We're considering adding Nsenene to our menu, says Uganda Airlines
A video grab of a man filmed hawking grasshoppers aboard Dubai-bound Uganda Airlines plane at Entebbe Intentional Airport on November 26, 2021
Uganda Airlines Saturday said they are planning to add a Ugandan delicacy, Nsenene (grasshoppers), to their menu for regional and international flights on request.
“This addition of Nsenene on our menu will bring the Ugandan culture to the world. Our key products are people and the experience,” the national carrier's management said in a statement following social media outrage after a man was filmed hawking the insects aboard one of the airlines plane at Entebbe International Airport.
In the 40 second video which was recorded by one of the passengers on Friday (November 26), passengers on Dubai-bound flight no. 446 are seen purchasing the local delicacy without interruption from cabin crew.
"This happened at a time our passengers were boarding, and it was disruptive. We don't condone the acts of the passenger selling Nsenene and low standards of serving it to people who were buying it. We will not take this conduct lightly because it undermines the spirit of the national carrier," the airlines adds in the statement, moments after reports emerged that Works and Transport minister, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala had ordered for suspension of staff members who were manning the airport at the time of the incident.
However, Ms Shakira Rahim, the Uganda Airlines Public Relations manager told this reporter that they are yet to receive any formal communication from the minister regarding the reports.
“As Uganda Airlines, we haven’t received any formal letter from the minister the way it's said on social media. We disregard the information of suspending Uganda Airlines staff and those are speculations,” she said.
When questioned about how the hawker ended up on the plane, she said they are still investigating.
“We are also doing investigations on how the grasshoppers ended in cabin because as one is travelling, there are things which aren’t allowed on the plane, so that’s part of the security but we are also investigating,” she added.
When contacted by this reporter, Gen Katumba said: “I have suspended them from where now? I don't suspend people through media. If I was to suspend people I write to them. So it's not true."
However, Gen Katumba later tweeted saying he had asked the leadership of the airlines to take action against the staff who were in charge when the incident happened.
“About the video making rounds on social media of someone vending Nsenene aboard @UG_Airlines, I have spoken to the leadership of the airline to take action against the staff who were in charge when this happened,” he tweeted.
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