Details have emerged as to why Uganda’s President who is also the Commander-in-Chief (CiC) of the Armed Forces, H.E Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni directed that Kajjansi Airfield, a critical landing field be repossessed to government from Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) Uganda.
In a letter titled ‘REPORT ON PERTENT MATTERS AT KAJJANSI AIRFIELD ‘ dated 13 February 2023, addressed to Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala the Minister of Works and Transport, Museveni confirmed that he had received complaints about overcharging and intrusion against other Air services companies by MAF.
‘’I have received a complaint from a transport and passenger Aircraft owner known as Bar Aviation against Mission Aviation Fellowship- MAF, another co-user of Kajjansi airfield. It seems the original license to operate the airfield was to MAF, 25 years ago .Bar is complaining about intrusion by MAF ,being overcharged ,etc’’, reads Museveni’s letter to Wamala.
Museveni further noted that; ‘’It may be better for the government to repossess the ownership of the Airstrip and also be responsible for security’’, Museveni added.
It is important for the government to take over security at such facilities according to experts.
‘’Aviation security is a combination of measures and human and material resources in order to safeguard civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference. Unlawful interference could be acts of terrorism, sabotage, threat to life and property, communication of false threat, bombing, etc. Airport security attempts to prevent any threats or potentially dangerous situations. If aviation security does succeed then the chances of any dangerous situation, illegal items or threats entering into an aircraft, country or airport are greatly reduced. As such, airport security serves several purposes: To protect the airfield and country from any threatening events, to reassure the traveling public that they are safe and to protect the country and their people’’, noted one of the aviation experts.
President Museveni’s Letter
The goal of aviation security is to prevent harm to aircraft, passengers, and crew, as well as support national security and counter-terrorism policy.
The airfield is operated by Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), an international Christian humanitarian relief and development organization. The facility headquarters of both MAF Uganda and EMI East Africa.
Kajjansi Airfield is also the operations base for Kampala Aeroclub and Flight Training Centre (KAFTC). The company operates scheduled and charter tours to three of Uganda’s national parks; Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi National Park.
The same company maintains an ICAO-recognized flight-training school that trains, tests and awards private pilots licenses. The school is sometimes referred to as Kajjansi Flying School. KAFTC also operates an aircraft maintenance facility at this airport, under the name of Kampala Aero Maintenance.
Kajjansi Airfield is also the operations base for Pangea Aviation Academy, a flight instructions academy that focuses on training pilots destined for service with the Government of Uganda, including in the UPDF Air Force, the Uganda Police Air Wing, Uganda National Airlines Company and with General Aviation, in the country and the region.
Kajjansi Airfield sits at an elevation of 1,141 metres and is located in the southern portion of Kampala city. The airport has one unpaved runway 14/32, which is 1,150 metres (3,773 ft) long. The runway is east of the Kampala–Entebbe Road, bordering marshland near the shore of Lake Victoria.