By ADRIAN MWANZA
THE new government must ensure that Zambia Airways is not saddled with costs while Ethiopian Airways makes profit as the partnership must be a win-win situation for both sides, former Transport Minister, Brian Mushimba has said.
Dr Mushimba said Government through the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) needed to be cautious by ensuring that the partnerships were beneficial to Zambia Airways’ growth especially in the short term and medium term.
“This, I hope, is still insisted upon and that the partnership be beneficial in equal measure to both, based on best business practices,” Dr Mushimba said. Zambia Airways is expected to take to the skies on December 1, 2021 after shutting down in 1994.
He said he was glad the new government saw it prudent to build on where this was left and had gone ahead with the launch.
“A national airline has so much upside that it would have been a mistake to have abandoned the project. We just urge them to address any issues with the partnership agreements so that benefits accrue to the partners in a proportional measure,” he said.
Dr Mushimba said the fact that the new government had seen it prudent to go ahead with the launch was commendable. He said as difficult and technical as the aviation industry was, not having a national carrier to champion a national agenda in this sector would be more disastrous.
Dr Mushimba said the partnership with Ethiopian Airways would benefit Zambia as it brought to the table the ability to curb excesses in launching the airline.
“We had history of how ET had partnered with others before, we had the views that insisted on certain parameters to make sure we are not saddled with costs while ET made profits,” he said.
He said the decisions were made in good faith because ET is the best performing airline in Africa.
Dr Mushimba said Zambia Airways was getting help from this partnership especially starting out.
And on the issue of Ethiopian Airways appointing the CEO, Dr Mushimba said that task was supervised by the board chair who was Zambian.
“I think that is a good start for now, so that we have a chance to download all best practices that have made ET the best airline in Africa and make Zambia Airways the best airline in Africa,” he said.
