At 11:47 PM on March 23rd, Uganda Airlines’ PR team made an unprecedented move—they issued a midnight denial.
The subject? A Sun report claiming the UK had secretly killed Kampala’s new London route before it could even take off.
The airline’s statement was blistering: “False. Malicious. Our permit stands.”
But behind the scenes, sources say executives were scrambling. One insider whispered:
“We’ve spent millions on slots, marketing, crew training. If this falls through, heads will roll.”
The Ghost in the Machine
Here’s what we know—and what reeks of conspiracy:
The British High Commissioner Problem
Just days before The Sun’s story, Lisa Chesney stood beside CEO Jenifer Bamuturaki at a champagne toast, calling the route “a new chapter in UK-Uganda relations.”
Now? The UK mission in Kampala has gone dark—no calls returned, no tweets, no support.
Lammy’s Phantom Decree
The article alleges Foreign Secretary David Lammy personally intervened to block the flights over human rights concerns.
But here’s the catch: the UK Civil Aviation Authority—the only body with real power to cancel routes—hasn’t said a word.
The Billion-Dollar Silence
Neither the Foreign Office nor the Department for Transport has confirmed or denied the suspension.
That silence is louder than any press release. In diplomacy, no news is never good news.
Why This Is More Than Just a Flight
Bamuturaki wasn’t lying when she called this route “the end of our establishment phase.” The numbers don’t lie:
- 14 African destinations funneling passengers to Entebbe
- $22.6M in Ugandan exports to the UK last year—now at risk
- 81 weekly departures making Uganda Airlines Entebbe’s dominant force
But geopolitics plays dirty.
Related: Uganda Airlines Launches New Direct Route to London—Despite $300M in Losses
The Real Battle Happening at 35,000 Feet
This isn’t about aviation. It’s about:
- Post-colonial power plays (Why now, after a decade without direct flights?)
- Economic warfare (Who loses if Uganda bypasses Nairobi and Dubai hubs?)
- The diaspora’s fury (Over 30,000 Ugandans in the UK are watching closely)
What Comes Next?
Mark your calendar for May 18. One of two things will happen:
- An Airbus A330 lifts off from Entebbe, humiliating London’s press corps—or
- The tarmac stays empty, proving Kampala still answers to foreign masters.
