KAMPALA, Nov. 6 (AGCNewsNet) - Dubai-based MixJet Flight Support has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Uganda Airlines to pay at least $6 million of the $10 million (approx. 37 billion Shillings) the airline owes the fuel contractor, a source close to MixJet confirmed.

The national carrier had earlier agreed to pay $2 million as part of an initial settlement plan, yet MixJet is still awaiting the funds, which would cover only a quarter of the outstanding debt. MixJet has now insisted on an additional $4 million payment to maintain services for other clients, citing an inability to meet critical dues without it.

In a letter addressed to Uganda Airlines Chief Executive Officer Jenifer Bamuturaki on Nov. 1, MixJet demanded immediate payment, warning that without compliance, they would have “no option but to halt all services” and consider legal action to recover the outstanding balance. The fuel contractor further stated that responsibility for any interruption would fall “solely with Uganda Airlines’ management.”

Uganda Airlines signed a global fuel supply contract with MixJet, which subcontracts local suppliers for delivery. However, internal sources at Uganda Airlines revealed that the management has been making advance payments to higher-cost suppliers in four locations, bypassing MixJet's more competitive rates. This practice, the source argued, could breach the terms of the contract by diverting business from MixJet without valid justification.

Repeated attempts to reach Uganda Airlines' Head of Corporate Affairs, Shakila Rahim Lamar, and CEO Bamuturaki for comment went unanswered. A source within Uganda Airlines, speaking anonymously, indicated that delayed payments jeopardize flights scheduled for November to destinations like Dubai and Mumbai.

Two Sentenced to 35 Years for Murder of Ugandan Athlete Benjamin Kiplagat

ELDORET, Nov. 6 (AGCNewsNet) - Two men, including a boda boda rider, were sentenced to 35 years in prison on Tuesday by the Eldoret High Court for the murder of Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat, a 3,000m steeplechase specialist.

Justice Reuben Nyakundi said the prosecution, led by State Counsel Mark Mogun, had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Peter Ushuru, 30, and David Ekai, 25, were responsible for Kiplagat’s murder. The 34-year-old Kenyan-born athlete was killed on December 31, 2023, and his body was found in an abandoned vehicle on the outskirts of Eldoret.

“The evidence was overwhelming, with CCTV footage showing Ushuru and Ekai following Kiplagat to his home, where they attacked him, stabbing him fatally in the chest,” Nyakundi stated, adding that the footage showed clear intent.

The family of Kiplagat, including his mother Elizabeth Chemweno and his two brothers, sought the harshest sentence possible, with Chemweno recounting the deep impact of her son’s death. “Benjamin was our family's backbone, lifting us through his hard work,” Chemweno said.

Justice Nyakundi acknowledged their pain, remarking, “Though no sentence can bring Kiplagat back, may this conviction offer the family some solace.”