The Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed the Uganda Police to investigate the controversial procurement of a Shs29 billion fixed-wing aircraft that has barely been operational since its acquisition.
The aircraft in question is the Piaggio P180 Avanti EVO, an Italian-made executive light transport plane, which was purchased in June 2019 at a cost of over USD 7.4 million.
Designed for VIP transport, the Piaggio Avanti features twin turboprop engines in a pusher configuration and seats up to nine passengers in a pressurized cabin.
However, it has only flown a total of 117 kilometers since its purchase—equivalent to just 20 kilometers per year—because it cannot land on non-tarmacked runways, which are common in Uganda.
The matter came to light during a PAC session chaired by Butambala MP Muwanga Kivumbi, where the committee grilled top officials from the Uganda Police Force and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, including Deputy IGP James Ochaya and Permanent Secretary Lt. Gen. Joseph Musanyufu.
MPs questioned the rationale behind buying an aircraft that is unsuitable for Uganda’s terrain.
Mawogola South MP Gorreth Namugga expressed dismay over the procurement, pointing out that the aircraft’s minimal usage over six years signifies a waste of public funds.
“By simple calculation, it flies only 20 kilometers per year. How many motorcycles could have been bought with Shs29 billion?” she asked.
Amid suspicions that the aircraft may have been overvalued and is now being considered for auction, Lt. Gen. Musanyufu denied any plans to sell the plane.
However, a March 29, 2024 press release on the Uganda Police Force website contradicts his statement.
The article, published by Wilfred Kamusiime and endorsed by former Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga, reveals that the Minister of Internal Affairs had given no objection to the aircraft’s disposal.
The release, titled “Status of the Police Fixed-Wing Aircraft PI80 Piaggio Avanti II EVO”, stated that a Board of Survey on October 19, 2022 valued the aircraft at USD 4.27 million.
The valuation considered factors such as the aircraft’s technical condition, market rates, and the need to replace expired parts—estimated at a minimum of USD 100,681.79.
The aircraft is reportedly the only one of its kind on the African continent.
Despite this, Musanyufu maintained that the plane is not on sale, a stance that drew sharp criticism from MPs who accused him of either misleading the committee or concealing facts.
Tensions rose further when PAC chair Kivumbi and MP Namugga demanded to know who was responsible for the aircraft’s procurement.
Musanyufu initially declined to name the officer involved, arguing that he was not in the Ministry at the time and that “you inherit assets and liabilities.” The committee rejected this justification.
Under pressure and the threat of being put under oath, Musanyufu eventually disclosed that the procurement was led by Dr. Isaac Kyaligonza, who has since been transferred to the Ministry of Finance.
“This is why we want to go after these people,” Kivumbi said. “They create wastage and are moved to more lucrative positions.
CID, get Isaac Kyaligonza today. The issue is wastage of public resources. We want a report in two weeks,” he ordered.
Further investigations revealed that Dr. Kyaligonza currently serves as a Board member of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) and is the Commissioner and Head of Procurement Policy and Management at the Ministry of Finance.
His profile also indicates previous roles in leading procurement departments in the Energy, Education, Defence, and National Security sectors.
The Piaggio aircraft was meant to enhance the Uganda Police Air Wing’s capacity for aerial patrols, search and rescue, rapid response, VIP transport, and surveillance.
Instead, it has turned into a symbol of procurement gone wrong—grounded, underused, and now the subject of intense parliamentary scrutiny.
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