Trainee pilots strike over food, uniform

Soroti. Pilot students at Soroti Flying School Academy founded by the East African Community are on a sit-down strike, protesting what they describe as poor meals and militarisation of the facility.
On Friday evening, students boycotted meals being served in the academy’s dining hall.
The students, who refused to be named for fear of reprisal, accused their director of fronting a military kind of administration in a civilian academy.
They also said the administration has stopped providing accommodation for those on night flights and instrument rating trainings while in Entebbe.
“We have to foot our accommodation while in Entebbe; this is costly to us,” she said.
The students added that some of them are conducting flights in causal jeans because the administration has failed to provide uniform.
However, Mr Ronald Turyamubona, the academy director, refuted the students’ claims.
“We have a budget of Shs100m for meals every month. Beef is served four times a week, and chicken and fish three times a week. This can be proved at the procurement and accounts department. It is unfortunate students want beef to be served seven days a week,” he said.
Mr Turyamubona added that every semester, they provide students with uniforms.
“I inherited an academy, which was in shambles. For 12 years, there was no proper administration, and some students used the Entebbe trainings to connive with some instructors to fleece the academy of money by inflating the time frame of such trainings. Those behind such are the ones aggrieved,” he said.