Friday, March 29, 2024

Zambezi Airlines revives the old airline hanger at Lusaka International Airport

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Zambezi Airlines chairman Maurice Jangulo
Zambezi Airlines chairman Maurice Jangulo

Government has commended Zambezi Airlines for reviving the airline hanger that had remained a white elephant since the closure of Zambia Airways in 1994.

Communications and Transport Minister, Geoffrey Lungwangwa said government has opened up opportunities for the private sector to thrive in the aviation industry.

Prof. Lungwangwa was speaking in Lusaka today when he launched the Zambezi Airline hanger at the Lusaka International Airport.

He said the challenge is on the private sector to take advantage of the available opportunities and invest heavily in the sector for it to continue expanding.

He stated that since the liquidation of Zambia Airways 17 years ago, a number of private airline companies have been set up in the country to fill the void left by the closure of the national airline.

Prof. Lungwangwa said government was committed to ensuring that private investors compete favourably with their foreign counterparts.

He said Zambia has made major strides in the aviation sector with the sector ranked among the best in the world.

The Minister said Zambia has developed a cadre of skilled and professional human capital to run the aviation sector that could compete with the best in the world.

Prof. Lungwangwa has commended Zambezi Airlines for refurbishing the airline hanger at a substantial cost.

He said once fully operational, the hanger will contribute immensely to strengthening the country’s economy by enhancing job creation and bringing in the much needed foreign exchange.

Prof Lungwangwa stated that a number of Zambian engineers that had left the country after the liquidation of Zambia Airways are returning back home to contribute to the restoration of Lusaka as a maintenance centre.

“In 1994, Zambia took a very difficult decision to liquidate Zambia Airways which rendered the hanger idle. Over the last 17 years or so, a number of private airlines were set up to fill the void left by the closure of Zambia Airways,” he explained.

He however said unfortunately, most of the airlines that were set up have been sending their aero planes to South Africa for maintenance.

“When Zambezi Airlines came on the scene in 2008, they also tool a similar route but I am happy that this has changed. Government is indeed delighted that Zambezi Airlines has decided to lease the facility and invest a substantial amount of money to refurbish and equip the facility,” he said.

Speaking at the same occasion, Zambezi Airlines Chairman Maurice Jangulo disclosed that his company spent a total of US$400,000 in refurbishing the facility.

Dr. Jangulo said Zambezi Airlines also commenced a retooling exercise for the facility at the cost of over US$300, 000.

He said following the granting of the Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) in March this year, Zambezi Airlines will carry out line maintenance services and A-checks.

And Dr. Jangulo said Zambezi Airlines will on June 30 this year launch a Livingstone-Cape Town flight.

He thanked government for creating an enabling environment for private sector investment in the aviation sector.

He also explained that Zambezi Airlines has an average of 10,000 passengers in-flight per month which he said is expected to increase to 15, 000 in the next six month.

Dr. Jangulo reaffirmed his company’s commitment and resolve to serving customers beyond their expectations in future.

And Zambezi Airlines Chief Executive Officer Wilfred Amstelveen said it was important for Zambia to have its own maintenance centre for its aircrafts.

Mr. Amstelveen said this would ensure that regular checks are carried out on aircrafts.

He said a simple oversight in the aviation sector can results into fatalities.

ZANIS

38 COMMENTS

  1. Prof Lungwangwa is a complete idi.ot! These fo.ols squeezed out Zambian Airways of Mutembo Nchito in order to bring this Wilfred Amstelveen! 

  2. DONCHI KUBEBA UNO MWAKA NI PA BWATOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

  3. #1 I think you are the complet ***** whatever you have typed. You must be empty headed to fail to realise the risk people’s lives were  put in by that crack of an airline. If the Post and your lawyer could not run an airline business, is that the government’s fault? How many jobs did Membe’s airline create in Zambia to deserve the status of too big to fail and qualify for a national bailout? This is an airlline that was not only failing to pay taxes, but also national airport fees, a drain on the economy.

    Go to that gutter journalist of yours membe and ask him to open his books and then  come back here and tell us how the government squeezed them. 

    Any company worth’s salt know how to manage debt because debt can be recalled at anytime.

  4. “He thanked government for creating an enabling environment for private sector investment in the aviation sector.” end quote.

    So how come Zambezi Airlines is operating and seems to be expanding whereas Zambian Airways went under??

    There is something really fishy surrounding Zambian Airways IMO. Either it was heavily mismanaged or something else was going on there.

  5. Let us be honest, the elections this year will not be free and fair anyway, the MMD will win, I was talking to my fiancé a few mins ago. Elections aren’t working as intended to, however, it’s always a good start to take one step at a time in order to reach an extremity. I’d rather blame our turpitude politicians who step up with unscrupulous campaign spewing words of divisiveness. Until that, elections are worthless in Zambia at the moment and the 2011 ones are all Known and It’s a waste of resources holding them. Please scrap them, and use the money for other things. Its me Mushota Chimfwembe Thanks

  6. Zambian as well makes me wonder and makes me sad overall. The current Zambian regime are corrupt if not all.
    I still remember a wealthy businessman lecturing me that the money I was protecting by verifying and throwing out fictitious invoices, as a young cashier In South Africa at a store in Rosebank Store I worked. He said he was Nigerian but looked ZAMBIAN
    The man was extremely wealthy having benefited from acquisition of businesses during the indigenization decree. As far as he was concerned, there was no collective future for all Zambia. It was a matter of creating a peerless class through grabbing of whatever he can of the public’s money. No questions will be asked and no laws will touch him.

    It was depressing for a young dreamer. Soon thereafter, I left to come here. disgrace…

  7. #7 What are you talking about. Are you trying to take AMA ire le to a new level? I have no clue what you are on about. Get a life or find a man to keep you busy

  8. Well done Zambezi Airways!!

    Believing in ourselves that we can do anything is the only thing that will move mountains in Zambia. The next step is to start landing in Europe, such as London Gatwick & Heathrow Airports.

    As for Fred False Prophet M’embe and his crooked lawyer Mutembo Nchito – these two lunatics had not tangible business plan.

  9. mmd bootlicker at 4 plus other anti post/mmembe/nchito/sata lunatics; you have a morbid insatiable anti post/zambian airways attitude- why hasnt your government put these people behind bars now 3 years down the line? Just answer this simple you seem to have unfettered access to mmd propaganda ! you make us sick!

    • He who fights and runs away will live to fight another day.
      He who is too proud to beg from his friends when in need is worse off than a destitute because a friend is closer than a brother. If friends are not there in your time of adversity, then neither will they be there to lay your wreaths when you make your final departure.

  10. Good evening
    And well done Zambezi Airlines for the progress at hand. They may not be able to par with the best airlines yet but at least they’re getting things started. Also encouraging to note that a number of Zambian engineers that left the country for greener pastures are returning home to contribute to the development.

  11. “Prof. Lungwangwa said government was committed to ensuring that private investors compete favourably with their foreign counterparts.He said Zambia has made major strides in the aviation sector with the sector ranked among the best in the world.”

    Prof, do you know what the term “amongst the best in the world”, implies??? You should be dreaming mate!! I shudder to think what your research/thesis was on, if you can be so deluded that the Z aviation sector was one of the best in the world. Come down to earth, first compare yourself to the region, before making such giant leaps for mankind!! It is not so long ago that ICAO with drew some recognition of Z aviation facilities. It is an election year, however use your vuvuzelas reasonably!!!!

  12. #11, i go by your sentiments. When did mphuno blow his mtolilo that mmembe and nchito have netted $30m such a collosal amount and yet thier law enforcement agents 100% controlled by mphuno have failed to even put these two chaps behind bars. Bootlicker and coy simply answer this question. There are no bigger fish to think of so you give an excuse that police DEC and ACC are targeting such instead of nchito and mmembe the big fish. even DBZ has not sued mmembe and nchito for the loans. wake up bamukukulu imwe bunda bwaku sapota blindly.

  13. Really a dunderhead professor ,can you compare that airline with these internationally known ,i am even wondering how you got your doctorate !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  14. A slap on M’membe’s face.The moment M’membe and Nchito chased Don MacDonald as CEO and replaced him with Nchito,a lawyer with no clue in the aviation industry,spelt doom and its just natural that if a person is unable to swim in a survival pool,he certainly has to drown.

  15. The Airlines industry is not only vital to overall economic performance but very competitive indeed.
    Zambezi Airlines may not be the best, but wishes to be among the best airlines, which is good. Nothing wrong with this aspiration and good that they are working towards that going by the investment they are putting towards customer safety and satisfaction. I would rather encourage and wish them the best them. Viva Zambezi Airlines you make us proud

  16. Amongst the best in the world? I thought not long ago there was an IATA report on airlines and aircraft from certain countries that were banned from flying in the EU. I distinctly recall Zambia was one of those countries listed. How can we move from being banned to having an aviation sector amongst the best in the world? Ba Prof mwiila tu shinga butter!!! I fully agree when you talk about job creation, but in a country with unemployment levels as high as what we have, employing one or 2 qualified engineers does not even count as a drop in the ocean. I bet you the engineers that will be carrying out maintenance at this hanger will be as foreign as Mr CEO. One more thing is there are just too many silly typos in this article it’s annoying!!!!

  17. From being banned to having an aviation sector amongst the best in the world in the space of a year considering that the investment in the aviation sector within this time period does not even amount to$50 million. Ba Prof, which countries are we competing with have an airport like ours? Maybe you should have clarified and said our aviation sector was amongst the top 1000 in the world. We wouldn’t argue with you then.

  18. Well done and thankyou for laying a solid foundation on how to invest and reinvest money we hope the other airline wanna be are learning from you….as for Membe and Fat lawyer Mutembo? Well they are not even a comma in the history of solid business management they are a disgrace to say the least….

  19. Congratulations Zambezi Airlines! Those of us who once worked with the guys running that airline know it is in very safe and competent hands. Indeed, they came from a background of running that hangar full-fledged. I have no doubt this is a spark for the better and will provide a more robust foundation than any of the airlines that tried to sprout after the demise of QZ.

  20. What the prof meant was that the Zambian aviation industry is among the best in the league of DRC.

  21. No. 11 well said. Bootliker no amano, u are aging ba tata but still so unwise? It puzzles me. Lungwagwa is a big thief, who has forgotten the UNZA scandle when he bought himself house furniture worth K1 billion as vice chancellor. Its just sad that corrupt people get rewarded.

  22. The real reason Mmembe & Nchito haven’t been locked up is becoz Mr Mphuno RB had tax issues with ZRA himself before he even became VP. His companies where he was holding directorship positions were insolvent. These guys knew and played that card that if they go to jail then even akulu ba Mpuno should be jailed. In any case tax issues are not best served when one goes to jail. ZRA is better off working an arrangement with Zambian Airways management to repay over a period with an agreed interest rate than have the two chaps locked up and the treasury missing out on the money that it so much needs.

  23. What should be more worrying other than the Mmembe & Nchito Zambian Airways Saga is that RB continues to be a director of so many of his companies despite him being a Head of State now that is what we need to be changing because there is conflict of interest whether his companies do business with GRZ or not. You can be head of state & still hold your directorship positions in your companies.

  24. Well done Zambezi am one of your customers and will support you every time i come to Zambia. Hope you can fly to the UK one day. As for Mmembe and is useless lawyer partner… hope you can learn something about how to run a business…without government handouts.

  25. Too bad Zambezi Airlines is one of the most incompetent and unprofessional airlines I’ve ever come across.

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