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KAMPALA - The Civil Aviation Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2024 should be considered as a matter of urgency, the Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, said on Wednesday as he issued a very tight schedule for its scrutiny.

Tayebwa on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, directed the Committee on Physical Infrastructure to expeditiously scrutinize the Bill and report to Parliament by Thursday, February 1, 2024.

The Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, tabled the Bill which seeks to safeguard and enhance aviation security against acts of violence or unlawful interference by providing for the protection of aircraft used for civil aviation and the protection of persons and property on board such aircraft.

The objectives of the Bill are to ensure the safety of passengers, crew, ground personnel, and the general public in all matters related to safeguarding against acts of unlawful interference with civil aviation.

"This is an urgent matter to do with the certification of our airport to continue receiving traffic. It is an issue that came out of an audit saying it must be done within a certain period or else they withdraw our certificate," Tayebwa said during the plenary sitting on Tuesday, January 30, 2024.

Gen. Katumba Wamala noted that Uganda is a signatory to the International Convention on Civil Aviation, and as such, is obliged to comply with its international standards and recommended practices.

"The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) oversight audit programme conducted an audit here from September 6 to September 18, 2023. In addition, Uganda is scheduled for a universal security audit programme from January 30, to February 8, 2024," Katumba Wamala said.

He added that the audit is intended to monitor Uganda's compliance with ICAO safety and security-related standards of safety and oversight obligations under the Convention.

The September audit, the minister revealed, identified gaps in the primary legislation of the Civil Aviation Act, which if not addressed, would expose Uganda to adverse audit findings with far-reaching implications for the country.

"A finding of a significant safety concern is in effect, a notice to the world that it is not safe to travel by air to Uganda or on any registered Ugandan aircraft," Katumba Wamala said.

There are over 13 international airline companies that operate in Uganda’s aviation industry.

The proposed Bill will amend the existing Civil Aviation Authority Act, Cap. 354 that was enacted in 1991.

The Bill seeks to bring Uganda’s aviation authority in conformity with the Convention on International Civil Aviation, also known as the Chicago Convention, which created a specialised agency of the United Nations charged with coordinating international air travel in 1947.

The proposed government Bill, when passed, will delegate powers to inspectors to have unrestricted access to aircraft, aerodromes, and aviation facilities including cargo and records of aviation organisations under the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA).

It will also enable UCAA to recognise agreements of third-party States who are signatories to Article 83 bis of the Chicago Convention, in relation to transfer of functions and duties as well as prescribing additional offences.

Article 83 bis assists with the structuring of cross-border aviation transactions by providing a mechanism for ensuring safety oversight of an aircraft that is operated from another State.