President Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Museveni has warned his cronies not to steal the new revamped Uganda Airlines.

While receiving the first of the two new Airbus A330-neo flag-carriers, Museveni warned the management, staff and officials of Uganda Airlines against being corrupt.

“I congratulate Ugandans upon this achievement and encourage each one of us to support our own Airline. To the management, staff and officials of this Airline, I DO NOT want to hear of ANY corruption in the Airline, I don’t want to even smell a little of it,” President Museveni said.

The President said that he is hopeful that this Airline will help us to boost tourism and travel across the continent and beyond.

“When my family were leaving in Sweden, I went there from the bush to see them, I found them eating terrible things (bananas) that they were from Panama, but they were not bananas, we can help those people from Europe from (eating) bad bananas, so that they can eat good bananas. These bananas from here are good,” President Museveni boasted.

He thanked the pilots for doing a good job and making sure that the airline is fully functional, “I want to thank our pilots because they really put pressure on us, I congratulate Ugandans for having their own airline.”

Ugandan Pilot Mike Etyang who hails from Tororo District flew the Airbus A330-800 neo alongside a Ugandan crew from France to Entebbe.

“I thank the Airbus for making a good product, I thank the airbus for making a good product, we were wise not to buy the other American one, the Boeing which was always crashing and killing people. So God is there and he guided us,” President Museveni said.

By Sandra Mukisa

Four time presidential candidate, Rtd. Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye has said that it’s a total disgrace that upto 30 officials fled to France to receive one plane.

President Museveni congratulated the Uganda Airlines upon the reception of the new A330neo aircraft.

“The revived Uganda Airlines will support our economic growth by facilitating transport and tourism. It will be a major boost if the $400m Ugandans spend annually on air travel comes to our own airline,” the president said.

Besigye has expressed discontentment as a senior citizen who feels the tax payer’s money is being misused to foot unnecessary bills.

His pain comes from a view that all those hefty expenses could be avoided in many different ways.

“A delegation of 30 led by Minister to “receive” a new aeroplane? The proprietors of this whole scheme are so shameless,” Besigye noted.

As a fact, Uganda Airlines has a fleet of 4 Bombardiers only; the 30 people will get the 5th (Airbus330) from France.

Besigye noted how the Ethiopian Airlines has 128 aircrafts, with 47 on order- including 10 Airbus350, much bigger than A330 but are not so excited. “If Ethiopian Airlines behaved like Uganda Airlines, it wouldn’t exist today,” Besigye added.

Besigye recalled that the Uganda Airlines started operations in 1977 (under Gen Idi Amin). He adds that it was looted by NRM/M7 Junta and eventually wound up in 2001.

“Its most lucrative assert, the ground-handling business was taken over by Gen Salim Saleh, Minister Sam Kutesa et al,” Besigye revealed.

“The “revived” airline is starting its journey on very familiar ground that killed its namesake,” he added.

By Baron Kironde

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has protested the decision from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to arrest president Yoweri Museveni’s whistleblower on markets in Kampala in favor of the embattled market bosses.

Credible sources have intimated to theGrapevine that immediately after meeting the embattled city market bosses led by Godfrey Kayongo Nkajja of Owino market and Godfrey Kakooza of Nakasero market, Lt. Col Edith Nakalema directed the Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) commander Moses Kafeero to arrest Suzan Kushaba on charges of insulting a one Godfrey Kasiita, a bodyguard to Kayongo.

In the meeting which was held on Thursday last week, Kayongo pined Kushaba for inciting market vendors and misleading Museveni on market issues in favor of the opposition.

Sources who attended Lt. Col. Nakalema’s meeting revealed that Kushaba is the one behind Richard Mukiibi, who was elected as the interim chairperson of Nakasero market in the election organised by KCCA.

Kayongo’s group insist that Mukiibi is a supporter of National Unity Platform (NUP)’s Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine not president Museveni as he claims.

Kayongo reported to Lt. Col. Nakalema that even police have been biased because when Mukiibi was detained on charges of fraudulently getting money from vendors claiming that he was a leader, he was released on police bond without being charged in court.

Kayongo insisted in the meeting that the only way Museveni can win the coming elections is if they remain in control of the leadership in all city markets.

He asked Lt. Col. Nakalema to help them.

KCCA PROTEST

When theGrapevine contacted, Daniel Nuwabine, the spokesperson of KCCA, he protested Lt. Col. Nakalema’s directives to arrest Kushaba arguing that this is a plot to frustrate president’s directives on city markets.

He advised that the only way Lt. Col. Nakalema can intervene is if there are corruption allegations which is not currently the case.

He explained that as KCCA, they are going to implement the President’s directives that is why they with educating market vendors on how the elections of the interim committees are going to be conducted, especially in Owino market.

Nuwabine further revealed that in two weeks’ time, the election of interim leaders in Owino market is going to be carried out.

He warned that they will not allow lawlessness like it has been the case previously when hired goons insulted his deputy Robert Kalumba and beat him up.

KUSHABA SPEAKS OUT

When contacted by theGrapevine, Suzan Kushaba admitted that she is a fugitive after learning that Lt. Col. Nakalema wants to arrest her.

Kushaba revealed that she is being witch-hunted by a group of mafias who want to take over control of the markets.

She disclosed that the reason why Lt. Col. Nakalema ordered for her arrest is because she convinced the president that vendors in some city markets are being harassed by their chairpersons.

She insisted that Lt. Col. Nakalema is being used by the former market bosses who were told to step aside and they fear being prosecuted due to the serious crimes they have committed while in office.

She pined Kasiita for insulting her and undressing her in public and in the process of defending herself, she punched him in the face and but he didn’t lose his teeth as he claims.

She added that there are serious criminal files at Old Kampala police pinning Kasiita for insulting vendors and causing the death of others.

By Sengooba Alirabaki