Uganda Pilots Fly Libya MIGs

By Yunusu Abbey in Tripoli, Libya ABOUT 30 Ugandan pilots have been flying with the Libyan Airforce since 1979. Sources in Tripoli told The New Vision the Uganda Government funded the crew's training in Russia. "They were sent to Russia during Idi Amin's regime in the 70s. They trained and qualified to fly the MiG-21 fighter jets and other types of aircraft. Some of them are very good engineers and technicians," the source said. "But by the time they completed training in Russia, Amin's regime had been overthrown. They were all then brought to Tripoli and integrated in the Libyan airforce," he said. The source, however, said some of the Ugandan pilots had resigned from the Libyan airforce and switched to civilian life. "Those who resigned have been contemplating whether to return home and rejoin their families or remain in Libya. They are certainly home sick but still uncertain whether they would be safe when they return to Uganda," he added. He said, "When we recently read The New Vision on the Internet reporting that expatriates were flying the MiG-21 planes which Uganda has acquired, we just laughed. Uganda's highly trained and qualified citizens who are well-versed with the MiG-21 fighter jets are just redundant here." A Ugandan who has lived in Libya since his student days in 1974 concurred with the source. He said the Ugandan pilots could still serve for another 10 years or more. "These Ugandan pilots serving in the Libyan airforce were not Amin's property. They were trained on the Ugandan taxpayers' money. They would have therefore been very useful back home," said the Ugandan who works in Tripoli. "Since President Yoweri Museveni is re-building the airforce these, pilots and engineers here would have contributed a lot either as a serving crew or instructors," said the source. Recently, the two MiG-21 fighter jets the Government bought were taken on test runs in and around Kampala. Expatriates are reported to have flown the MiGs because Ugandans were still undergoing training in Israel. Ends