Vice President Guy Scott says the establishment of a national airline for Zambia is underway.
Dr Scott disclosed that a cabinet memorandum is in draft form and being circulated to respective key stakeholders in the transport sector.
Dr Scott however told parliament today that no decision has been made yet about the draft but the document is being studied comprehensively.
He said government learnt a lot of lessons from the de-funct Zambia Airways that collapsed a few years ago including other international airlines that are not operating.
The Vice President was responding to UPND Siavonga Member of Parliament Kennedy Hamudulu who wanted to find out how far and what was the progress of the PF government towards establishing the national airliner.
This was during the 30-minute Vice President question time.
And Dr Scott who is also PF Lusaka Central Member of Parliament has clarified that the creation of jobs for the youths in the country should not be left to government alone.
The Vice President said government has created an enabling environment with the private sector through the private public partnership (PPP) arrangement to create jobs for the young people in the country.
He denied that the youths would not be employed in the next two years by government but quickly pointed out that developing the nation also depended on the participation of the private sector which the PF government is committed to partner with.
Dr Scott made this revelation in response to MMD Mwandi Member of Parliament Michael Kaingu who alleged that government has abandoned the youths who voted for the PF government with great aspirations among them job creation.
He said youths would get jobs from investment of investors government is attracting in all key sectors of the economy.
On corruption, the Vice President advised members of the general public to produce evidence to law enforcement agencies like the police and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Dr Scott said the PF government is committed to fighting corruption in the country regardless of one’s status, religion and political affiliation.
He challenged MMD Mafinga Member of Parliament Catherine Namugala and other people to furnish the ACC with evidence if she or they know any current serving cabinet or deputy minister in government who is involved in corrupt activities.
On the civil service, Dr Scott said the District Commissioners’ qualifications have been upgraded from deputy director to directors.
Dr Scott who is also leader of the House in Parliament said government in consultation with Office of the Secretary to the Cabinet revised the salary scales of District Commissioners from GSS02 to M level after upgrading.
Yesterday, the House allegedly failed to agree on the minimum qualification of District Commissioners.
This was after MMD Rufunsa member of parliament Kenneth Chipungu asked the Vice President whether the government has any plans to upgrade the minimum qualifications of District Commissioners to University degree prompting the Deputy Speaker of national assembly to direct the Vice President to provide an alternative answer tomorrow (today).
ZANIS
Well am not sure how economically viable it will be for our government to bring back Zambia airways.My fingers are crossed though because i`m an optimist as opposed to being a pessimist.Aluta Continua !!!
@Saulosi, it is not economically viable. If budget airlines in the sub-region are struggling there is no guarantee that a fully fledged airline will be viable in Zambia. Even SAA has been struggling and incurring huge debts. We should not go back to the days of Zambia Airways.
Don’t do it
Where do you get the monies from?
Your debt has increased 21% since you came in power, is this another excuse to borrow more money?
Joke
Thanks
Lyashi lya mu tarven ili naimwe ba Guy Scott. Very vague statement. Ilyashi lya mubwalwa.
“The Vice President was responding to UPND Siavonga Member of Parliament Kennedy Hamudulu who wanted to find out how far and what was the progress of the PF government towards establishing the national airliner””.
@Mop am with you right there.No wonder i have my doubts.Even in mainland Europe some airlines are struggling.
Lyashi lya mu tarven ili naimwe ba Guy Scott. Very vague statement. Ilyashi lya mubwalwa
“Dr Scott however told parliament today that no decision has been made yet about the draft but the document is being studied comprehensively.”
It such a disappointment to have Guy Scott as a top govt official leading the cabinet and answering on behalf of the president of Zambia. There isn’t a statement that Mr Scott makes with out involving or passing the excuse to someone else or something else. Every time he is asked questions, challenged about an issue, he always looks for someone else to blame, NEVER himself or collectively never answers with confidence and efficiency. If this is what represents good governance then forget about replacing this government. Zambia will continue to drift into the unknown and became another entity that means nothing or simply not worth paying attention to. Zambians need to crack the whip and stop this show boating in the House that is responsible for making rules that govern the country.
Am sure by the time we get to the next elections, Zambia will have a diffrent face, i just hope HEMCS, lives longer to accomplish his dream, remember some ones dream is hard to bring to life.
They should just leave that alone. We warned them when they were liquidating that this is not the same as UBZ that can be filled by local players… creating a new airline with the sort of direction the PF has of putting up public infrastructure will literally break the nation’s back. Just leave it alone – we will continue to fly Emirates, BA, SAA, and all the other players that have taken the lunch from your plate since 1994.
I would rather bike to UK …
still waiting for the airline until 2016. we need answers on District commissioners and their roles because these guys are just chewing tax payers money.
@Cycle, as painful as it may be to say DCs are a necessary evil. When you remove DCs you end up with a gap between the provincial administration and the constituencies. The problem is that most of these people do not really understand their role and think they are more superior than the Provincial Minister and PS.
@mop
as much as we would want that link; the councils and all town clerks can be a link because they are the ones managing the districts.DC’s you will agree with me are political officers appointed by the parties in power.
These people do not understand their roles because their are no roles; the party district chairpersons are doing the DC’s job and this is a duplication of power with one paid for nothing. why not leave it to the chairpersons and divert these minions salaries for infrastructural development,quality health care and good sanitation,quality education for all Zambians.
It is actually a structure that was inherited from the colonial government. In their first term, MMD did away with them and the system almost collapsed. The alternative would be to empower the Mayor like is the case in the U.S. The party district chairpersons have no role in a government position. It is the lack of understanding of the process that leads to people over stepping their limits. DCs are not necessarily district party chairpersons.
Lyashi lya mu tarven ili naimwe ba Guy Scott. Very vague statement. Ilyashi lya mubwalwa.
“The Vice President was responding to UPND Siavonga Member of Parliament Kennedy Hamudulu who wanted to find out how far and what was the progress of the PF government towards establishing the national airliner””.
PF can not manage an airline. I hear messres membe and nchito are the consultants. What a joke. Just try soccery on a broom stick.
@Cycle, as painful as it may be to say DCs are a necessary evil. When you remove DCs you end up with a gap between the provincial administration and the constituencies. The problem is that most of these people do not really understand their role and think they are more superior than the Provincial Minister and PS.
We can’t run our railways,can’t run zamtel and we can’t run the big dirty village that is Lusaka but,oh lets establish an airline in a cutthroat industry? Very smart indeed.
And just imagine its worse that they failed those entities when they were monopolies or competition was less.Now they wanna try when things are even tougher.
@ Enka
do you have any suggestions???????????????????????
THE THOUGHT OF AND TALK ABOUT A
NATIONAL AIRLINE IS IN ITSELF A SIGN OF
PROGRESS AND A GOVERNMENT AT WORK.
THE AIRLINE WILL SURELY COME…
HOW WAS THE COPPER BELT UNIVERSITY BORN?
KK FIRST TALKED ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY IN NDOLA.
WE CALLED IT UNZA-NDO
THEN THE COPPER BELT UNIVERSITY.
SATA’S DREAM IS TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE
UNIVERSITY IN EACH PROVINCE BEFORE
HE LEAVES OFFICE AFTER HIS TWO TERMS.
You mean two universities in Muchinga Province?
@Luapula… you dont seem to understand the logistics and economics of running an airline. Have you researched of late how many international airlines are struggling to make a profit? Which routes will this airline operate on that aren’t already crowded by well established airlines for this airline to be viable? Ask yourself why big airlines like Alitalia are facing bankruptcy save the governments bail out funds. Zambia has no money to entertain this venture. It will just be there to serve the politicians. For those that remember the DC-10 era, flights were rescheduled at the whim of the politicians when the president needed it for the never ending foreign trips. If they so badly want an airline, form one using your own capital and on your heads be the debt that accrues. Wont work!
Luapula, we are not discussing a fishing barge or a luxury bus service here. We are discussing an airline – hello? Had we carefully considered the state of the liquidated airline we could have tried an alternative. There are airlines that have gone lower than the depths Zambia Airways reached but have still soldiered on. We rushed and dismantled even the support structures that would have helped a leaner model… now we are realizing how difficult it is to put up this outfit again. Good luck!!!
Simple economics (airline transportation): the main asset, a plane whether on lease or bought outright cost alot. For this investment to have a return on the outlay needs to working (flying) 75% of the time. If the new airline wont have profitable routes (fill >80% 0f the seats) and spending alot of hours parked then simple maths means this expedition the government wants to embark on will just end up in tears. I am dying to have a look at the model that is convincing the government that they have a winning formula. Any transportation economists in the house?
Kabimba knows some corrupt ministers Mr Veep. I also hope this airline is not for Mr Mutembo
H a ha H a
Guy Scott is resigning soon.
Political landscape has changed within the last few minutes.
Do you have updated news on one Winter Kambimba? Please share, i want to start celebrating.
After all there’s nothing that will please u about Pf government. l hope Scott and his coleagues don’t even pay attention to u demons. let these noble human beings do what they know best.Infact u must stick to yo hell,Demons !
How do you dream of establishing a national airline when you failed to run it more than 20 years ago when there was minimal competition? You would be taken seriously if at least you were able to run an efficient and reliable rail system.
BA has felt the heat and are abandoning the Zambian route and who are you?
Sata was one of those who abused Zambia Airways and I bet he is nolstagic and wants those days back.
@ the London eye
Zambia has to start from somewhere, and with good planning, all well meaning zambians should wish well for these kinds of ideas.
because SAA may be struggling is no reason for Zambia not to try
some of you are Zambia’s worst nightmares, always not wanting what is good for the country, always negative and yes Zed airways may have failed, but it still is not a good enough reason not to try again
Is a private airline not the better option? Really a national airline, so add another tax drain to our already overtaxed families in Zambia? Zambians at times surprise me. only 40% of the population is surporting the PF cardres and you want another Zambia airways with 2/3rds of the plane filled with employees going to london?
The London route is a non starter. Gone are the days when getting a British visitors Visa was easy. If the government is eyeing the Lusaka-London route, sorry it wont be profitable unless you will be flying a 60 seater plane. Why do you think BA is stopping flying to Zambia? The route is not profitable period. Could the givernment provide their business plan for the nation to look at the figures and also lets have a public consultation. And dont say this isn’t necessary. A fine example is the on going heated debate in the UK over building a High Speed railway link between London and Birmingham. The same can be done in Zambia so that the government lets the public look at their business plans and why they think it will succeed.
Appointing-Authority management does work when it comes to run an airline. Let the private section do it ,just reduce jet fuel cost and red tape.
I stand corrected, but was one of the conditions of Zambias debt write-off the disposal of Zambia Airways?
I truely am disappointed in Scott
But wasn’t the disposal of Zambia Airways a disposal of an asset as an offset against due-to-be written-off debt?
The current crop of PF leadership were actually in cahoots with the liquidation effort and added quite some spin to ensure it came to pass. Instead of standing up to the master over which cow to slaughter, they allowed everyone to come in and shoot what they wanted…
Very right @Kalok. Wouldn’t it be just right that these same “leaders” who convinced us at the time, that liquidating Zambia Airways was the right thing to do, tell us what has changed and convince us why it was wrong at the time to do away with Zambia Airways? Sorry I keep going on coz this is untrue, how many former Zambia Airways employees lost their lives after the closure of Zambia Airways and today Guy Scott is telling us that was a terrible mistake.
The civil service is clear on qualifications for one to be director and I see no reason for the failure to agree on the minimum qualification of District Commissioners if they have been elevated to the same level other than that most of the appointees are party cadres whose only qualification is loyalty to the appointing authority (president).
Mr. Scott, if the Government has financial resources to start “national airline”, then why not first pay Government debt owed to the previous “national airline” employees which you and your boss retrenched decades ago?
I still support the creation of a new airline, one that is NOT wholly Zambian. Zambia is a landlocked country and relies mainly on air transport for its imports and exports. Yes we have good neighbours who have allowed us to use their ports but what happens if there conflicts as was the case with the then Rhodesia? Zambia is capable to run an airline with a major player. The reason Kenyan Airlines has survived is because of its partnership with KLM . Same goes for Ethiopian Airline. British Airways has been going down recently as has been evidenced by their exit from most African routes. Europe is sinking slowly and believe it or not Africa is rising. Zambians need to be confident enough to run their businesses. Yes we have had bad experiences, and so has Europe.
Where did you manage to get such rubbish information?
Zambia sits perfectly in the center of Southern Africa. Its peaceful environment puts it in a perfect position to serves as the region’s hub.
A national airline that is owned by Government but run by a private not only makes sense, but is long overdue.
DONT WORRY GUYS.THE ROUTS WIL BE :CHITULIKA VILLAGE VIA CHINSALI TURN RIGHT MAMA NKOMESHA PALACE UP CHIBOLYA COMPOUND NON STOP TO A BYELECTION LAND AT PLOT 1