In a dramatic and sweeping move, President Yoweri Museveni has ordered the immediate dismissal of 152 staff members from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), citing widespread corruption, recruitment of unqualified personnel, and inefficiencies that have plagued the institution for years.In a scathing letter dated June 25, 2025, the President not only directed the removal of the affected staff but also demanded the sacking of those who facilitated their recruitment. The directive, which has sent shockwaves through the aviation sector, is seen as a long-overdue response to what insiders describe as deeply entrenched mismanagement at the authority.“I have received information that there is massive corruption in the UCAA in terms of several aspects, including recruiting unqualified people for employment there. As a consequence, serious inefficiencies cause problems that must not be allowed to continue,” President Museveni stated in his letter addressed to the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala.Trigger: A Lift Mishap That Embarrassed the NationThe President’s ire was reportedly triggered by an incident involving Mama Maria Nyerere, widow of the late Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere, who got stuck in an outdated elevator at Entebbe International Airport for four minutes during a recent visit. Though seemingly minor, the incident exposed major operational flaws at UCAA and embarrassed the Ugandan government on the international stage.“One glaring embarrassing problem was, for instance, Mama Maria Nyerere being trapped in an archaic lift for 4 minutes,” Museveni noted. “Some investigation was carried out, and 152 unqualified staff were identified. All these must be sacked, and so should those who recruited them. I demand immediate action.”The directive is being interpreted as a no-nonsense stance against institutional decay, especially in critical sectors like civil aviation that are central to Uganda’s international reputation and economic growth.Deep-Rooted ProblemsThough the elevator incident served as the breaking point, internal audits and investigations into UCAA’s staffing and operations had been ongoing for over a year, revealing a litany of malpractices.In 2024, UCAA initiated a verification process of staff academic qualifications. According to a report submitted to Gen Katumba Wamala, the verification exercise covered 2,688 academic documents. Shockingly, 82 staff members were found to have submitted forged academic papers.“This exercise was internally generated and mainly prompted by a few cases we were able to identify, especially in our support team,” the UCAA report states. “When recruiting aviation security staff in November 2023, we discovered forgeries and extended the verification to existing staff.”The probe found that some staff had submitted one or more falsified academic documents, some dating back several years. The forged credentials were not limited to junior roles; some of the implicated individuals held technical positions vital to airport safety and aviation operations.UCAA’s Turbulent Track RecordThe Civil Aviation Authority, which became UCAA after the amendment of the Civil Aviation Authority Act in 2024, has frequently been in the headlines for the wrong reasons. Beyond staffing fraud, the Authority has faced accusations of corruption, procurement scandals, and gross inefficiencies.In January 2025, video footage of airport staff extorting money from travellers went viral on social media, prompting public outrage and condemnation from top government officials. Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa called for the immediate prosecution of those involved, labeling the staff “criminals.”State Minister for Transport Fred Byamukama confirmed the presidential directive and emphasized the gravity of the situation.“It is true there is a directive from the President about the unqualified staff at UCAA. This time we are going to act, and it’s with immediate effect because a presidential directive is law,” Byamukama said in an interview. “UCAA is a very critical entity.”He further elaborated on other incidents of mismanagement, including a fire outbreak caused by a faulty fan, leaking air conditioners at airport terminals, and the destruction of mosquito net stock meant for the Ministry of Health in a fire at UCAA’s cargo centre.Beyond Fake Documents: A Culture of Nepotism and IncompetenceMinister Byamukama also lifted the lid on other structural problems within UCAA, including the promotion of less qualified individuals to positions of authority, leaving more capable and experienced staff sidelined.“Even those who have genuine documents, you find one is occupying the position of a degree holder when he has a diploma,” Byamukama lamented. “Others are being supervised by individuals less qualified than themselves.”According to the minister, the presidential directive is the culmination of months of joint investigations between the Ministry of Works and Transport and UCAA itself. The findings were damning: gross procedural violations in recruitment and promotion, with evidence pointing to bribery, nepotism, and unmerited appointments.UCAA’s Response: A Dilemma of Enforcement vs. Institutional StabilityUCAA’s management acknowledged the findings but appealed for measured enforcement, citing the high cost of aviation training and the critical roles many of the affected staff play.“The reported forgeries span a long time, some having been committed before or at the inception of UCAA,” the agency said in its response to the minister. “It has not been a practice at UCAA to verify academic qualifications during recruitment or promotion.”According to the agency, most of the forged papers came from lower-level employees, many of whom serve in essential roles in airport security, firefighting, operations, air traffic management, and technical engineering services.The response revealed that of the 82 identified with forged credentials, 67 are technical staff. Some have already retired, while others are close to retirement. In light of these complexities, UCAA instituted a disciplinary committee, which had by early July heard 54 of the accused individuals. Management awaits the committee’s recommendations before taking further action.What Comes Next?The President’s order has sparked fears of instability within Uganda’s aviation sector, especially given that many of the affected employees are from high-skill fields such as airworthiness inspection, communications engineering, and aviation safety. Nonetheless, officials insist that the purge is necessary to restore credibility and efficiency.“This is the beginning of a clean-up that must go beyond just UCAA,” said one senior official at the Ministry of Transport, who requested anonymity. “We’ve had too many sacred cows in this country and it’s time to let merit, not connections, determine who holds public office.”Meanwhile, legal experts warn that affected employees could seek court redress, especially if due process is not followed during the disciplinary proceedings. UCAA has acknowledged the need to handle the process confidentially and in accordance with employment law, given the legal implications and potential national security concerns.A Wake-Up Call for Government InstitutionsMuseveni’s directive is not just a condemnation of UCAA but a broader indictment of Uganda’s public service recruitment system. Analysts say the scandal is symptomatic of systemic corruption that must be tackled across all sectors if the country is to meet its development goals.“What happened at UCAA is a microcosm of what is happening in many ministries and agencies,” said Prof. Mwambutsya Ndebesa, a political historian. “The difference here is that the consequences are more visible because it affects international travel and national image.”As the country watches how the aviation authority responds, attention is now shifting to whether other institutions with similar staffing irregularities will be subjected to similar scrutiny.President Museveni’s order to sack 152 UCAA staff is one of the most aggressive actions taken against corruption in a government agency in recent memory. Whether this marks the beginning of a genuine crackdown or simply a politically convenient clean-up remains to be seen.However, what is clear is that the crisis at UCAA has not only exposed Uganda’s soft underbelly in governance but also reminded the public of how far-reaching the effects of corruption and inefficiency can be — even trapping a revered African stateswoman in an elevator at the nation’s gateway to the world.The post How Museveni Uncovered A Web Of Forgery And Ordered The Firing Of 152 At UCAA appeared first on The Insider.