In a directive dated 13 February 2026, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni formally instructed the Minister of Works and Transport to appoint Girma Wake as Consultant, Advisor, and Acting Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Airlines, with immediate effect. The directive explicitly cites “leadership and management weaknesses” at the national carrier and orders the current CEO to step aside and hand over.
The letter leaves little room for ambiguity. This is not a ceremonial advisory role, nor a soft transition. It is a presidentially mandated executive reset, placing one of Africa’s most experienced airline leaders directly in operational control of the carrier.
Presidential interventions in airline management are not unprecedented in Africa, but they are rarely this explicit.
By directing that Girma Wake serve as Acting CEO until July 2026, while simultaneously overseeing the recruitment of a new substantive leadership team, the Ugandan government has effectively acknowledged that incremental governance adjustments are no longer sufficient. The airline requires structural correction, not just oversight.
Wake will work “hand in hand with the Board,” but the locus of authority is clear: operational credibility has been outsourced temporarily to an external heavyweight with a proven continental track record.
Why Girma Wake matters
Girma Wake is not simply a respected aviation figure. He is widely regarded as one of the architects of modern African airline success, having led Ethiopian Airlines as CEO from 2004 to 2011.
During that period, Ethiopian crossed the $1 billion revenue threshold, expanded its fleet aggressively but methodically, and most importantly began building the vertically integrated airline group model that later allowed it to withstand shocks ranging from oil price volatility to the COVID-19 collapse of global passenger traffic.
Uganda Airlines’ decision to place Wake at the helm, even temporarily, is therefore deeply symbolic.
Perhaps the most intriguing dimension of the directive is its timing.
Wake’s acting role runs until July 2026, coinciding with the expected end of term for Mesfin Tasew Bekele, the current CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. Within industry circles, there is already quiet speculation that Mesfin may be under consideration as a substantive CEO candidate for Uganda Airlines.
If that were to materialise, it would mark an extraordinary moment, two successive Ethiopian Airlines CEOs being called upon to rescue Uganda Airlines.