By SHERRY CHABALA
MINISTER of Transport and Logistics Frank Tayali has announced the cancellation of the deal to procure planes for yet be launched national airline.
“Government is opening up channels of communication with the manufacturers to inform them that it seeks a refund,” he said.
And reacting to the minister’s comment, aviation expert Charles Musenge said the cancellation of the deal is in the country’s best interest.
“The deal has taken so long to be launched and Zambians should have been the ones to spearhead the project without the Ethiopians,” Mr Musenge said.
He added that the major players in the management of the airlines had been the Ethiopians and there was need to change that aspect.
“Zambians needed to have been in the frontline when it came to fostering the success of the project,” he emphasised.
The new Zambia Airways was scheduled to launch commercial operations on September 30, 2021, according to an announcement by the airline’s board.
Initially, the new Zambia Airways was a joint venture established in August 2018 between the Industrial Development Corporation Limited (IDC), which holds 55 percent shareholding, and Ethiopian Airlines (ET, Addis Ababa), with 45 percent ownership.
The shareholders had contributed US$30 million in capital towards the establishment of the airline.
The airline was initially to be launched on October 24, 2018, but its debut was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, re-certification procedures which were still ongoing by April 2021, and Zambia having had to ratify the Cape Town Convention to secure Zambia Airways’ leased fleet.
