Friday, March 29, 2024

Zambian Airways suspension of operations to affect tourism

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ZAMBIAN Airways planes grounded at the Lusaka international airport

The Tourism Council of Zambia says the suspension of Zambia Airways operation will negatively impact ON the tourism industry in the country.

Tourism Council of Zambia, Executive Director, Josephine Sampa Mehl, regretted the suspension in operations of Zambian Airways, saying the development would negatively impact on efforts to develop the tourism sector.

Ms. Mehl told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Zambian Airways was instrumental in linking both local and international tourists to various tourists’ destinations in the country.

She said Zambian Airways significantly contributed to the opening up of tourism destinations as it linked Livingstone to Johannesburg, and other cities.

She appealed to government to consider measures that could help revamp operations at Zambia Airways and other operators who are supplementing government efforts of promoting growth in the tourism sector.

Zambian Airways on Saturday suspended its operations on both local and international routes citing the increase in jet fuel in the last 18 months as having pushed up the operational costs for the company.

Hundreds of passenger were stranded in Ndola, Lusaka, Livingstone and Johannesburg after Zambian Airways announced suspended operations.

ZANIS/GP/ENDS/SJK

178 COMMENTS

  1. This will be good for competition , one airline goes down the other becomes powerful . Zambian airways did not even own it’s own planes so I hope somebody see’s an opportunity to this and utilises it. Maybe Zambezi airways can take over and show some company management .

  2. of course tourism will be affected that’s why you should tell that pot bellied president of ours to initiate the formation of a real national airline not a toy like zambian airways!

  3. The NACL did not think properly before brutally requiring their money from Zambian Airways. If the airline goes down, other sectors of the economy will be affected as well, including the image of Zambia abroad. #1, you are just dreaming about competition. Do you have an airline operating now that can take over? Stop being jealous and support Zambian entrepreneurs.

  4. @5, I wonder what percentage!!To be frank, most tourists who visit Livingstone from South Africa use SAA and BA. When we talk about local destinations, we have Proflight and Zambezi. What we need at the moment is a National Airline run by competent guys and not political commentators

  5. Suspension of operations by Zambian Airways is a blow to Zambian entrepreneurship. The government should creat incentives for more Zambian firms to go into airline business e.g tax breaks,improve the standard of local airports in different pronvices, and even subsidys (of course not forever coz it’s expensive but just to kick-start the industry). So that when one company suspends operations in the future, other Zambian airlines can cushion the impact. Long live Zambian entreprenuership :)>-:)>-

  6. Exactly!

    How many clients did they cater annually? What was their capacity per trip? Though any # counts but what figures are we looking at?

    I think even CR buses made more trips than ZNA but again it is what it is-we lost the ONLY national nyoni.

  7. # 6 and 8

    These are the numbers for Zambian Airways:
    *7 Aircraft
    • 242 seats
    • 8 routes
    • 8000 passengers per month

  8. Zambian govt had no vision on business.Let us ve gud moments on each other & come true.when story of plunderers started lawyers attending these cases were getting hundred dollars per hour after a year zambian airways was born through dobious means.The demise of plundering cases will thru many pipo on the street.

  9. #6 Word up ! Why havent the other two youve mentioned gone under ? ZA is just to politically and financially shrewd. Remember one of my 2009 Headlines….Mutembo Nchito quits Zambian Airways amid fraud scam….tiye nayo

  10. # 9 Mirriam
    what kinda aircraft are these 7 you talking about , and what are the seating capacity i thought the 737 can seat 97 up to 120 seats and the 1900’s 17 to 19 max king air 9 , how many 737 did zambian airways have ?

  11. ZA didnt own any planes. The 737 were owned by the banks and completely run down – built in 1982 and in desperate need of maintenance. The reason this airline went down had nothing to do with GRZ and all to do with an arrogant lawyer trying to run an aviation business. Even the experts that he had left him cuz he never listened. In the end ZA was $30Mn in the red…others will fill the hole!!!

  12. The airline business is facing major challenges the world over. Zambian Airways was a victim of the turbulent times and unsustainable expansion (or overtrading).

  13. Lets be serious analysts who can see the dangerous incompetance of Zambian Airways.How do you go into a US $200 Millio debt within 2 years with NAC? Mr.Sampa should know that this creates better opportunities for serious investors.Though there will be a minor setback, serious investors have long seem a window to jump and fill the gap.The State through NAC will take over the business and find equity partners from the long list at hand.Trust me we will see better things out of this incompetance.

  14. If you run business you cannot be insulting the same customers daily and yet keep expecting them to give you their business.Lets face it, GRZ has found it hard to seat on Qz reading their insults daily from the owners of the airline.

  15. To say the truth,the number of foreign tourists wont be affected as these people use BA and SAA(Statistics show).As for local destinations,Zambezi and Proflight will prove that they can do a good job than ZA.The company was grossly mismanaged and no handouts from govt in form of bailouts(Bangajaile)and others may follow suit.Simple rule,a genuinely mismanaged copmpany is suppose to go under and no hard feelings against Nchito and other fellow Zambian Enterpreneurs. Infact,Nchito is my role model for being a successful lawyer but on this one i just have to call a spsde by its name and not otherwise.

  16. Sad develoment, Its high time we found a lasting solution
    to these problems of closure, suspension and Job losses. Jesus help us.

  17. I saw this coming. That is why the ‘Holy’ Post wanted Magande to be president to bail them out. Alot of dirt will come out of this. The ‘Holy’ Post – to-hell! They are just hypocrites.

  18. We need programmes on TV stations which provides and educate
    the masses on develomental issues. May God bless our mother
    Zambia.

  19. I wanted to run an airline in Zambia, Now in this business it makes sense to lease, We had access to newer equipments we want to service the Regional business we were going to lease a CRJ which is a regional jet with 90 passengers capacity,We could not do it in Zambia due to the following reasons 1.Higher fuel costs 2.Higher airport fees and higher taxes. We are surprised that Zambian Airways survived this long.As a business man we are not asking for Govt subsidies we want fair taxes and fees.

  20. No. 1 no airline owns a plane,they are all on lease cos its expsensive,the mistake the made was that they didt have proper managerial skills.we are all happy for zambezi airlines now,to see what they are capable of doing

  21. 29. lolipopo

    It is quiet odd to run an airline without owning any plane . Perhaps it partly explains the excessive costs being incured.Presently, there are very few competitive airlines operating without their own planes ,if anything not operating in a sour enviroment like africa.

  22. We need a National Airline like any other country. The government should work on this soonest, no jokes. And also the Lusaka International Airport should be improved on! Ha! even Parkstation in South Africa,Johannesburg is far much better. Please Ba Mr President Wabo do something for the villagers who elected you, i mean development!!!

  23. guyz en dolls, don’t even blame RB on this one. fulz are the nchito and Mmembe boys. they think they are master of all trade. they fired a competent ceo with vast experience in aviation industry. let them reap what they sew

  24. Morning Bloggers! hope you enjoyed your weekend!

    What is wrong pa Zed kanshi? When are we ever going to have a successful national airline, proudly clad in Zambian colours? I thought Zambian airways was slowly turning into one but alas! i was wrong!Its quite embarassing especially that a country like Rwanda is doing much better than us in that area! I feel like crying!! :((

  25. Morning Baby c and everyone else. In the first place Zambia as a nation needs a natinal airline. we cant have a country without an airline.

  26. Its suprising that Zambian Airways is the Only airline which complains bitterly of the high prices of jet fuel! I wonder how the others manage! 😮

  27. Its very sad indeed.For how long have they been making economic profits?

    My chelsea and Liverpool friends, it has been a very bad weekend for you guys.You have to accept that Jose Morinho is the best tactician in the world.

  28. Forget about revamping ZAMBIAN AIRWAYS. Think of funding ZAMBEZI AIRLINES. How come ZAMBEZI AIRLINES is still in operations and ZAMBIAN AIRLINES is complaining about high jet fuel prices.

    If any measures are to be put on ZAMBIAN AIRLINES then we should be talking of nationalizing ZAMBIAN AIRLINES.

  29. There is need for the goverment to seriously look at the issue of initiating a national airline. But looking at the current crop of our leaders , i dont think they will see any sense in that. Anyway …. :o)

  30. #1 50% of planes used by Airlines are leased. You are certainly yapping about an industry you know very little about. Planes are leased by airplane manufactures and banks. Just go to the Boeing and Airbus sites and edcuate yourself. try looking at Royal Bank of Scotand and Citibank.

  31. Iwe Namayo

    Not only tourism will be affected,Naifwe we are affected You dont know what Zambian airways meant to some of us,It was one of the cheapest airline for poor pipo like myself.Awe we will just go back to CR though naiyena ama road acc….or sorry ama road accounts. :-j:-j:-j.

    #31.Whoza La!!!

    You are very right my dear.These guys should also do some about the airport as if its not an international airport sure.Pa airport nama pot holes sure.Anyway!!

  32. :((, nonsense! Why should GRZ revamp a private entity that was poorly managed? Nchito & his partners had the wrong strategy and clearly have no clue how to run an airline in a volatile market! How come their indian counterparts at Zambezi Airlines are still operational (and have even increased their flights to Mfuwe!). Simple logic, they have smaller fuel efficient planes which are always flying at full seating capacity!

  33. #39, I agree with you.Any measures on ZA should be treated as nationalisation. This could give birth to a National Airliner afterall.

  34. It is practically imposible for the current administration to profitably manage a national airline.Government have failed to successfully manage utility companies like Zesco where their is unlimited demand and excellent monopolistic enviroment ( competition is zero).

  35. guys these politicians are milking us down Zed airways has been suspended bcoz of politiks. watch the space another airline will come up. b4 2011 owned bye some saudi arabian guys

  36. Good for the MMD govt. No more free rides on Zambian Airways, because they now have pay through the nose on British Airways, SAA, Kenyan Airline, and others.
    Late Mwanawasa went with the shareholding in the Airline, he was the one who made Mtembo Nchito behave as if he owned all.

    Sure ni Pa ZED

  37. The only solution to this is to start up a natinal airline.zambia is a free market economy therfore Zambian airways has a right to do whatever they want.blame the government for not having an airline.

  38. Good morning bloggers!! :)>-

    This is indeed a tragedy. However, this is not a time to start whining. Let some serious investor just come on board and get things moving. Thats the problem when you have lawyers and newspaper editors running an airline!!:-?

  39. If a foreign chain store company like shoprite were granted 5 year tax rebate, WHAT was wrong with granting the same to a zambian owned airline??

    Clearly the policy captains in GRZ are either unwittingly daft or just believe in lining their pockets irrespective of who they are dealing with…

    Encouraging entreprenuership among locals through such schemes of support(tax rebate on local companies) is imparative to help foster a self-reliant zedian…one who is not bent on perenial dependancy syndrome.
    But, it seems the GRZ would like us to continue on this path.

    Vexed!!!!!!!

  40. #56. Rashid Jones

    I am sorry but I do not understand that point.

    How is the govt to blame for not having a national airline???

  41. Do Zambians ever wonder why a flight on BA from London to Joburg cost half the cost of a flight from London to Lusaka? Joburg is 11 hrs by air from london while Lusaka is only 9 hrs by air.

  42. The ZA has grounded due to bad policies of governance in Zambia. The politicians have set astronomical taxes making doing business impossible in airline Biz. The politicans are solely to blame because they wanted this to happen in order to shut up the post.

    It is not the end of the road for a determined zambian.

  43. T-Bobs #63, what has mismanagement of Zambian Airways got to do with politics? If anything, the only reason these characters survived so long was because of political support from Levy & Magande. Don’t blame Bwezani for not stepping into this nonsense!!!

  44. #62. Tau Tou wa Lealui.

    It’s because there are many airlines that fly from London to Joburg. SAA being one of them. OR TAMBO is a very busy airport and to think that there is only one airline servicing the route from London to Joburg is absurd. In a competitive environment, prices tend to go down.

    As for the flight from London to Lusaka, there is only one airline servicing that route (unless I am wrong) and it is BA. Since it is the only airline, it will use its monopoly power to charge the highest price demanded and not the competitive price.

  45. Zambian Airways is a private enterprise, obviously ka ntemba at an advanced level… what do you expect? we need serious minded people to help develop Zambia.
    think of it people, todays HEADLINE IN DAILY MAIL SAYS “Suspension of Zambian Airways Operations Analysed” and in one part – Three commercial banks are contemplating lifting the corporate veil on the airlines, so that directors and shareholders should be made accountable for the debts which have accumulated in recent years”.
    this statement not from without, there must be dirty issues someone that would compail the Banks to want to do that.

  46. # 63, wilabepa abantu, what of Zambian Airways not remitting Departure fee to NAC, was it about Government policies? **== We want real enterprenuers.

  47. Sharp Shooter & Matworld

    Niliche maguys!!

    Free Market Capitalist

    I have read your comments. In comparing Zambian Airways to Proflight and Zambezi, dont you think the size of the organisation also matters?? and what about competency. I still believe that those lawyers and editors are not competent to run that airline, amongest other things! Your comments.

  48. Matworld-Nice guy!, ine nili gwa ngati guava,not knowing you. FMC,my point is Zambian airways is a private entity,government has no control over it hence the need for the Zambian government to start their own state controlled airline like during the KK era when Zambia had the real Zambia Airways which FTJ sold.

  49. # 63 and for you own information, Daily Mail Says “the post injected in US$3 million so the post is going as well. Where will the post get that kind of money to pay Invest Trust Bank because they are already failing to pay salarie. Nowonder benangu belimbikila ma cases ya Corruption, still chewing Government money. What is coming out of those cases anyway?**==

  50. 1 Shalapungu Banton
    Thanks for being number 1 and not glossing over it. The blog is meant for blogging and not counting. We did counting in grade 1 and should just practice it in our lives but not publicly like on this blog. Thanks for the maturity my friend. You’ve got my kudos.

  51. #72. Ba Moze

    I have to agree. ZAMBIAN AIRWAYS was badly run. In fact it was the same govt that people are bad-mouthing that helped it grow by passing a law that any govt official flying to a destination that ZAMBIAN AIRWAYS flies to must use the same airline.

    And then Fred Mwembe went on a rampage against the now ruling govt and now they have withdrawn their service. If it wasn’t for govt helping out the company, it would have tanked a long time ago. People should not worry, Proflight and ZAMBEZI AIRLINES will fill the void.

  52. #73. Rashid Jones

    I have gotten your point but I only have 2 questions.

    1. Don’t you think having a national airline will halt the growth of other private airlines???

    2. Why did Zambia Airways fail???

  53. Ifwakulya ubushiku fitulikila ku malushi. Meaning all activities of the dark will surely one day be exposed. The guys who own zambian airways or were the major share holders have amassed wealth in a dubious way and this suspension of operation at zambian Airways is but just the tip of the ice berg. We are yet to know more as and when it shall definately come out. Chabipa mweee. So even the Hummers these guys bought can be grabbed to service the loans? Update me guts please.

  54. MATWORLD-NICE GUY.

    INE NINE ULEBA AT IWE NAMAYO, ULEKWATA UMUSHINSHI WEMWANA IWE. IAM A MOTHER OF TWO. SAD TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE ALSO AFFECTED. ANYWAY GOD WILL MAKE A WAY.

  55. It is about time ACCOUNTANTS made some money again. The TASK FORCE comprising ACCOUNTANTS will make some money out of this exercise. They will follow every ngwee.

  56. Free-Market-Capitlst,That will create competition with the private sector.its the same issue even on buses,imagine what would happen if Zambia had a national bus service like UBZ and put up measures so that it is properly run.transport fares would have been low.

  57. Really, i dont see how Zambian airways will recover from this. I am not a pessimist, but with the rampant mismanagement and gross incompetence exhibited by those lawyers and news editor, Kaya! Not long ago, i posed a question which todate, no one has answered. My question is: What are lawyers doing running airlines? Something just does’nt sound and feel right. can someone help?

  58. The problem in ZED is that when you see Zambian Airways you see Mutembo Nchito just like when you see The Post you see Malupenga or Membe or when you hear a Christain Nation you see Chiluba. this kind of approach to national issues is dangerous to developemnt. Please can somebody see beyond and help Zed develop. look at the impact on the revenue to GRZ, the traders, second hand car dealers etc. God Heal Zed

  59. #82. Rashid Jones

    I dont think an airline with the backing of the govt will compete fairly in the industry. Just my thought.

  60. They claimed that ‘Now Anyone Can Fly’ but the market says NOT EVERYONE can fly, eat three meals a day, drink clean water or even live. Is to suffer mwanangwa! People must think of collaborating to relaunch Eact African Airways and Central African Airways or even a SADC Airlines that can use Angolan money, South African engineering and Zambian pilots etc. The only airlines that will survive this economic crisis are the very small ones and the very wealthy ones like Emirates. Donor dependent countries like Zambia cannot afford a national airline that is what the market says.

  61. #85. Ba Moze

    There is a way to save the company.

    1. Reduce flights from 2 times a day to 1 time a day like the Lusaka-Joburg flight. Instead of two flights a day, it should be reduced to one flight a day.

    2. Increase ticket prices.

    3. Cut routes that are not profitable like the Ndola-Joburg route, Harare-Lusaka route.

    4. Float shares on the LUSE or JSE.

  62. in Malawi, if Malawi can strugle with the national airline and keeps managing, if Malawi can have a UBZ for Malawi. in Malawi private transporters are competing with the Government. they run doba doba which goes picking all along the way, everywhere they are flaged down, the save the rural masses, they also have Stage coaches, luxerious busess for those who have the capacity to and also hour busess, this system was left by Kamuzu. South Africa has City to City…

  63. The best suvivors are those that have leanrt their lessons well. Zambian Airways have now graduated. Let them open another Airline and apply the lessons leanrnt.

  64. #89

    All those points you have raised either require further expenditure or a good image.

    To cut back on the number of routes means giving up projected income.
    To sell shares on LUSE would require a good image which unfortunately there is not.

  65. Free-Market-Capitlst

    Unfortunately for Zambian Airways projected income is not to realise profit but to meet current deficits. Therefore to tell them to cut back is like asking them to stick their heads in the sand and pretend that all is well. They need those levels of projected income!

    The root problems lay in the reason of expanding too rapidly.

  66. Smaller airlines still in the air, Zambezi, copper something etc should lease from Zambian Airways. Fly Zambezi… Chance for you to come up

  67. Bwanji umoyo Rashid Jones?? pepani i quickly threw in my 2ngwees worth.
    Ba F capitalist, that policy for GRZ to use Zambian airways was saving them on travel costs. And do you have proof that the company was being mismanaged??

    To run an airline is something we should not equate to collecting rentals from a property.

    Am pretty sure u’re aware, the same wrong capitalist analysis is what got us into this reccesion in the first place.
    GRZ has a role to play inorder to foster local entreprenuership thru incentive schemes like rebates to local firms

  68. 89
    You must be out of your mind to think the Ndola-Joburg rioute was nt profitable. The planes was most of the times 2/3 full with expatriate miners, car dealers and cross border traders. This airline was bound to fall in that the owners are just to pompous and aloof. You only need to look through the arrogance of Mmembe and Mutembo for you to appreciate that they can not make it. The people being insulted by Mmembe and the people being sent to jail by Mutembo are not resting but doing everything to frustrate these guys even if it means using muti (juju).

  69. Ine, how are you? ife mulungu atisunga mwe. imagine even Zimbabwe has a state run airline despite their useless economy.

  70. #96

    Do you venture into a business hoping to benefit from Grz goodwill towards local enterprises? I would rather that incentives are analysed prior to venturing into business. It is but an excuse to cry that GRZ is not doing enough. Well look at the number of businesses trying to survive apart from Zambian Airways. Is GRZ going to listen to all?

  71. Bloggers, I thank you for the contributions and for all the comments that are debunking some of my comments. This is what dialogue is about and I just wanted to let everybody know that I am listening (not that it matters) as well as learning.

    I have to go now.

    See you later.

  72. #89 Free Market capitalist

    You are correct but this is where i have a problem with these chaps. You mean they dont see what we see? have they not thought of these things? The ticket prices were very low and really i dont understand who they were trying to please!

  73. # 4 dont blame National Airpots Corp. for claiming what belongs to them. Dont forget that Zambian Airways is a private company and should not expect the government to cushion them, then the government must also protect or cushion my stationery Ka ntemba which am trying very hard to keep afloat.

  74. its like they were leasing a 737 which they operated between JHB and lusaka from Kulula.com since they were affiliated to them and owned a couple of smaller aircrafts. Ama delays ba Zambian airways mama. I think the failure of Zambian Airways is purely poor management

  75. At least this does explain the reasons for such a blatant, inexcusable and unjustified attack of RB by THE POST. It is easy to see that THE POST would choose to cause chaos in the country. This would benefit them more that what is now coming out. The desperation of these people is shocking. DESTROY everything to such an extent that there is nothing to ACCOUNT.

  76. Zambian Airways had better services. Better planes than those old small things that proflight has. We should not just condenm most companies that stimulate growth in the economy need subsidies from goverment not just for survival but to keep the cost of products and services affordable to people.

    Whats wrong with us Zambians we are willing to give incentives to foreighers and not our own fellow Zambians. We should learn from the mines , when the copper prises were up inthe skies mine owners were enjoying all profits and now are pulling out & prunning Zambians coz copper prises are down. Lets help fellow zambians prosper plizeeeee!

  77. VINOBS

    That is an idealistic view. But for it to work, it must be implemented fairly and without bias. With the current set up of things in ZAMBIA, I am afraid that is simply an UTOPIA.

  78. Gross financial mismanagement and profiteering by inexperienced managers has lead to the fall of the company. How much money do these guys have in foreign accounts? Govt should not even attempt to pump public funds into a project run by selfish individuals…

  79. There we r Zambians asking foreingh airlines to come and set our national airlines when we could not help our own fellow Zambians. it sacks to say the least.

  80. Vinobs #111

    What sort of help did you want us to give them? Govt ministries were ordered to use them, banks gave them loans, National Airports put no pressure on them over fees (until one editor started yapping!) etc.. the list is endless. What has brought about all this is nothing more than sheer incompetence and gross mismanagement, Period!

  81. AirZimbabwe has managed to survive even in the most of hostile environment because they had invested in air maintaince to C check level. Zambian Airways used to charge almost twice the price of Harare Lusaka Harare then stopped flying because the couldnt compete with Air Zimbabwe.
    Fuel is expensive in Zambia whether car of plane. At the moment when fuel is 70Cents in Zimbabwe it is 1$20Cents in lusaka. So in away it is expensive to operate out of lusaka. The other small airlines have limited capacity and overheads and will not be able to fill the gap left by Zambian Airways. eg the small airlines only fly to ndola, mfuwe and livingstone

  82. A lot of airlines (Ethopian Airways and Kenyan Airways have applied to be allowed internal routes in Zambia. This has always been opposed by “local enterprenuers” and blocked by their political backers (Although I should add every other country including the US is protectionist with regards to foreign airlines flying local routes). However, Zambia cannot afford this stance. We gain more for other sectors of the economy than we lose in the contributions of the so called national airlines. Allowing the carriers that fly large airplanes to Lusaka to operate internal routes too would lower fares and enable more people to fly generating money to improve the discgraceful airports!
    – Chilshe.

  83. Zambian Airways suspends operations, I see!
    It is time for Zambians to learn to do business without wanting government to do it for them.
    The mentality of zambians always blaming the govt for everything is a wrong one, and will take us nowhere.
    Zambian Airways forgot that running a bussiness involves taking care of obligations in terms of costs.
    You dont get excited and start creating an attificial expansion where there is no actual growth.
    The Charges owed to NAC were over a very long time, dating back to before the airline gave us impression that it was growing by acquiring more and more planes.
    Growth must be actual not fake. How do you use your rental monies as a co. to expand?

  84. Zambian Airs should be a case stady for many entrepreneurs in the future and of course present, that when you are doing a business research for your private firm dont use Parastals’s operations for creating your bench marks.
    I know that we all are coming from UNIP where everything was GRZ and parastatal and so our mentalities were defined as such. But we must understand the economic environments in which we are.
    Zambian Airways is not a parastatal and did not need favours from the government. The only favour that govt can give is to level the playing field, and where genuine need arises, yes they can consider offering help. But as a pvt frm you want to operate like Zesco or Zanaco.

  85. imwe we need a national airline. Situation is nonsesical because it’s clear it’s pay back time for Fred and Nchito brothers but 260 will be jobless. Ninshi kanshi ba ngwele

  86. Rashib jones, mavuto pa zed is that we struggle to grasp the obvious before our eyes….case in point Chileshes contribution, need i say more??

    My point on GRZ role is not one of spoon feeding like some seem to suggest. Rather, it is to help stimulate local enterprise so as to foster youth innovation/creativity & provide indigenous role models. This helps mould society onto a path of self reliance unlike the current status quo of perenial dependency. An example of incentives is the tax rebate which was granted to a ‘foreign firm shoprite’ which has syphoned back most of its profits to benefit ba kunjani.

    :((

  87. #124. 3RqU
    Yes I agree with you that it is us to suffer, and that is why I am saying that people must do the right thing so that we dont have such happenings again in future.
    It is because of the way the guys at Zambian Airways were runing their corporation that you and I have go ‘suffer’ you put it. And if other entrepreneurs will behave like this in the future, then you expect to suffer again.
    Let people learn to do business, let people know how private business is run, and how they must distinguish parastatal way of operations and private way of doing business.
    You dont go into luxiury, meanwhile you have rental and service charge obligations and you want tax payers to bell U.

  88. #25,Fine, what you have said is true.Let Zambia Airways produce their Market research and their forecasting so that we know if really they have just failed.How come other companies are still surving?How can they fail without competitors and cry to the GVT.If they are assisted then it means all companies in zambia e.g Mulungushi textiles of Kabwe and swarp spinning mills of Ndola will knock on the Government door which is very Shamefull.

  89. Again you need to look at the attitude of the airline; where are the business ethics? Where is the professionalism?
    This should also be a lesson to M’tembo Nchito, that you dont just take on board anyone who seems to dangle some money into you private corporation. Please understatnd the characters from the files of their background.
    Look at what they have done, a total embarassment to the nation. Business is not run like that; people stranded with tickets and they are running away from them. Asking for refund no one wants to talk to these stranded customers (travellers), not even management, honestly. And people who had money and had schedules relating to school, business etc got stranded.

  90. In business above all you need quality and performance to survive, apparently Zedn Airways Directors decided to fire the Initial Director Mc O donnel who had knowledge and quality of the business and replaced him with a lawyer who spent most of the time in COURT. Ladies and gentlemen what do you expect from such…. bad managemnet tendencies besides the guy was the Board Chairman and CEO at the same time, hence accountability was compromised. SHareholders it seems were mostly laywers, NChitos,MMembe,MAureen Mwanawasa too…
    Well atleast Zambezi, coppernet and Proflight is still operating without difficulties

  91. Yesterday’s post did not cover this closure in details, if it were not their company they could have interviewed stranded customers, phoned minister for confirmation etc. but they did not do this, why?

  92. #128 Fine.
    I understand. I said this yesterday, I don`t know much about Zambian Airways as they started way after I left Zambia and I have not followed their business as such. I have used them about four times flying from Lusaka to Ndola and vice versa. They were cheap.

    They may have been s i l l y in the way they conducted their business but we have no options to be honest.

    It`s a shame because people realised it made sense flying even within Zambia unlike being on those buses forever for a journey which should only take 45 minutes. I feel sorry for those “girls” and “boys” who will lose their jobs.

  93. WIZARDS are offering some more affordable flights both within and outside the nation, lets learn the art of witchcrafts for faster and hustle free transport, no worries about zambian Airways,
    No wonder the POST continues to spill vernom on RB….. its business frustration,more lossses day by day……

  94. #129. KISWA
    You are right, where was the problem with them when others managed very well to even make profits. We have in Zambia, 2 other airlines now that I know; Proflight and Zambezi Airways (very young but making it). Both of them have not made any complaints and the are making it.
    You dont have to be big to be called an airline, you have to earn your size. Why jump into an unplanned expansion and then blame govt for failing to meet your own obligations.

    Like I was saying, the attitude of Zambian Airways need change. Some of the travelling public and tourists had to bord other airlines, and no refund or promiss of it. What will these people say about their money?

  95. #133, Its not Mc O’donnell,its MacDonalds.No hard feelings.

    Coming to The Post, the journalism of vindictivenss is now hitting hard back to tehm(boomerang).M’membe has no ethics at all,he runs the Paper like a Dictator.

  96. The best bet for Zambian Airways was to let Professionals in the field run operations. The problem with lawyers is that they think that they can talk their way out.

  97. Any lingering hope of reviving a national airline is now completely dead!!!!
    In future, the only thing which we will boast of is having a Zambian president and politicians. We should really start asking why WE FOUGHT FOR INDEPENDECE.

  98. While we feel the coming up of Zambian Airways was a step in the right direction as Zambia did not have any airline, we believe that it is not just about doing a good thing but do it correctly.
    If you dont do it correctly if will fail.
    And the problem Zambians have in their mentalities is that they want to find someone to blame for everything.
    Goverments blame the West, businesses blame the govt, and people blame businesses.
    Why should i fail to comb my son’s hair before going to his nursary school and when he comes back with the same shuggy hair, i begin to say, “But this goverment is failing us; how can my son’s hair look like this?”
    This mentality needs repairs and rehabilitation.

  99. Someone explain to me why businesses fall through in Zambia! Whether government owned or private.

    ZCCM, UBZ, Zambia Airways (not Zambian Airways), Mansa Batteries, Maamba Colliaries (with that football club which started doing very well). God the list is endless.

  100. MAGANDE wanted to sort out tis problem but bena Dora thought otherwise nomba yazanda.Lot of pipo have lost jobs,there4 the govt is gat no choice but strike some deal that will keep the Airline afloat.To start with they should stagger the debt owed to NAC and the rest has bn said by other bloggers i guess.I havent read thru all the comments coz they r too many.

  101. #145. Man Kunde
    Magande wanted to sort out this mess, yes. But he wanted to do so at the expense of tax payers money for private business. Is that the statandard you want govt to set for our nation?
    Not at all. Let those who wish to enter business world learn to adhere to ethics of business.
    You run a private business and yet you want govt to be facilitating your expenses at the expense of taxpayers? Not that is not what you can encourage in an economy; because it can not be sustained by govt.
    How many firms will the govt facilitate while the owners live a life of luxiury?
    No, no, no! No govt anywhere in the world will be able to sustain such culture of business practice.

  102. Bloggers are at it again, breathing holy hot air of hypocrisy! shame.You are happy at the demise of Zambian Airways!!

  103. Govenment leaders are silence on this issue. They are bewitched by the allure of more power and are hell bent on maximizing it.

  104. We are very sad at what has happened to Zambian Airways that is why we condemn the business practices they were exercising.
    This is the same as someone who commits suicide after failing an exam. We will definitely condemn the act, and that does not mean we are happy that someone has died. Do you want us to condemn his teacher when all other pupils have passed?

  105. #146, actually Post will be NEXT. They’re owing ZRA big time on their imported printing materials, workers salaries are being delayed etc. There’s a saying that “if you live in a glass house, don’t throw stones!”. No one has anything against Mmembe & Nchito’s but these guys walk around like Saints when they have serious flaws just like the rest of us regular folk. Good lesson in humility, I just hope the banks will get their money back…

  106. HAAAAAA
    another job loses.Thank God iam working and iam anti MMD.Iam not a politician But an accountant by professional.

  107. Forgive me for crying out loud. That is the problem when we are saddled with a leadership blinded by the life of opulence and unaware of the rage boiling beneath!

  108. Global economic downturn is hitting hard bwana, 2009 will be long & tough yr for Zambian ‘briefcase’ tamanga business men, including my so called ‘supplier’ cousins on the C/B…If big names like Lehman, Merrill & Citi Group can fall to their knees, who is Mmembe/Nchito?!

  109. Evelyn King.

    Iam so sorry my comment on #44 I was refering to namayo the director of Tourism please that comment it was not for you.Hope you understand,but all the same I think I was also wrong to call the Director on tourism ati namayo.

  110. Zambian Airway must of known Friday that they will not fly Saturday. They still sold me tickets $1800 on Friday Afternoon and Saturday they suspended their flights. This is THEFT!!! Now what must we do??

  111. 158. CJ
    Jan 12th, 2009 at 3:09 pm Vote: 0 0 Zambian Airway must of known Friday that they will not fly Saturday. They still sold me tickets $1800 on Friday Afternoon and Saturday they suspended their flights. This is THEFT!!! Now what must we do??

    You can treat that as a Gift Aid and the authorities will treat it as deductable expense… :d/

  112. Well, transport in Zambia has always been a luxury and not a necessity even after having so many mines both open pits and underground for over forty years. we prefer tazara (Dobadoba) when going to Dar es Salam, because we have been told air transport is just for tourists. Go to poor countries like Mali, Congo and Tanzania, air transport is a necessity. The mentality that no one can change Zambia is killing us. Let us no hide in wrld crisis which started just yesterday. Shame

  113. My zambia where personal egos and politics and ruin a good cause.If we had allowed Magande to bail out Zambian Airways we would not be sitting with this problem, look we will lose business Kenya , South Africa, Zim, airways.The whole world is bailing vital companies and it was improper for us to do it early.And when you are just excited about Zambia there is a dumperner always.Preaching to the world come see our lions but use your own transport, is utter lack of common sense.For all those who made noise last year, here it is now celebrate in shame, best bushs and animals, no own airline, hotels, tour operators, etc.I miss Levy.

  114. The level of inefficiency in Zambian Airways was quite apparent. A lot of things were taken for granted in runinig this Enterprise. At the peak of gain, other players should have been incorporated to secure gains. The POST position has not helped at all. The impropriety of manners on the part of Mmembe is largely as a result of selfish pride. He thinks that he is above reproach and too big an influence to buckle under any stress. Well would it have helped if he had a little humility? Would it have helped if they approached GRZ nicely about their predicament? Whilst sharpness and wit are appreciated in business, good omen and a good name are equally important. Pride comes before a fall…

  115. The thought of not having a national airline is sickening. It’s enough to show the whole world how disorganised we are.

  116. The chances are that GRZ will gain by taking a clear stance on the way forward. Let other players, local or external, fill the gap. What is important is a fair and level ground. By allowing nature to take its course, GRZ will be sending a strong and clear signal to would be investors that no biased favours will be granted to anyone, regardless of wether they be local or not. Enterprise thrives on an equal playing field. Let any airline take up the challenge, as long as the people of Zambia benefit. There is absolutely no shame in not having a grz RUN AIRLINE absolutely. That infact is an opportunity for serious investors to engage a brand name that would indicate some GRZ involvement.

  117. The thought that a company is controlled by Government it seems, in some people, implies job security and fairness. Infact that is the premice of communism. The community owns everything and there is no individual who claims a higher right over the other. That is the communist UTOPIA. Free enterprise must be allowed to reign regardless of descent, country or creed. A nations defination should be restricted to its LAWS but its prosperity must transcend its nationhood.

  118. #161. Miyoba,
    There is no government anywhere that was going to bail out Zambian Airways.
    There is always criteria for bail out, you dont just go to look for an underperfoming company and you want to bail it out.
    It must meet proper business ethics, their financial reports must be worthy; their reasons for bailout must be acceptable, not greed, neglegence and excitement.
    It must not be due to their practice and there must be reasonable assurance that trend will not repeat in similar way.
    Not where your books are not in order, neglegent, and all, No. In fact I commend Dora Siria. Do you know why POST did not cover HH in last elections? He could not promise anyone unethical govt favours

  119. Here is a similar situation. Mummy buys his little a ball. The ball makes mummy’s little boy popular with his friends. In order to keep his head high, he withdraws his ball from the play field whenever something crosses his path. Justified!

    Oh no! But it is not justified at all if mummy’s little boy starts grabbing other peoples balls as if they were his. That is what Fred Mmembe is trying to do.

  120. #161. Miyoba,
    I must also state here that we need to disguish between company bailout and industry bailout.
    No govt in the West, Europ or Asia is making any bail out of private firms. What they bail out are industries, eg in US the entire financial industry was bailed out with $800bn, no individual firms.
    I will tell you that GM, Ford, and Chrysler wanted a bailout of capital injection but the US govt, both the outgoing and the incoming debated on the lines of bailing out with a ‘management takeover’ for a reasonable period.
    The same wa the case with UK, concerning Juguar Motor Co., they had two options 1) Bailout with management takeover, 2) Or sale out.
    They’ve sold it to TATA India.

  121. #102 Mayeso.In civilised capitalist countries creditor institutions work to restructure debts of an indebted customer they dont go out to ruin a business. The kind of debt collection Zambia has is typical of backward economies like that of Zambia. In the USA they resort to Chapter 11 bankruptcy inorder to restructure an ailing company. All the major airlines in America have used this procedure at one time or another. Imagine if the banks and foreign govts were to behave the same way quasi governmental orgs and the govt of Zambia does with institutions that owe them money do you think Zambia would be in the shape it is?….we would have been bankrupted a long time ago.

  122. Too bad for Zambian Airways. Now we know what is coming next, The Post, kabili these are the same Directors. Shame mwe!! Abena Nchito they have become reich over the Tax Payers’s money, that money which they get, they could be using it in hospitals, schools, etc. When you go to a GRZ, hospital, you even wish you stayed home if you don’t have money for the so called high cost wards. Too bad anyway.

  123. It seems Zambians generally find it difficult to analyse situations without bringing in personalities. Honestly the repeated mention of Nchito Brothers and Fred Mmembe is just childish to say the least. What Zambia needs are risk takers after all business is risk taking. For some weird reason there is some big celebration on this blog that Mmembe is going to loose $3m and the Nchito brothers are going down. In my adopted German language we call this ‘schadenfreude’ i.e the celebration of other people’s misfortunes or troubles. Ever wondered why Zambia is backward….because we dont like our own to prosper.

  124. Hhe hhe hhe hhe, too bad, but there is a way to come out of this quagmire. President HH can sort this mess if the POST behave according to normal ways of doing things instead of tribal sentiments.

    I wish ZA all the very best in their efforts to find a lasting solution to their troubles.

    ====
    LT 2008 Award Winner.

  125. I feel this will affect Zambian tourism one way or the other. Tourists would like to visit the most remote and attractive game parks i.e mfuwe. But with this demise there is going to be more chaos..

    I had trouble connecting internally (within Zedi recently.) There were no flights to my destination. Only on designated days and not the days I had intended to travel.. I resorted to alternative transport against my wish.. [-([-(

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