Friday, March 29, 2024

All is set for the Launch of the National Airline-Transport Minister

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Transport and Communication Minister Brain Mushimba
Transport and Communication Minister Brain Mushimba

The Zambian government is confident that the long awaited national airline will be launched on October 24th this year.

Addressing journalists at the Patriotic Front Interactive Forum, Transport and Communication Minister Brain Mushimba said all measures, including the necessary assessment to give the required assurance that Zambia is on course to launch the national airline have been done.

According to Mushimba, Cabinet has also given an assurance that government will sign an agreement between Zambia and Ethiopia. This of course will be made after the Attorneys General has completed studying the paper work.

He added that the aviation sector is another aspect the government is working on for the purpose making Zambia open to the outside world.

“When the projects are completed, Zambia will be an attractive destination and this will create an opportunity for the people to open either direct or indirect business.”

And Mushimba indicated that the national airline policy is also being worked on. “When the industry was closed sectors suffered damage. The expectation now is that giving it life will bring hope to the economy.

He made an assurance that the government has put in place measures that the airline will not drain from the national treasury.

“Zambia is set to be a powerhouse of the industry in the region.
The political stability and peaceful transition of power makes an added advantage to the business being ploughed in Zambia.” He said.

He further disclosed that the railway sector has the capacity to help in business to support the economic growth in Zambia.

He explained that government is working on the Tazara to bring it to the original intention.

The agreements have been made and will be shared with the Tanzanian counterparts for consent.” He said.

He further indicated that the government is also interested in green field rail way project and will focus in places where there was no railway in place.

“The government is working on creating water transport surrounding water bodies and about 150 water vessels have been acquired.” he added.

Furthermore Mushimba disclosed that the government is on the verge of introducing time buses that seek to decongest the city of Lusaka.

The ministry is also working on revising the road service act. The age for obtaining a PSV driving license will be lowered from 25 to 20.

He however regretted that the road profile in Zambia is bad .

” Many people have died via road accidents. The government worked on measures to prevent accidents and this is working out for better. Last year there was a reduction in the number of people that died.” The Minister said.

60 COMMENTS

    • “Furthermore Mushimba disclosed that the government is on the verge of introducing time buses that seek to decongest the city of Lusaka.”

      Really laughable these dumb bells think buying more buses will decongest traffic and is a sure-fire investments!!

    • Let’s roll … more action and less talk!!! It is about time … Ayatollah worshipers know that this is going to be a huge success and whatever is good for Zambia is bad for Ayatollah!!!

      We all know that ~ Our time is now!!!

    • The Minister also said the Chief Executive and senior staff will be expatriates…this shameful but that is what you get when you have a govt that does not invest in training locals. We simple do not have enough qualified people and I hope the govt could do the same for the Electoral Commission of Zambia

    • Don’t buy Sukhoi planes. If you don’t have enough money better you go for bombardier C- series planes.

  1. You just spent $30million to buy advertising space on Ethiopian Airlines! Get the money back and use it to improve sanitation in our favelas!

  2. Some people in the tribal grouping are pretty sure that once this project is finally launched it will work against them politically hence they are negative stance towards it. It does not make business sense to state of the art airports like the yet to be completed simon mwansa kapwepe, David Kaunda and Harry Nkumbula yet we don’t have an airline. Zambia of all the nations in Africa without an airline!!!!!! my foot. If struggling economies like Zimbabwe can sustain their airlines why not us? Let our dignity and pride in the aviation industry come back like those days when we could point in the sky to the Zambia Airways.On this one the PF government you have held on to my vote come 2021. Can you also revamp the rail transport it seems to be limping at the moment.

    • An ignoramus like you is in full support of this yet you have no idea about this sector, like I said when Zimbabwean President visited recently that some dumb bells will see his Aircraft and think Zimbabwe Has a thriving national airline.

  3. Lool ,let’s wait and see this white elephant Zambia Airways self cannibalize .Also waiting on B.R Mumba to cheer this business folly with his unworkable business thesis.

    • BR Mumba always posts practicle and workable business solutions. His “thesis” always ring of tangible ideas anyone can work with. You Enka always post negativity. You criticize anything. So what works for you?? Comfortable with your fringe jobs and status playing second fiddle to the white man???

    • Brain Mushimba is nincompoop like the Day Dreamer BR Mumba JR who spews out make believe drivel for his blind and utterly dull followers like Zambian Citizen here.

    • @Enka, Numbers don’t lie … we will show practical results on Zambia Airways performance come October 24, 2019 with 2 more years before the next elections.

      Less talk and more action … faka speedie!!! Brian faka speedie, let’s show these doubting Thomases how this stuff is done.

      Ba Zambian Citizen … Don’t worry about these Ayatollah worshipers!!! We have already figured them out, they insult the President and his Cabinet with impunity and they want to one day lead. Ain’t gonna happen.

      Iwe Ka Jay Jay … leave Ba Mushimba alone, let him dream!!! I would rather work with a Day Dreamer like him than a Dimwit like yourself!!!

      Less talk … more action. Your friends are building serious stuff running a country and you are busy running your dimwit mouths. Wake up you useless…

    • ZA will be another big image booster for PF. You guys are truly political novices. HH right now knows how this launch will work against him. This how we will win 2021.PF knows how to play the political game. You and your husband know only insults.

  4. Its not that people do not want an airline, the problem is money mismanagement and failure of running a small place such as the Ndola airport. They can not manage Mfuwe so imagine a bigger airport. Take small strides and learn from those mistakes before taking bigger steps leading to a bigger fall. Brian Mushimba is very optimistic but this is too big a project for us. India’s airport was through Foreign Direct Investment. Let’s get private organizations from abroad like Dubai or US to build infrastructure and get companies to do contracts which brings money instead of us having an airline now. Get international brands such as Starbucks, Tim Hortons, KFC, Pizza Pizza to 4-5 star restaurants to lease spaces. This is a way to make revenue then generate enough to get our own airline.

  5. TAKING A HUGE BOLD STEP………….CREATING EMPLOYMENT TOO….PLEASE EMPLOY ALOT OF MY PEOPLE FROM MWANACHINGWALA

  6. All those joint ventures between Ethiopian Air and local partners in Malawi,Nigeria and Togo haven’t worked into successful airlines. What makes our Zambia joint venture any better?

  7. Where would the US$30 million have more impact, setting up an airline or building modern market infrastructure across the country to facilitate trade. Ba Mushimba GRZ under President Lungu needs to learn to prioritize. As you focus on the airline, please note that the rainfall across the country, particularly the southern part is poor and therefore a risk for agriculture and energy sectors. A responsible government would immediately start looking at measures to mitigate the potential impact on the economy to avert a crisis. But Ba Mushimba him, he is preoccupied with the launch for the National Airline by 24 October instead of looking at measures for averting hunger and load shedding. Shame!

    • These PF foolz have driven our economy from 6.4% growth in 2011 and now we’re parting with 3.5% stagnation and high debts in 2018.

    • Very true! Especially true of a fools is sh!thole countries. There is a reason why these sh!thole countries are called third world.

  8. But why is it that upnd tribal followers always oppose progressive ideas?that is why your Kainde loses elections after elections.
    Before 2015&2016 elections,UPND oppossed to new roads,districts,airports,schools,hospitals,etc especially new roads and said people wont eat ROADS!!!BUT ZAMBIAN VOTERS OBSERVED AND SAID OOOH KAINDE’S UPND IS AN ANTI DEVELOPMENT PARTY SO NO VOTES FOR HH.for sure, Kainde lost to unkown ECL!!
    Again HH’s upnd is doing the same mistakes before 2021 elections-opposing progressive ideas such as A NATION AIRLINE!!surely dont you feel ashamed that soon we shall have state of the art airports in Lusaka,Ndola and Livingstone constructed by MIGHTY PF but with no AIRLINE?all upnd members must be examined at Chainama mental hospital because their madness is now beyond…

  9. Continue…
    their(upnd’s) madness is now beyond normal limits.
    BUT WE KNOW WHY UPND OPPOSES SUCH SPLENDID PROJECTS.ITS BECAUSE THEY PUSH THEIR KAINDE FAR AWAY FROM STATE HOUSE!!
    Well done PF Govnt for this good move!!please ignore die hard tribalists camped in upnd as you develop Zambia.YOU HAVE OUR SUPPORT AND VOTES COME 2021!!
    Please reopen Mulungushi Textile in Kabwe and many other Govnt firms which HH and FTJ Chiluba destroyed via Privatization in the 90s!!Kainde is an enemy of a better Zambia!!
    Come 2021 ni PF nafuti nafuti!!

    • Njimbu = you need to stop dreaming and wake up !!! Even America have privatised their airlines because it is too much of a burden on state coffers. South Africa has to keep on bailing out their national airline to the tune of over 6 billlion every year ! If you are too blind to see that this will cause major constraints on government coffers then you are in for a surprise. This money should be spent on building dams for irrigation, building PROPER schools in rural areas to uplift education and so that we do not have 900 pupils attending a school that only has 3 classrooms ! First fix the economy and then when you have a profitable country worry about airlines !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  10. This minister is also a problem.what he wants is to benefit period.he is a problem starting from where he used to work.so shameful.why should u kill the country just for yo benefit.let us think pipo.Ba president don’t sleep otherwise u n other minister Re enjoying the corruption .

    • I would rather leave that sh!t to the City of Lusaka to run instead of the Central Govt. This how it is done in most cities around the who have successful Bus services. What Govt can do is give a cheaper loan or Grant to the Local Govt, in this case the City of Lusaka, and them implement and run the services. This way the local council/city will have a source of income to offer other needed services (like clean public toilets) to Lusaka residents and people visiting the city. This is how you encourage tourism to the city which in turn can bring more revenue to the city coffers. The City can pay off the Govt loan in due course. Bringing the implementation, running and managenent of some of these projects close to the ground is more effective and cheaper than micromanaging everything from…

    • These morons want to create UBZ..am sure they are ordering some cheap Chine buses..govt has no business in such sectors.

      Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

  11. Mushimba, start with Time Buses ilyashi lya ndeke lyenu mwebakankankala who will be flying to Dubai daily.

  12. I said it before, this guy BM has lost it coz of too much indulgence into PF corruption.

    I once thought BM was an upright person – looks like in PF, nobody thinks rationally other than personal gains and corruption starting from ECL himself.

  13. This is delusional. You are not forming a national airline. There is an already pre- existing Ethiopian airline which the Zambian government is paying money or buying shares so that some of their Planes may bear the Zambia logo & operate in zambia.

    So stop being confused. It’s not like the Zambian government is establishing their own airline,NO!

    • The sooner this is made known to people the better! It will put this tepid debate to bed.
      The opposition is shooting this idea by projecting unfounded fears based on the performance of the defunct airline. Which in other countries, enlightened voters would pick and analyze what the motive is.
      The honorable Mushimba is trying to come out as though this is his brainchild project! There is need for transparency and evidently a lot of education on the matter all are singing form the same gym page.

  14. Mwaiche Brian; too much talk; we have heard the announcement a million times; what we want is less talk and more action; just announce close to the launch; am ready to fly QZ; but it would have been good to give EA less shares so that Zambians buy some shares;

  15. oh oh oh; why are you reducing the PSV age limit from 25 to 20? or has LT misquoted the young minister? don’t decrease the age limit;

  16. Misplaced priority. Do something for the common people, for example, basic shelter, food, clean water, health, education, create jobs and environment for small-scale businesses.Empower, traders/street vendors so that they can create wealth. You will tax them and the money will be used to maintain infrastructures.

  17. PF wants the airline and it’s own aeroplanes so they can steal cash and stash it abroad. Steal money and take it out of Zambia using Zambia airways and the Gupta family.

  18. kabs, you are way out of touch! Markets are available except the vendors do not want to trade within the premises to avoid market levy and the flimsy excuse that customers do not got to these markets hence they have got to follow them.
    With the last load shedding fiasco we experienced, a number of measures were instituted and the power deficit alleviated by bringing onto the national grid additional power sources! we could still have some power outages but they definitely won’t be as bad as previously experienced.
    It is envisaged that once there are direct flights into our country, there will be a corresponding increase in economic activity – tourism, agrifloral exports, general freight of goods into and outside Zed, therefore revenue for the treasury to be utilised in the needy…

    • …sectors such as health and education.
      For your information, the World Economic Forum has identified that Africa lags behind in terms of exploitation of its huge tourism potential due to lack of or poor infrastructure, disease and unnecessary red tape! South Africa is about the only country that ticks most boxes in so far as infrastructure with the accompanying growth in the tourism industry.
      The PF are merely taking heed and hence the current frenzy of infrastructure development. But they are not helping themselves by not explaining to the average Zambians, the whys and hows! Perceived corruption notwithstanding!!!

  19. I hope the contract has addressed the employee ratio such that there are more Zambians than Ethiopians otherwise it might look like Ethiopians flying the Zambian flag. It’s a very good move because we are currently training pilots and other support staff for others. ZASTI is almost defunct. Benefits will definitely accrue in the long term

    • Ayatollah, these are issues bloggers here can expend their time on and advise GRZ. However, for starters I would accept the fact that the majority of control is placed with the Ethiopians and keep the long fingers of our compatriots at bay! The overriding factor though should be to ensure that we get what rightfully is due to us…

  20. @Jay Jay, U must be naive or don’t know.
    PF top officials go through VIP clearance and they are not searched or asked any questions.
    Will be even easier with own airline.

  21. #1.2 Jay Jay, “Furthermore Mushimba disclosed that the government is on the verge of introducing time buses that seek to decongest the city of Lusaka.

    Really laughable these dumb bells think buying more buses will decongest traffic and is a sure-fire investments!!”,

    Have you considered that what the Minister may be saying is replacing the many minibuses with fewer time based buses? Consider the behaviour of minibus drivers, causing chaos everywhere by cutting in and all manner of traffic mischief. Remive the politics from your cpmments maybe you will see sense.

  22. As for national airline, I srill maintain that the minister has misdirected himself. He will reap a terrible legacy of failure, but I don’t care about him cheeky as he is, I am only interested in the economic welfare of my country, which he will surely damage.

  23. Sharon, why should HH lose when it’s Lungu throwing money away on Ethiopian airlines. Your cadres are right now complaining about hunger and you wasting money on such. Such things is not going to satisfy hungry stomachs.

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