Bamuturaki Elected President, African Airlines Association

Jenifer Bamuturaki, Uganda Airlines CEO, has been elected President of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) for the year 2023.

She was elected to the position at the 54th AFRAA Annual General Assembly which took place in Dakar, Senegal. She takes over the Presidency from Alioune Badara Fall, the CEO of Air Senegal, who was the President of AFRAA for 2022.

Her presidency comes at a time when the airline is preparing to host the 55th AFRAA Annual General Assembly and Summit in November 2023. The event is expected to attract about 500 high-profile delegates from the aviation industry in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North America.

In her remarks upon her election, Bamuturaki said her priorities for her presidency, shall include cutting the bureaucracy and red tape of regulatory regimes that impede intra-Africa connectivity, creating pathways for increased partnerships and collaboration within the African continent to reduce the fragility of start-up Airlines among others. “I shall endeavour to support initiatives that promote sustainable operations of airlines on the continent by taking bold steps to invest in research, and advocating for open skies through fully operationalising the Yamoussoukro declarations,” she said.

The AFRAA president is elected each year at the Annual General Assembly from among CEOs of member airlines of sub-areas that are in good standing and at the Assembly and considering the need to ensure regional rotation of the presidency among the four sub-areas. The president takes office at the close of the Annual General Assembly and continues in office until a successor is appointed.

AFRAA president is an ex-officio non-voting member of the Executive Committee during the term of office if he or she is not already an elected member of the Executive Committee.

Among the roles of the AFRAA President, is to have good standing in the Association in terms of respect to its financial and other obligations to the Association have the ability and willingness to effectively participate in all meetings and activities of the Association, and enhance the exposure of the Association, in areas where it is not well known. In addition, the AFRAA President shall enhance and strengthen members’ identification and sense of belonging within the Association and serve African Airlines, and champion Africa’s aviation industry among others.

Bamuturaki is a Ugandan who studied at Makerere University, where she obtained a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and Social Administration. In addition, she has qualifications in International Air Transport Association (IATA) sales training for Airlines, Hotel sales, and marketing, in addition to training in revenue management. Bamuturaki’s career spans more than 30 years as a marketing consultant in the Airline, hospitality, and travel industries. She also previously worked with Air Uganda, where she was directly responsible for route research.

In 2019, when Uganda National Airlines Company was launched, she was hired as the Airline’s Commercial Manager. In 2021, she was appointed Uganda Airlines CEO, a position she holds to date.