Capt. Mike Mukula has asked government to review the Civil Aviation Board in order to smoothen the activities of the Authority ahead of the revival of Uganda Airlines that has been grounded for over 15years.
The former minister and Soroti Municipality MP who retired from active politics to run private businesses including aviation, says that there is need to have a fresh CAA team that will cope up with the changing technology.
Mukula was appearing the parliamentary committee on Physical Infrastructure that is currently charged with the responsibility to review the Civil Aviation Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2017.
“The review of CAA board should have an odd number for appropriate decision making and to avoid stalemates in decision making process. If we have a board of about 7people, then secretary to the treasury should be a member of the Aviation board to avoid issues of budgetary allocation. Then we shall also need a member from the tourism board who will help improve tourism in the industry and finally we need somebody from national security who will help strengthen security component. Then have other 3 competent people in regulating, air navigation then traffic controller,” Mukula said.
Whereas the CAA prescribes a number of not less than 4 and not more than 8 board members, Mukula says that the Authority needs 8 members.
In a bid to curb the current incompetence of the Authority, Capt Mukula also asked government to delink the management of airports and aerodromes from the CAA adding that this separation has worked for countries like Kenya and Rwanda which are far better in the aviation industry.
“We therefore recommend that a separate statutory body be created to manage Airports if we are to reach the improved state and capacity of Airports in Kenya,” Mukula said.
He also called for need to carry out value audit of civil aviation human resource which he says employs about 900 staff who are nothing doers.
“Civil aviation has about 900employees, there are more people employed from other regions. We need to carry out value audit of civil aviation human resource so that we can put an efficient staff than paying a huge human resource which is inefficient,” he said.
According to the Civil Aviation Act of Kenya, “the Authority shall discharge its functions without prejudice to the functions of the Kenya Airports Authority.” Mukula thinks that its equally possible to have a separate Airport Authority in Uganda along with CAA if the industry is to maximize results.
Last year, President Museveni wrote to the Prime Minister ordering him to scrap, downsize and merge government agencies and Authorities to deal with wastage of meagre resources.
