAA one day to submit the academic qualifications and recruitment records of the 13 senior officials.

In a related development, the authority revealed that it is owed more than Shs233 billion by the Government and Uganda Airlines for services provided at Entebbe International Airport.

The Director of Finance, Hassan Musinguzi, told the committee that Shs91.6 billion of the outstanding debt is owed by central government.

Musinguzi said the authority would continue engaging the Ministry of Works and Transport to secure settlement of the debt.

He explained that the arrears arise from services including rental space occupied by the United Nations, parking fees for Uganda Airlines, airport passenger service charges and other airport-related services.