. Mushimba

By HELEN ZULU –
CABINET has approved the re-establishment of the national airline at a cost of US$30 million with the process expected to start early next year.
The reestablishment of the national airline is going to be done with a strategic partner, the Ethiopian Airlines and Zambian Government will be the majority owner of the operations.
Transport and communications minister Brian Mushimba said in Lusaka on Monday evening that Cabinet approved the reestablishment of the national airline which would be Zambian owned and Zambian operated.
Mr Mushimba said the objective of having the national airline was to accelerate and support economic activities as it was one way of diversifying the economy.
“As Zambia we knew that our treasury is stretched so we didn’t want to put a burden on it, so we made sure when we did the business modelling and the financial analysis, we are reestablishing the national airline with a strategic partner Ethiopian Airlines and Zambian Government will be the majority owner of the operations and it will be Zambian owned and it will be Zambian operated,” he said.
Mr Mushimba said in the first six months of 2018, all the arrangements including the appointment of the board of directors,  the inaugural flight, finishing of the agreements, the recruitment processes and the purchasing of equipment would be done.
He said the national flag would start flying next year and it would focus on domestic routes before the airline could grow to other international routes.
He said with coming of the National airline, Zambia would be able to partake in the US$ 1.5 billion industry that aviation had been which was only shared by the ten foreign airlines that come into Zambia saying  it would be worth it if the country would take about 30 per cent of this.
“Based on the submissions that we have made to cabinet, over the next six months you will see alot of action, we are going to have all the things in place and an inaugural date for the flight set,” Mr Mushimba said.