Uganda Enlists Ethiopian Airlines Turnaround Leader Girma Wake to Steer National Carrier Executive Reset

Uganda has turned to one of Africa’s most seasoned aviation executives to stabilise its national carrier, appointing former Ethiopian Airlines Chief Executive Officer Girma Wake to oversee a leadership transition at Uganda Airlines.

The appointment was confirmed after a meeting this week between President Yoweri Museveni and Wake at State House, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Museveni directly asked the veteran airline executive to intervene amid what officials describe as deepening operational and governance challenges at the state-owned carrier.

The move follows months of mounting criticism over service disruptions, reliability issues and governance concerns that ultimately led to the exit of Uganda Airlines’ chief executive officer and the launch of a fresh recruitment process.

Wake, one of the most influential figures in African aviation, previously served as chief executive of Ethiopian Airlines from 2004 to 2011. During that period, he is widely credited with laying the groundwork for the airline’s transformation into a profitable, globally competitive group, expanding its fleet, strengthening governance structures and professionalising management.

By bringing in Wake, Uganda is effectively importing a leadership and governance model that has proven successful elsewhere on the continent at a moment when confidence in Uganda Airlines’ internal systems has been badly shaken.

In his interim role, Wake is expected to play an active operational and governance role rather than serve solely as an adviser.

His mandate includes overseeing a comprehensive executive transition, guiding the recruitment of a new substantive chief executive officer and senior management team, and establishing a transitional leadership structure to stabilise daily operations while longer-term strategic decisions are taken.