Ugandans raise alarm over ‘massive extortion’ at Entebbe Airport

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Several Ugandans expressed concerns over what they have termed as massive bribery and arrogance involving immigration officers at Entebbe International Airport.

This follows trending social media posts in which many allege that some immigration officers are demanding bribes from citizen travellers before clearing them to take flights.

The bribes asked by the officers in question are said to range between $100 (Shs380,000) and $1000 (Shs3.8 million).

The victims claim that despite presenting all necessary documents required for travel outside Uganda, some officers come up with ‘baseless’ excuses to block their flights.

They said it is only after paying bribes that they are allowed to proceed with their flights.

This has raised intrigue among some Ugandans especially on social media, with some, calling for the government’s intervention in what they say is a growing vice at the airport.

In a statement released on Thursday, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCCA) said they had noted the trending videos and said that where such incidents could have happened, were regrettable.

UCCA noted that while they facilitate operations at Entebbe Airport, this is done in liaison with other several independent providers of key services, including, but not limited Immigration.

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