CAA gets new deputy director general

Ms Olive Birungi Lumonya, the outgoing national director at SOS Children’s Villages Uganda, has been named deputy director general of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA).

Copies of instruments of appointment signed and sent out by the Minister for Works, Transport and Communication, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, indicates that Ms Lumonya has been appointed to serve in that capacity on a four-year contract effective this month.

“In accordance with Part IV Section 16 of the Civil Aviation Authority Act cap 354 and on the advice of the UCAA Board, I hereby appoint you as deputy director general of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority…” the appointment dated October 5, read in part.  

A brief statement sent out late on Friday by CAA’s Manager of Public Affairs, Mr Vianney Mpungu Luggya, confirmed the appointment.

“This is to confirm that Ms Olive Birungi Lumonya was appointed as deputy director general of Uganda Civil Aviation Authority on October 5 and she will be reporting to work on November 15,” Mr Luggya wrote.

Ms Lumonya’s appointment follows the September 28 elevation of Mr Fred Bamwesigye as substantive director general.

Mr Bamwesigye had been working as acting CEO since June 30, 2020, when the term of Dr David Kakuba Mpago ended.

The new appointment now means the top leadership of CAA is fully constituted. 

CAA manages Entebbe International Airport and a host of civilian airports and aerodromes, including tourist airfields such as Pakuba in Murchison Falls National Park and the main airstrip in Kidepo Valley National Park, is now complete.

About Ms Lumonya

Ms Lumonya, who becomes the first female to occupy such as high office at CAA is one of the 21 people who applied for the job of director general when it was first advertised on March 15.

She was one of the seven shortlisted for interviews held at the Mestil Hotel in Kampala on May 14. 

Prior to the interviews, the Board had set 70 percent as the pass mark and agreed that the names of the three top candidates would be forwarded to the minister for consideration for appointment.

“The Board recommends the following candidates from whom the honourable minister shall appoint a director general,” read a memo that was issued after the interviews. 

The same memo listed Ms Olive Birungi Lumonya, Prof Tom Davis Wasswa and Mr Fred Bamwesigye as the first, second and third candidates in order of scores obtained during the interviews.

The memo, a copy of which Sunday Monitor has seen, indicates that Ms Lumonya posted 80.7 percent, Prof Wasswa 74.7 percent, and Mr Bamwesigye 73.4 percent. 

The Board serves for three years and has Mr Moses Paul Lubowa, Ms Ethel Kamba, Dr Andrew Alyao Ocero, and Mr Thomas James Kiggundu. 

Others are Mr Zubair Musoke, Ms Angela Kiryabwire Kanyima and Mr James Kubeketerya. 

Mr Luggya’s statement said Ms Lumonya holds a Master in Business Administration from the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI) and a Mass Communication degree from Makerere University. 

She is also a chartered marketer, certified balanced champion and an African Board Fellow.

Ms Lumonya has more than 20 years of leadership and working experiences in both the corporate and non-governmental organisations sectors having worked  with Nile Breweries Ltd as brand marketing manager, National Social Security Fund as head of marketing, communication and SOS Children’s Villages.

“She has supported and guided on strategy and management for effectiveness. She is experienced in developing and implementing strategic and business plans, customer service management, stakeholder engagement and communication, people and performance management. That puts her in good stead to add value to CAA,” Mr Luggya said.

Ms Lumonya, who has also been the chairperson of FINCA Uganda since 2018, also served as a member of the Board of CAA in the period between March 2014 and March 2020.

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