President Yoweri Museveni has appointed Girma Wake, a retired airline industry executive and former chairman of the Ethiopian Airlines Group, as the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Uganda Airlines.
The announcement was confirmed by the State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, Balaam Barugahara.
Earlier today, Minister Barugahara shared that he had met and interacted with the new CEO of the airline. “I met and interacted with our new Uganda Airlines’ experienced CEO, Mr. Girma Wake,” he said.
He added that Museveni had appointed an expatriate from Ethiopia as the new CEO. “Mr. Wake is widely regarded as one of the finest aviation minds on the African continent,” he noted.
This development follows President Museveni’s decision not to renew the contract of Jennifer Bamuturaki, whose term ends in May of this year.
“I met Mr. Girma Wake, the former CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, alongside Mr. Robert Kateera at State House today. We discussed matters regarding air transport, among other issues,” Museveni said.
The meeting comes amid ongoing investigations into allegations of abuse of office, embezzlement of funds, and false accounting involving officials at Uganda Airlines. These probes are being carried out jointly by the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, focusing on several financial transactions undertaken by the national carrier.
The appointment comes barely a day after the Board of Directors of Uganda Airlines had advertised the position, seeking to recruit a visionary and results-oriented CEO to provide strategic leadership and oversee the airline’s sustainable growth and performance.
Girma Wake previously served as CEO of Ethiopian Airlines from 2004 to 2011 and later chaired the board of Rwanda’s national carrier, RwandAir, from 2012 to 2017. He returned to Ethiopian Airlines Group in 2018 as a board member and was appointed chairman in 2022.
In June 2023, he was replaced as chairman by Yilma Merdassa, the head of the Ethiopian Air Force. At the time, Ethiopian Airlines praised Girma’s “enormous contribution to the growth and success of the airline group” and stated his legacy would “take a special place in the history of the group.”
Girma joined Ethiopian Airlines in 1965 after graduating, at a time when the airline was largely managed by American personnel from Trans World Airlines (TWA).
He quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the first Ethiopians to hold senior executive positions at the airline.
He served at Ethiopian Airlines for nearly three decades before resigning in 1993 following leadership disagreements with the newly installed Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) government.
In November 2003, Girma—then head of cargo operations at Gulf Air—was invited by then Ethiopian Airlines chairman and foreign affairs minister Seyoum Mesfin to return as CEO. Although initially reluctant, he accepted the position in February 2004.
At the time, Ethiopian Airlines operated just 12 aircraft and carried around 1.2 million passengers annually. Under Girma’s leadership, the airline implemented its Vision 2010 strategy, launched in 2005.
Despite early skepticism, the plan delivered rapid growth, with the airline expanding at an average annual rate of 25 percent between 2005 and 2010.
By the end of this period, passenger numbers had nearly tripled to 3.2 million, the fleet had grown to 37 aircraft, and Ethiopian Airlines boasted one of the youngest fleets globally. The airline also joined the Star Alliance in 2011.
During his tenure, Ethiopian Airlines created about 1,500 jobs and significantly increased employee incomes. The carrier also expanded its footprint across Africa through strategic partnerships, including a 45 percent stake in West Africa’s ASKY Airlines.
After stepping down as CEO in 2011, Girma was succeeded by Tewolde Gebremariam. He later served as chairman of United Insurance Company before taking leadership roles at RwandAir and returning to Ethiopian Airlines Group in 2018.
