Kabalega International Airport receives first passenger flights

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Kabalega International Airport in Hoima has received its first commercial flights, marking a major step towards the planned opening of the facility for business in January 2027.

The airport received three commercial aircraft on Sunday (September 27), with the first arriving at about 10:00 am carrying officials from FIFA and CAF ahead of the Uganda Cranes' African Cup of Nations (AFCON) match against Libya scheduled for Tuesday, September 29.

A Uganda Airlines aircraft also landed at the airport at about 1:30 pm carrying 46 members of the Libyan national football team, who had travelled from Entebbe International Airport.

The third flight, carrying the Uganda Cranes squad, touched down at the Kabalega Airport at 4:12 pm ahead of Tuesday's qualifier.

The flights come as construction of the airport nears completion, with works and transport minister Fred Byamukama saying the project is currently 99% complete.

Byamukama said the airport's first phase had been completed and that the facility was undergoing final testing of its installed systems before being handed over to the Ministry of Works and Transport.

“We have completed the first phase of the airport construction, and we are now at the final stages of confirming the systems installed at the airport are working properly,” Byamukama said.

He said the airport's lighting and weather forecasting systems were still being tested to ensure they were functioning properly.

The minister said the contractor, SBC, would hand over the airport to the Ministry of Works and Transport in two weeks, after which the second phase of works would officially commence.

The second phase will include construction of a larger passenger terminal, which is expected to increase the airport's capacity from about 100 passengers at a time to more than 1,000.

“The current passenger terminal is estimated to receive around 100 passengers, but with additional funding from the government of sh232b, we are yet to start the construction of another passenger terminal that will process over 1000 passengers,” Byamukama said.

Byamukama said the airport construction project was initially expected to take five years but was delayed by more than three years due to challenges including price escalations in construction materials, bringing the construction period to about eight years.

The airport's construction was officially launched in April 2018. The facility has a 3.5km runway and is expected to officially begin operations in January 2027.

The project was estimated to cost $309 million, about sh1.1 trillion, according to the information provided. Construction was financed primarily through UK Export Finance (UKEF), which covered about 85%, alongside commercial backing from Standard Chartered Bank.

He said one of the aircraft encountered poor weather while approaching Kabalega Airport and was directed by the control tower to return to Entebbe before later flying back to Hoima.

“We have now tested that our machines at the airport are working. How could and how could we know? When the plane first arrived in the airspace of Kabalega Airport, the weather was bad, and the control tower team guided that he shouldn’t land, and the pilot had to first head back to Entebbe Airport,” Byamukama disclosed.

The minister said the facility would officially begin business in January next year.

President Yoweri Museveni is expected to launch the airport's maiden flight.

Science, technology and innovation minister Jonard Asiimwe commended the Government's investment in Bunyoro, saying Uganda's rapid development had increased the need for more commercial airports.

“Uganda is rapidly growing, and we need to have more airports and international airports. Entebbe Airport is currently constrained. However, with the coming Kabalega Airport into play, this is going to fix the problem,” Asiimwe said.

Asiimwe also wished the Uganda Cranes success ahead of their AFCON match against Libya on Tuesday, September 29.

Hoima LC5 chairperson Uthuman Mubarak Mugisa commended the Government for constructing Kabalega International Airport, noting that the facility was initially designed as a cargo airport before being converted into a commercial airport.

Mugisa said the airport would provide opportunities for people seeking to conduct business and transport goods and services abroad.

He added that the facility would improve transport for the business sector and tourism in the region, particularly for visitors coming to explore Bunyoro.

"Today we are here to show you some of the achievements of the NRM party. The airport currently stands at 99.9% completion rate, and by January it will be ready for official business," he said.

Hoima residents excited

Residents in communities near Kabalega International Airport expressed excitement as the twin-engine Let L-410 Turbolet operated by Eagle Air Uganda approached the facility.

People from Nyamasoga, Kabaale and Kiziranfumbi, who could not access the airport because of security restrictions, watched from outside as the aircraft approached.

Jacob Isingoma, a resident of Kiziranfumbi, said he was excited to witness the first aircraft land at the airport.

"I was among the first indigenous people to work at this airport in around 2018. I thank God that he has kept me alive to see the planes land there," he said.

The aircraft later carried leaders from the Bunyoro sub-region on a return flight to Entebbe International Airport.

Vincent Opio, the Kikuube LC5 vice-chairperson, described the occasion as an exciting moment for the people of Bunyoro.

"As leaders, we are happy that the airport can now receive aircraft. We have seen that the number of officials deployed by CAA are working hard, and most of the offices have opened up," he said.