Aviation security and the fight against terrorism, a case of Entebbe international airport, Uganda

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the contribution of aviation security on the fight against terrorism at Entebbe International Airport. The objectives of the study were to analyze the contribution of aviation terrorist risk analysis on fight against terrorism at Entebbe International Airport, to assess the effect of aviation passenger screening on fight against terrorism at Entebbe International Airport and to analyze how aviation terror security policies affect the fight against terrorism at Entebbe International Airport. This study used a cross-sectional survey design. Methodology Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were adopted in the study. The total population was 189 and targeted sample size was 126 but the study managed to get 104 respondents. Purposive technique was used because the researcher selected the key informants who included Aviation Security Manager, Chief Security Officer, Senior Security Officers and Intelligence Agency Officers. Simple random was used to select Flight Crew, Security Officers, Assistant Security Officers and Security Assistants. The researcher used a questionnaire method and structured questionnaires. It also used interview method and Interview guides. Quantitative data analysis mainly consisted of descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and inferential statistics (Spearman correlation and coefficient of determination). Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. Findings Findings revealed a significant positive moderate correlation ( = .589) between aviation terrorist risk analysis and fight against terrorism whereby aviation terrorist risk analysis accounted for 34.7% variance in fight against terrorism. There was also a significant moderate positive correlation ( = .540) between aviation passenger screening and fight against terrorism whereby aviation passenger screening accounted for 29.2% variance in fight against terrorism. Lastly, there was a significant strong positive correlation ( =.664) between aviation terror security policies and fight against terrorism whereby aviation terror security policies accounted for 44.1% variance in fight against terrorism. Interview findings corroborated these quantitative findings as they revealed that although aviation terrorist risk analysis, aviation passenger screening and aviation terror security policies most of the time have been satisfactorily implemented, there instances in which they have been undermined. Therefore, the interview findings showed that aviation terrorist risk analysis, aviation passenger screening and aviation terror security policies had improved the fight against terrorism at Entebbe International Airport. Conclusion and recommendations It was concluded that although aviation terrorist risk analysis, aviation passenger screening and aviation terror security policies play an important role in fight against terrorism at Entebbe International Airport, they had shortcomings (such as laxity in aviation terrorist risk analysis to follow up the detected threat, inadequate human resources, equipment, infrastructure, layout and proper dimensions for human resources as well as the need for constant aviation terror security policies review and state’s commitment at implementing the requirement into national laws). These shortcomings negatively affected their role in improving security at the airport. Thus, it is recommended that the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority including other security agencies with the cooperation of other countries try to address the shortcomings to enhance the fight against terrorism.