Uganda Airlines staff led by CEO Bamuturaki (2R), display placards showing the new routes.

Effective this September, Uganda Airlines will start flying to two more African countries, following the announcement of flights to Harare in Zimbabwe and Lusaka in Zambia, thus bringing the airline’s total routes to 16.

CEO Jennifer Bamuturaki told journalists at a briefing today that in addition to three weekly flights to Lagos, the airline would also fly to the Nigerian capital Abuja effective September 12, with two flights a week on the Airbus A330-800 aircraft.

Established in 1991 as a replacement for Lagos, Abuja not only serves as the capital city of Africa’s most populous country but also as a diplomatic hub, hosting numerous embassies and international organizations.

• The city is a melting pot of Nigeria's diverse ethnic groups and cultures. It offers a blend of traditional Nigerian culture alongside modern urban lifestyles, making it a unique cultural mosaic within the country. This contributes to its cosmopolitan atmosphere and global significance.

Flights to Lusaka and Harare will start on September 25, scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays on the Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft.

Also set to launch flights to London Gatwick by end of year, Bamuturaki said adding the new routes is part of the airline’s strategy to bridge geographical gaps and connect East to West, North to South Africa, in line with their vision to become one of the continent’s biggest carriers.

• Lusaka, Zambia’s commercial hub, controls 75% air traffic and is served by 14 airlines to 16 destinations, mostly within the African continent in addition to Asia.

Crew members inside one of the Uganda Airlines aircraft. Come September, the airline will start scheduled flights to Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Harare International Airport, officially known as Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport since 2017, is the largest and busiest airport in Zimbabwe, serving as the primary gateway for international and domestic flights into the country.

Harare, the country’s economic, political, and cultural center, is serviced by various airlines, connecting the country to major cities across Africa, as well as international destinations in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Zimbabwe serves as a transit route and trade hub for Southern Africa, thanks to its strategic location and infrastructure connections that facilitate trade flows between countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, thus enhancing regional economic integration.

“The new services also mark the second phase of our network development and attest to our mission to bring affordable air travel to Ugandans for business and leisure. They also lay the groundwork for the final phase, during which we shall expand our footprint to points in Europe and Asia,” said Bamuturaki.

• Uganda Airlines currently operates two Airbus A330-800N widebodies and wet-leases one A320-200 from South Africa, while its regional fleet comprises three Bombardier CRJ900LRs.

• The airline already flies to Kinshasa (DR Congo), Mogadishu (Somalia), Mombasa and Nairobi (Kenya), Mumbai (India), Bujumbura (Burundi), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Johannesburg (South Africa), Juba (South Sudan), Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), and Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean.

With the addition of the new routes on the continent, officials believe that the five-year airline would bridge West Africa and Southern Africa hence bring convenience to travelers across the continent with direct flights and seamless connectivity for business, trade, tourism, and socio-cultural linkages.

Analysts insist that African airlines should do more to extend flights across the continent as air travel helps to facilitate trade and economic activities by connecting markets, businesses, and industries across the continent.

This connectivity, they argue, is an important enabler of regional economic integration efforts such as those promoted by regional economic bodies such as the African Union (AU) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).