By Mary Asujo
Works minister Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala said there is need to address the issue of moral decay in the society and the case of Entebbe International Airport is “a big eye opener” that there exists a big moral problem in the country.
While Presenting a Statement to parliament following public outcry over allegations of corruption and bribery at Entebbe Airport.
Hon. Katumba told the house that the social media clips of airport staff in acts of corruption should not be interogated in isolation.
“Its not on at the Airport. Every institution has the same problem. So we need to address moral decay as a requirement.” Gen. Katumba said.
Minister Wamala said that the joint security meeting held on 19th January 2023 has resolved that effective February 10th, 2023, departing passengers will access the terminal building using the new remodified passenger terminal building.
In January, this year, social media platforms were awash with videos of travelers through Entebbe International Airport complaining about cases of extortion of bribes and unlicensed payments by airport staff. This prompted the Speaker to ask Gen. Katumba to respond to the matter.
Following the outcry, the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) came out and suspended some of their employees pending investigations into the allegations. The body also introduced several interventiins to curb the vices.
Erute South MP, Hon. Jonathan Odur urged government to separate Uganda Civil Aviation authority from the management of Entebbe Airport.
The legislator suggested that a separate body be formed for the management of Airports and leave UCAA for regulation of Aviation activities.
“The people who were supposed to be doing the work were sleeping on their jobs. That you are just transferring people who were responsible for these messes. Even where on the face of it you have caught is red-handed, all you are doing is just to transfer them”, Hon. Odur.
Odur also proposed that the minister to make an overhaul of the entire top management of CAA if sanity and public trust in the sector is to be achieved.
Kazo County MP, Hon Dan Kimosho told the members that what we saw on social media was just a symptom. 26 people to be stealing at the same time are not something to be taken lightly. I request that they should consider an overhaul at the airport.