Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba has revealed that Cabinet on Monday approved the project to relaunch the defunct Zambia Airways.
Mr Mushimba told Journalists in Lusaka that the project will be run under a a Joint Venture model with Ethiopian Airlines.
He said Cabinet has since agreed to set aside US$30 million in 2018 for the project.
Mr Mushimba said his Ministry is optimistic that Zambia Airways will return to the skies next year with October 24th as the date for the launch flight.
He said President Edgar Lungu will be in the inaugural flight, accompanied by senior government officials and Journalists to a destination yet to be identified.
Mr Mushimba said his Technical Task Force appointed by his Ministry decided to adopt the Joint Venture route in order to spare the already stretched national treasury.
He said the business case presented by the Technical Committee of partnering with Ethiopian Airlines is the best model.
Mr Mushimba said the launch of the national carrier will allow Zambia to partake in the US$1.5 billion Zambian aviation market.
“He said President Edgar Lungu will be in the inaugural flight, accompanied by senior government officials and Journalists to a destination yet to be identified.”
Hahahaha! Of course!
Just $30 million for airline?
Compare to $42 million. Those Chinese officers need arrest someone.
We will spend US$30 million setting up an airline and yet we spend US$42 million on cheap secondhand fire trucks.
Next year? Each and every story is to lick Edgar’s. To me it sounds like fooling him. Ukumupufya.
Man, I love this comment. So few words but says a lot and in line with the NO VISION policy!
Edgar Chaima Jonathan Lungu will fly or move in anything to anywhere at any time. IS THAT THE REASON HE IS CALLED KOSWE MUMPOTO. Now I understand the KOSWE mumpoto goes to the sides of a pot them moves around the pot each time he reaches the side. I am not surprised then that he will be on the inaugural flight going nowhere! Go back to work Edgar you stole the election anyway. Jail will be the destination of the next flight you take in 2021.
EXCELLENT DECISION AND CONGRATULATIONS. ZAMBIA IS ANY FORM OF TRANSPORT (LAND, WATER,AIR) NATURAL HUB BY VIRTUE OF HAVING 8 NEIGHBOURS AND MANY MORE REASONS. NOT HAVING AN AIRLINE IS LAUGHABLE WITH SUCH FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS. MOREOVER, WE CAN’T BE BUILDING MODERN AIRPORTS ONLY TO BE USED BY FOREIGN AIRLINES.
GREAT DECISION
More money poured into a useless endless pit…
HH is the one who sold it at undervalue and got kick backs. That is what we mean that your HH is a white collar thief. This is what he did with Cold Storage Board, sold big cows at as low as K2.00 eactheno his his own business partners. Those are the animals he boasts about!!
Asegi hehehehe Sue HH….hehehehe. Even the farms he boasts about could be state farms. Hehehehe
@ Asegai
Can you please clarify if you are born as imbec!le or you become one after joining Plunderers federation?
As they say: If you want to make a small fortune in aviation you need to start with a big one.
Instead of giving us more information about the business plan, the cost, operations and stakeholders involved, the whole of a Minister is talking about the inaugural flight. That’s why everything is so run down and not properly done, as if you are not engineer, very basic coming from a Minister, especially for such a big venture.
Just wait and see the people who will run the airline, that is one airline I am not flying!
@Returning citizen our boma doesn’t do such things -business plan? Operations. The $30mn set aside is the plan, I think they need to add another 0.
@asegai – are you really such a retard ? If HH sold the airline then it would probably still be running as it would be owned by private investors !! The government should rather be spending this money on education not an airline which will lead to draining of the government money !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The airline was closed down because it was no longer allowed to fly internationally !
Bwana Minister, have we sorted out our mess with the TAZARA joint venture rail-line with the Tanzanians?
Resolve TAZARA before embarking on another venture with very dim light at the end of the tunnel.
Agriculture is hardwork for these lazy bones…easiest thing is wasting money procuring machinery at overpriced rates!!
PF mathematics: 41 fire tenders = $41m
Setting up an Airline = $30m. I need to go back to school. Zambia need very strong opposition party or we will have the Chinese president very soon if we do not already have one
Very well studied this once my friend. I agree totally, also look at this one US$1.5 billion Zambian aviation market. Zambia is rich, our leaders are dull.
That $30 is a drop in the ocean….they think if they get leased aircrafts all will be well…why are these ii*****s so reckless and heartless!!
Kind of also got me thinking! One of those or both is not right!
From fire trucks, ambulances now to airways, is this the same reason they said the would buy planes from Russia? These criminals have no heart whatsoever. South African airways is struggling because in this industry is not like buying wheel barrows and parroting them in the streets. This is serious business that misfits like these nincompoops have no iota of what it takes to succeed. This is another scandal that was hatched a longtime ago and that US30miilion has simply vanished.
That 30million will soon change to $60million…why can
these morons just leave this idea alone..
South Africa Airways is limping and is being subsidized by government; even Air France has been struggling. Zambia now wants to bring back the white elephant called Zambia Airways? Let private businesses run airlines please; you just want anther loophole of siphoning money. Zambia Railways was given $120m and they are sitting looking up to GRZ with a begging bowl; what will $30m do for an airline? Please lets stop misusing and stealing money.
The idiiiots never learn…they are in Brazil begging for debt write offs yet want to waste more funds in a very risky industry. Its a no brainer!!
There was even a recent report on Africanews.com stating that IATA had said African airlines would post a combined total loss of $100m for this year. So why would you go into this business?? It’s a bad idea.
Even British Airways is fighting to remain profitable.The British Government is not capable of running an Airlines Profitably, and so are many Governments as South Africans will tell you. They just keep SAA for the pride, they do not want it in private hands. The Government has to keep it afloat using public funds. These guys should just leave Zambian Airways as it is, a defunct company. We can’t even run a Bus Company profitably how about an Airline with AIRBORN vehicles??? With that level of inefficiency, I wonder what the safety records will be if it survives for longer to generate one. Why have they privatized most of Zanaco? Zesco? I think PF has too many Jokers!
Agreed.
Thanks
Bb2014,2016
Congratulations! But the mistakes that led to the downfall of our airline should serve as a lesson. We had the airline full of people going to London without paying because we’re either staff or relative. Once again. Bravo!
So where are you going to fly to with
your aircrafts?
A fooooool and his money are soon parted…unfortunately its our money this morons want to pour down the drain!!
Why do we not have a private national airline in operation the last couple of years to fill the gap left by Zambian Airways and later Zambezi airline? It is because it is not economical to do so for many reasons including the stiff competition. The competition has even become stiffer in recent years. What are the chances that our government will be able to run an airline more effectively than the private sector? Very low. Maybe the only hope is the joint-venture with Ethiopian airlines which happens to be one of the most efficient and profitable airlines in Africa. One of its reasons for success is it operates completely autonomously and free of interference from the the Ethiopian goverment.
This brings to mind the Europe Bond that was poured into Zambia Railways. Where is it today? Our leaders can’t seem to think. Cost of fuel in Zambia is high, how many of local Zambians can afford to fly with the exchange rate, lack of good paying. Wait. How many Zambians are employed in the formal sector?
Yaba
Airline to be run by cadres!!!
This is my Presidos legacy kamwando mungila
Kweena ye! You have failed to run Njanji commuters and you think you can run an airline?
By the way, you have large deficit. How will you raise that money. This Ministry is out of touch with reality.
Wasted resources during Zambia’s wasted years.
How many universities could be built from 30 million. Dollars?
Sunday interview with HH? I’m still waiting
The working government. Hazaluza Hagain! A party of negativity is no party at all. No wonder they all have Three Mansions!
@ Sharon
Can you please clarify why you are obsessed with HH? It seams that you are having wet dreams thinking about him.
“Palibe icakwe” chronic loser!
What is worst, chronic loser with billions in assets or Endemically Corrupt Leader hiding in a battered old challenger?
Is it not counter intuitive to be obsessed with a chronic loser?
Common sense would suggest that that’s who you don’t talk about as, in your mind, his or her fate is sealed.
For $30 million, they must be buying a Chinese helicopter or some 3rd hand Russian planes. Someone will be lining their pockets in this deal.
Most probably they will be leasing Ethiopian old 757 or 737-200
P.F HAS ALREADY KILLED ZAMBIA!!
This is just the Cremation of the carcass.
JONA WARNED YOU, “I have no vision for Zambia, just drunken cravings, & corruption”
With that kind of investment for an airline I don’t see myself ever flying Zambia Airways. The risk will be to high.
The decision to re-introduce Zambia airways is a good move. This is viable business but it was ruined by HH during privatisation, and he stole colossal sums of money and kept it in offshore accounts. Mind you ,HH is a good man.He is according to him an ‘Adventist’.A very corrupt Adventist.
You mean never convicted Adventist unlike convicted Endemically Corrupt Leader of Plunderers Federation?
F*&king fault finding dull f***king Zambians. You can’t even give credit where it’s due.
Credit for what? for “f***king” your pea-size brain?
Ba Koswe Mumpoto!
Opposition UPND is dull.
Mr. Edgar Lungu I also want to be on that inaugural flight. Please pay for me.Ndipo ba President batu bazapanga zina!Reviving Zambia Airways! Let’s hope this time it lasts as long as Ethiopian Airlines
i will always support PF for this Sata vision for rebirth of Zambia Airways; but we have had promise after promise every year; who knows whether this young man Brian will be there in October or not; Just keep quiet and announce what you’re doing in Sept next year; and $30 is too little for setting up an airline unless if we will only have a 10% in the venture;
If one does not know how to swim shouldn’t attempt to dive in the deep end of the pool. We failed once but have we done our homework to correct that which we did not do well and caused our downfall? South Africa is struggling running their Airways and KLM has also stopped coming to Zambia because its not profitable to fly here anymore. Brian, please change your stance. Do not do things just to show off having done something even when you know its nothing tangible. Our cabinet has also stopped analyzing issues and just flowing with the wind. I suggest you support the current Airlines in Zambia by giving them good conditions and let them fly the Zambian flag.
Kuwaya waya Fye! $30M to revive an airline! this airline has already failed
Do we not have other priorities or is this the government’ definition of diversifying the economy? Those whom God wishes to destroy he first makes mad! Watching this insanity.
Good news for those who have done aviation courses ichito shasangwa!
the country doesn’t have money use that money to pay off debts or improve healthcare etc.