Museveni orders upgrade, roadworks of Gulu airport
Pass out. President Museveni walks with some of the graduands during the pass out ceremony of 18 pilots and 20 aircraft engineers of the Uganda People’s Defence Airforce at Gulu airport in Gulu District on Tuesday. COURTESY PHOTO
What you need to know:
- Issue. The President says they will rebuild Gulu airport to an international standard.
- According to Mr Museveni, tourists will be able to travel from Gulu to Murchison Park which is famous for its variety of bird species and wildlife that includes, among others elephants, giraffes, Uganda Kobs, leopards and chimpanzees by air.
President Museveni has ordered for the upgrade of the Gulu airport to meet international standards.
While passing out 18 aircraft pilots on Tuesday, the head of state directed the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen David Muhoozi, to discuss the matter with the road companies working in Gulu Town to see that the road network around the facility is built without delay.
Mr Museveni ordered the tarmac king of all feeder roads within Bardege Division bordering Gulu airport.
“For the Gulu area, we are now bringing back your facilities. I want the CDF to liaise with the companies doing roads here to come and tarmac all these internal roads. We are going to rebuild this airport into international standards so that it can accommodate international planes,” Mr Museveni said.
“In the 1960s, this was a very active airbase but during the years of trouble, it went down. The roads around should thus be repaired because we don’t need dust here, all these machines here (air force military jets) do not need dust at all,” the head of state added.
To that effect, government looks to constructing a bigger and new cargo terminal building, improving firefighting capacity and establishing flood lights for the runway.
The construction will also cover aircraft hangers, control towers, access routes, ground markings, parking areas (aircraft and vehicles) and water treatment systems, among others.
Installation of key equipment at the facility has since started. Subsequently, on Tuesday, President Museveni commissioned one of the new radar units at the airport, which he said will aid landing of planes at night and during extreme weather situations.
He said the new machine is meant to guide planes to land safely unlike in the past when control personnel would look in the air to see which direction the aircraft would come from.
“There is another equipment that I want them to add immediately (Instrument Landing System-ILS) and that will be put up by the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Museveni said.
Graduands
The aircraft pilots who graduated were Lt Robert Suuna, Lt Caleb Tinyefuza, Lt Wilson Bwambale, Lt James Ekulungat, Lt Thadeaus Mwaze, Valence Nkurunziza, Lt Justus Mugarama, Lt Emmanuel Ssajabi and Lt Ernest Musolo.
They had been undergoing training in Gulu since 2011.
In her message, Col Rebecca Mpagi, the director personnel and administration at UPDF, warned the public against sending indiscipline children to join the force.
“Do not send us rejects, we need the cream of your children, especially ladies,” Col Mpagi said.
Lt Gen Charles Lwanga Lutaya, the Airforce commander, cautioned the grandaunts against immorality and indiscipline.
“I want you to put in your mind that the task ahead is too big, so keep healthy and right so that you can serve your task for the state rightly. Avoid living recklessly and have integrity, dedication and love your country,” Gen Lutaya said.
Background
Established in 1959 as a civilian and military airport and currently run by Civil Aviation Authority, Gulu airstrip is authorised to handle cross-border air traffic from or destined for neighbouring countries in an effort to promote tourism within Eastern Africa.
Its runway is the second biggest at 3.14kms following Entebbe international airport that measures 3.6kms.
Boost for tourism
According to Mr Museveni, tourists will be able to travel from Gulu to Murchison Park which is famous for its variety of bird species and wildlife that includes, among others elephants, giraffes, Uganda Kobs, leopards and chimpanzees by air.
“Tourists have always been driving 200 miles from Entebbe to Gulu while going to Murchison Park, now they can land here from Europe,” the President said.
Upgrading the facility to an international standard also aims at stimulating trade in the region considering the existence of underdeveloped agricultural and economic potentials of northern Uganda.
