KAMPALA– The Airline industry regulator, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has rebranded to Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA).
Through the Amendment Act 2019, the CAA besides changing name has become more independent – gaining much more autonomy – than before.
Due to the re-branding, the position names have also been changed as the head of the aviation’s regulatory body will now be called Director General whose former title was Executive Director.
He will be deputised by the Deputy General who was formerly referred to as the Deputy Managing Director.
According to the CAA’s Manager, Mr. Vianney Luggya the Act has been given powers to monitor and regulate all Airlines.
“The Amendment Act has accorded unrestricted powers to UCAA to inspect aerodrones, air operator premises and aircrafts without prior notice,” Mr Luggya revealed.
Mr Luggya also added that the new act requires UCAA inspectors to seek permission from air and aerodrome operators before visiting them for routine inspections.
“The old arrangement often compromised Uganda’s scores in relation to Aviation Legislation in previous International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) audits”, Mr. Luggya said.
According to the operations, UCAA will provide spot penalties to enhance safety and efficiency in service provision in the aviation industry.
The secretary General ICAO, Dr Fang Liu, in June 2019 said for many countries especially those they refer to in the United Nations as land-locked and Small Island Developing States, air transport connectivity serves as a critical economic lifeline.
She added that this plays a very important role in supporting countries’ efforts to achieve the 17 sustainable Development Goals adopted under the UN’s Agenda 2030.
Liu therefore stressed that the ICAO prioritizes helping governments to appreciate the links between their aviation investment, compliance to global standards and sustainable local economic growth.