New plane flies M7 to Rwakitura

Apr 30, 2002

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday overflew his upcountry home in Rwakitura, Mbarara district in a Boeing DC-10-30 aircraft.

By Grace Matsiko and Charlotte Kukunda PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday overflew his upcountry home in Rwakitura, Mbarara district in a Boeing DC-10-30 aircraft.Museveni was launching AfricaOne, a new airline.Museveni, accompanied by ambassadors accredited to Uganda, ministers and business leaders, sat in the business class of the 247-seater Boeing from Entebbe International Airport to Mbarara and back. The journey took 30 minutes. The passengers missed to see Museveni’s home from the skies because of a heavy afternoon rain.Chairman AfricaOne Capt Joe Roy said the airline is a joint venture between Dairo Air Services (DAS) of Uganda and entrepreneurs from Tanzania and Nigeria. The founder members are Roy, former acting Alliance Air managing director, Frederick Ochieng-Obbo, Valentine Tongo of Nigeria and Charles Heather, an aviation specialist.The aircraft has 34 seats for the business class, 87 for the premier class and 126 for continental fliers or the economy class.Museveni said the airline will provide an opportunity to Ugandans interested in exporting dairy, beef products and horticulture to West African countries where there is a ready market. The routes of the airline will be Entebbe, Lagos, Banjul, Freetown and Western Europe twice a week.“Nigerians import dairy products from European countries worth US$400m. We want them to bring that money here,” Museveni said. He said he does not mourn the demise of Uganda Airlines because the Government companies are poorly managed.“If the Government wants to own a company, it can buy shares. However, minority shareholders should not obstruct business,” Museveni added. The President, who pledged to protect foreign investments, also commissioned the Das Air cold storage facility.He said, “When there was a debate on Uganda Airlines, I said, ‘If Uganda Airline dies, another airline will come out of the decaying airline’. We are witnessing that today.” He said the defunct East African Airways helped to train African pilots and engineers.“African pilots trained by the East African Airways, including Capt. Roy, have been recycled within the region and some have sought employment elsewhere.The Ministry of Transport should train new pilots. It is up to the Government to train pilots for the country, whether they have jobs or not,” Museveni added.Roy earlier complained to the President that government officials were using national security as an excuse to protect Entebbe Handling Services (ENHAS) monopoly.“Since you are here, your Excellency, let anyone show you the developments attributed to the company that has enjoyed preferential treatment and then you will judge for yourself,” Roy said.Museveni immediately after Roy’s speech, summoned Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) chief, Maggie Kigozi, to handle the issue. Works, transport and communications minster John Nasasira pledged to break Enhas monopoly.

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