Kampala, Uganda: As Uganda Airlines marked a new milestone with the launch of its direct flights to London Gatwick, Dr. Lawrence Muganga, Vice Chancellor of Victoria University, has called on Ugandans to rise above political differences and celebrate the national achievement with patriotism and perspective.
The Airline safely touched down at London Gatwick Airport on Sunday, May 18, at exactly 17:01, marking its first-ever landing on UK soil and a proud moment for Uganda in connecting our Pearl of Africa to the world.
Taking to his social media platform X on Monday, May 19, Dr. Muganga urged citizens to resist the impulse to downplay progress simply because it is delivered by a government or individuals they may not agree with.
The senior Educationist said maturity and true national pride lie in the ability to appreciate positive developments, regardless of their source. “It is easy to fall into negativity… But real maturity and love for our country means being able to celebrate what is positive, no matter who is responsible for it,” Dr. Muganga wrote.
Using the example of Uganda Airlines’ maiden landing at London Gatwick on Sunday as a case study in misinformation and misplaced cynicism, the VU boss urged the public to educate themselves on the facts. According to Muganga, many critics do not realize that the current Uganda Airlines is a completely new national carrier, registered in 2018, distinct from the defunct Uganda National Airlines that ceased operations in 2001.
“Every achievement it makes is new for this company,” he emphasized. “For example, when Uganda Airlines landed in the United Kingdom for the first time at London Gatwick yesterday, that was a new and historic achievement for this new company.”
The direct route to the UK is expected to boost tourism, increase cargo capacity, and improve connectivity for the Ugandan diaspora in Europe. Aviation and economic experts have also hailed the move as a step toward strengthening Uganda’s position as a regional hub for business and travel.
Dr. Muganga concluded with a patriotic reminder saying; “The best thing we can do is to learn, to stay positive, and to always put our country above personal feelings. That is how we help Uganda move forward.”
Below is the full statement from Muganga
Fellow Ugandans with your permission kindly allow me share that, it is easy to fall into negativity, especially when we see something good coming from someone or a government we may not agree with. But real maturity and love for our country means being able to celebrate what is positive, no matter who is responsible for it. We should always try to put positive thinking first and remember to put our country first. That is what true patriotism looks like.
As educators, we often feel frustrated when people complete their education yet do not take time to find out accurate information or research what is really going on. This problem shows up clearly when people talk about @UG_Airlines
without knowing its actual story.
To be clear, Uganda once had an airline called Uganda National Airlines, which started in 1977 and stopped operating in 2001. The current Uganda Airlines is not the same company. It is a new airline that was registered in 2018, giving Uganda a fresh start in aviation. Every achievement it makes is new for this company. For example, when Uganda Airlines landed in the United Kingdom for the first time at London Gatwick yesterday, that was a new and historic achievement for this new company.
Let us use this as a reminder to educate ourselves and find the facts before rushing to criticize. The best thing we can do is to learn, to stay positive, and to always put our country above personal feelings. That is how we help Uganda move forward.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative anews platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp for realtime updates.
