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THE two fire engines at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport spilling water over the Ethiopian Airlines aircraft in a picturesque arc of mist that glowed in bright sunshine during the inaugural flight to Ndola
ETHIOPIAN Airlines is considering turning Lusaka into its East and Southern Africa hub. Company Senior Vice President for Global Sales Esaya Woldemariam Hailu said the Lusaka was chosen as the hub because of its central location.
Mr Hailu said the airline had engaged the Zambian Government on its overtures and that talks were at an advanced stage.
“That’s a big plan that Ethiopian has been discussing with the top leadership in Zambia,” he said during a briefing at the airlines main hub here.
Lusaka will become Ethiopian Airline’s third hub on the continent after the main hun Addis Ababa and Lome in Togo.
Mr Hailu said the airline was the fastest growing in Africa and that the growth should be reflected in creating another hub.
“Ethiopian doesn’t only connect Africa to the world and the world to Africa but also connects Africa within itself,” he added.
Meanwhile, the airline is weighing options of opening a new route from Addis Ababa-Livingstone to add to flights to Lusaka and Ndola.
Administrative manager for East and Southern Africa Shawui Geneti said opening a direct flight to Livingstone would however depend on the availability of passengers on the route.
“Already we have the new route to Ndola which at the moment is not doing very well but Livingstone is a route we will consider,” he said.
Livingstone has recorded a sharp increase in passenger traffic to Harry Mwanga Nkumbula airport and more arrivals are expected when Zambia co-hosts the United Nations World Tourism Orgnisation (UNWTO) general assembly later this year.
On increasing the frequency of flights into Ndola, Mr Geneti said it is an option worth trying out but most unlikely with the current passenger turn over on the route.
Some of the travel consultants visiting the airline’s Addis hub from the Copperbelt and Lusaka complained of the difficulty in issuing tickets for some Ethiopian Airlines code partners.
Nkana on Sunday thrashed Lime Hotspurs 3-0 in Ndola to open a five-point lead at the top of the FAZ Super Division.
Kalampa put up scintillating second half performance producing all the three goals in the last 20 minutes.
Striker Lottie Nyimbili launched the rout with a 70th minute goal before Patrick Chama added Nkana’s second 12 minute later.
Last season’s top scorer Reynold Kampamba sealed the victory in the 90th minute to register his fourth goal of the season.
Nkana have stretched their tally to 16 points while second placed Konkola Blades remain on 11 points after Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Roan United in Luanshya.
Elsewhere on Sunday, visiting Nkwazi beat Forest Rangers 2-1 in Ndola thanks to Steward Chikandiwa’s brace.
Chikandiwa scored in the 10th and 83rd minutes while much travelled striker Kelvin “Yellow” Mwelwa had equalised for Forest after 62 minutes.
File: First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda cutting his birthday cake last year
Zambia’s First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda today celebrated his 89th birthday.
Dr Kaunda, who was born on April 28, 1924, is remembered for his heroic role in liberating Zambia from British colonial rule in 1964.
Dr Kaunda ruled the country from the time of independence to 1991 when UNIP was voted out of office.
Dr Kaunda was this evening expected to be honoured by the International Conference for Police and Law Enforcement Executives during a gala dinner held at the Mulungushi International Conference
Center.
Meanwhile, a blind patriot has saluted former first publican president Dr Kenneth Kaunda on his 89th birthday for creating opportunities for the blind during his tenure office.
Elijah Ngwale said the blind will forever hold Dr Kaunda in high esteem for up lifting their plight.
He told Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) that Dr Kaunda’s government was all-inclusive as the blind were given the opportunity to serve in government.
Mr. Ngwale said Dr Kaunda is the only head of state who had the blind to his heart evidence by the elected blind members of parliament he appointed to serve in his cabinet.
He cited Kalunga Koloweka and Lazarus Tembo as some of the blind people Dr Kaunda appointed to work in government.
Mr. Ngwale said it is only right for the blind person to wish well the former first republican president continued health.
He said the blind persons have a lot to be thankful for to Dr Kaunda because of the programmes he initiated for the blind so as to empower them.
The outspoken patriot noted that Dr Kaunda was a liberator of the blind through various programmes he put in place to empower the blind.
Mr. Ngwale has since appealed to government to emulate Dr Kaunda by creating opportunities for the blind.
He complained that currently the country has no programme for the blind a situation he described as worrisome.
The first Republican President has turned 89 years if age today.
Zambia Nation Blood Transfusion Services (ZNBTS) Director Dr Joseph Mulenga says Zambia has been rated as one of the leading countries in blood safety.
Dr Mulenga said Zambia has made a lot of positive strides in improving the safety of blood products.
The Zambia Nation Blood Transfusion Services Director told Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in an interview in Lusaka, today.
He said that Zambia has made frantic efforts in ensuring that the country meets the international standards on blood safety.
He recalled that in the past Zambia’s blood safety was worrisome noting that the association has worked to reverse the situation.
Opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has said that the MMD faction co-leader and Mafinga Member of Parliament Catherine Namugala has no right to announce any petition to the former ruling party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to hold any extra ordinary convention.
MMD president Nevers Mumba has affirmed that Ms. Namugala is not a member of the MMD and that whatever she does in the name of the former ruling party is an illegality and a further contempt of court as her filed injunction against her expulsion from the party is still in the courts of law.
Dr. Mumba has further explained that the MMD secretariat will not have time to deal with any said filed petition by the MMD faction to host a national convention to elect a new leadership.
Yesterday the MMD faction led by Major Richard Kachingwe petitioned party National Chairman Kabinga Pande to convene an extra ordinary convention.
Speaking during a media briefing in Lusaka, expelled Mafinga Member of Parliament, Catherine Namugala said that the party has managed to get more than the required one-third of the provincial executive committee members to petition the National Executive Committee -NEC- to hold the convention within the stipulated one month.
She said that the party had so far received petitions from Muchinga, central, Luapula, and Northern Provinces and is also waiting for other petitions from other provinces to arrive.
Ms. Namugala said that the party should not fail to hold the convention within the stipulated one month because of Article 15 of the MMD constitution which compels the NEC to hold the extra-ordinary convention at the request of one-third of the provincial Executive Committee members or the National Executive Committee.
She added that all the received petitions have already been submitted to the Nevers Mumba led MMD secretariat.
Ms Namugala has further reminded MMD National Chairman Kabinga Pande to understand the importance of the national convention as it is the only way the party will be able to win the 2016 presidential elections.
She has since appealed to NEC members to work together with the party in preparation for the convention which will help rebuild the party for the good of the party and the country.
Opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) has said that its leader Hakainde Hichilema will not apologize for the derogatory remarks he recently made to describe the vice president Guy Scott for allegedly campaigning beyond the forty eight hour Electoral rule.
UPND Deputy Spokesperson Edwin Lifwekelo said that there was nothing wrong with what Mr. Hichilema said against the Republican Vice President.
In a statement released to Qfm, Mr. Lifwekelo also dispelled assertions that Mr. Hichilema’s remarks against Dr. Scott are also a demonstration of his political bitterness and tribal attitude.
The UPND Deputy spokesperson has since proposed that the forty eight hour Electoral rule of discontinuing campaigns during an election be revoked as its alleged abrogation by the ruling party adds no meaning to its existence.
Meanwhile, the ruling District Patriotic Front (PF) leadership in Kabwe has joined the rest in condemning UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s alleged insults against republican vice president Guy Scott last week.
District PF vice chairperson Leonard Nsama, says that it was unfortunate that a leader of Hakainde’s calibre could resort to insulting elderly people in his quest to seek popularity.
Mr. Nsama said he wondered what kind of a republican president Mr. Hakainde could be if elected as he would only be insulting the electorates anytime he felt so because his actions now left many people wondering as to what was becoming of him.
He called on the nation to kneel down and pray for UPND leader who he said was possessed by a terrible demon which did not allow him to respect elderly people.
[pullquote]Mr. Hichilema is reported to have called Dr. Scott a stupid white man.[/pullquote]
He reminded Mr. Hichilema that Zambia is a Christian nation in which insults, especially among leaders, are not supposed to be hear of.
“Moreover, Dr. Scott is not only an elderly person who deserves respect, he is also the republican vice president who is not supposed to be insulted by anybody including those outside politics. He must be honoured by giving him the respect he deserves,’ said Mr. Nsama.
He said PF is disappointed to find that Mr. Hichilema has continued to insult its leadership with impunity describing it as shameful approach coming from one aspiring to become a republican president.
Last week, during the reception of Dr. Canisius Banda into the UPND as vice president for political affairs, Mr. Hichilema is reported to have called “Dr. Scott a stupid white man.”
The Patriotic Front (PF) in Northern Province has added its voice in condemning UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s derogatory remarks against Republican Vice President Dr. Guy Scott.
PF regional secretary Evarist Chela says it is unfortunate that Mr. Hichilema has developed a habit of using unpalatable language against Government leaders.
Mr. Chela charged that PF members in Northern Province are very angry with Mr. Hichilema’s unwarranted attacks on Dr. Scott.
ZANIS reports that the PF provincial secretary said this in an interview in Kasama, today.
He noted that Mr. Hichilema’s utterances border on racial intolerance, which should be not allowed in the country.
All Zambians regardless of their status in society must respect Dr. Scott, as Republican Vice President,, he said.
The PF provincial secretary has since advised Mr. Hichilema to stop his alleged hate speech as it detrimental to national unity.
Mr. Chela further warned the UPND leader to immediately stop attacking Government and PF leaders as the ruling party will not sit by but react also.
Yesterday, Mr. Hichilema was quoted a private tabloid as having issued derogatory remarks against Vice President Dr. Guy Scott.
So far, a cross-section of society has criticized Mr. Hichilema for his uncivilized language against Government leaders.
The ruling party leadership in Kabwe , today, joined in condemning opposition leader alleged insults on the Vice President last week.
District PF vice chairperson Leonard Nsama, says that it was unfortunate that a leader of Hakainde’s calibre could resort to insulting elderly people in his quest to seek popularity
Zambia Railways Board of Directors Chairperson Mark Chona (centre) shares a light moment with Deputy Board of Directors Chairperson Professor Oliva Saasa (left) and Zambia Railways Managing Director Professor Clive Chirwa
By Maurice MakaluAuthor & Political Commentator.
When swearing in Defence Chiefs, the President lamented to the Army Commander, “You have an engineering department: How can we have collapsed bridges and damaged roads?! What do you do engineer?!”
I am feeling the anguish in the President’s lamentation as I watch the Zambia Railways (ZR) saga unfold. I am asking myself: What are Zambian professors (educated people) for kanshi? If it is not to solve our problems as a nation.
This is the ZR scenario: A politician took a bold, patriotic and necessary decision, cancelled the concession of a bankrupt Zambia Railways and returned it to the Zambian people. He then appointed a renowned Zambian (at least by birth) professor as CEO, correctly believing: “We Zambians cannot fail to revamp and run this thing!” He also appointed a board of very educated and experienced people, with another professor in the mix, and said, correctly again, “I already appointed a CEO for ZR, it is not supposed to be like that. You are the board, go in, regularize things and make this thing work!”
After 28 board meetings, numerous press conferences and public lectures showing nice train pictures and dreams, it is heartbreaking to learn that in the actual fact, all that has been going on behind the scenes is a fight over money, who is educated/qualified and who is not.Sure mwe bantu, is this the best our best brains can do?!
[pullquote]If you fail to fix it, do not go back to the appointing authority and say, “We failed to fix it because it was broken.” That is insane![/pullquote]
We may be a poor country but our resources are not spoils of war (not even to the father of politics of benefits, Daniel Munkombwe), neither are our people exam markers to mark which professor knows how things are supposed to be done and who does not; which professor is from Matero University and what not. The people of Zambia are not interested in lectures in corporate governance and tender procedures.
All the Zambian people want is ZR up and running again. So get the job done, especially since you are educated people.
From where I am sitting, if Willie Nsanda pulls off the Link Zambia 8000 and Pave Zambia 2000 Road Projects without major glitches and scandles, the case for educated people to occupy high positions of decision making in government will become even harder. The uneducated politicians will just be looking after each other, from one regime to the next and the next. Already, Kambwili is not doing too badly at his stadium in Mongu, yet technocrats in Luapula are still struggling just to meet to pave a way forward to implement the President’s directives of setting up universities there. Another technocrat in charge of Mwanawasa Stadium is reported to be complaining at the lack of government grants to maintain the statdium yet he has been put there to free tax payer’s money from that very burden.
Mistakes by the ZR Board
It is disappointing to hear the spokesperson for the board, Prof Saasa, say, “This is a good case for academic study. I invite our colleagues from University of Zambia to make a case study out of this.”
For heaven’s sakes, you were told when you were appointed as the board, “regularize this.” That means you were put in a broken situation and your task was to “fix it.” If you fail to fix it, do not go back to the appointing authority and say, “We failed to fix it because it was broken.” That is insane! And if you want a case study out of your failure to fix, then do it yourselves because you are the only ones who know why you failed to deliver.
Zambians know Prof Chirwa to be a consultant running his own business(es), or at least that is the impression he has given us. How do you ask him for his pay slips as a way to determine his income? Why not his and company’s bank statements or income statements? A lecturer from UNZA will give you his pay slip but that will not show his real income because it does not capture income from private jobs.
Prof Saasa, you are the same person who says Chirwa wanted to use his company (wife’s) to train senior management staff at ZR, why should you then make a big deal out of Chirwa’s pay slip showing 13,000 pounds per month (or is it per week) to embarrass him on his demands of KR250,000 monthly salary?! As a board, you are clearly playing politics when you should be fixing the situation.
Did Chirwa create that company just for the ZR job? That cannot be because you (Saasa) said you saw the company’s filed financial statements in UK signed by Prof Chirwa. How much was there in annual revenues? Kindly tell us so that we can form an opinion of the opportunity cost Chirwa is incurring to be here running ZR, which cost is definitely a factor in his salary demands. Himself says 2 million pounds.
Chirwa failed to produce the three or four references you asked him for, so what? His CV lists a lot of companies he has done work for, why not contact them? Unless if the board is suggesting that Chirwa’s CV is a case of elaborate falsification, his failing to produce a list of references could be due to the fact that he thinks he is a known figure internationally, you should have known or heard of him already. So the need for references becomes “academic” or administrative rather than the usual serious case of real background check before engaging somebody. Again the board is playing politics by making this a big deal instead of fixing things.
There is no reason we should doubt our ability to have an underground rail station. If we can mine copper from deep underground, we can move people in trains underground. So the board errored to use the failure of Lusaka City Council to move sewage underground as a reason to disagree with Chirwa’s vision. How do you compare sewage and people sure?!!! Even if Lusaka sits on a rock, we can drill through. I hate those flyover bridges; the train station itself is an eyesore in the city.
Good Decisions by the Board
I commend the board for asking the minister to dissolve them. Clearly their approach of rushing to assert their authority and issue directives to the CEO only ignited ego battles and helped little to create an enabling environment to revamp ZR. Instead of regularizing, they were exacerbating. Also I commend them for putting their foot down to demand a strategic plan before commencing any major projects Chirwa envisions. Preparing a strategic plan is a performance measure for every CEO. Failure to do so is a clear case of incompetence and consequently, dismissal. Prof Chirwa is hereby forewarned!
The board seems to paint the picture that Chirwa has never run any big business before (apart from his consultancy). This could be true but it may not necessarily mean he will fail. Preparing strategic plans, building competent teams, articulating a vision and inspiring others to get there, using his connections to mobilize resources, etc are factors Chirwa must demonstrate (by the documents, presentations and teams he builds) before we give him a blank cheque on ZR.
So the former board was right in its caution and reservations. Until Chirwa can convince
that he can deliver, Zambians will feel their tax money is going to waste. State House must not skip this over.
Even the feasibility studies and Environmental impact assessments are essential before starting to roll out the ZR dream. So the board got it right on this one too.
But if these studies have been done before under the previous management (s), and the new projects envisioned do not vary significantly from those already studied, in the interest of time and progress, we may just need to do a financial feasibility study and use consultants to make adjustments to already existing feasibility studies and environmental impact assessments. These consultants would of course have to satisfy themselves that the studies they would be adjusting were actually done and not just typed inside offices. This they can do by sampling and verifying the data (measurements, figures, soils, forests, terrain, wild life, habitation, etc) behind the studies, conclusions and recommendations.
If however the variance of the projects is significant, we have to start every study from scratch. The board and the CEO need to work together to make this uncommon decision. If they try to out shine each other on who knows how feasibility studies are done, and who is more exposed and what not, ZR will be stuck. The nation will have repossessed it just to bury it into the ground. Politicians will have delivered, technocrats will have failed. We want people to get the job done, not to show us how much they know.
Prof Chirwa’s mistakes and good deeds
You never run to the media with corporate squabbles, it is the fool’s guide to corporate image destruction. So it was gross unprofessionalism on your part to expose the board’s ridiculous demands of sitting allowances. Cheap politicking.
Four months on the job is too long a time for you to continue meeting your management team one on one. That is stuff you do in a week or two. It is time you start meeting as a team, flesh out the vision and build the commitment as a team. If the board managed 28 meetings even as committees over the same period, how could you fail to manage even 10, let alone 1, as a top management team?! Are you telling us that you despise the urgency that prompted the President to do what he did?
[pullquote]Most of all, we love your vision for ZR.If you can really pull it off, it will be our own version of putting a man on the moon in a decade.[/pullquote]
What is taking you so long to fix your house in Kabwe? If you can sign a cheque for KR38,000 to pay your rentals in Lusaka, you should be able to sign the same or similar amount to rehabilitate your house in Kabwe.
Get down to work and prepare us a strategic plan. We need it before you spend our Euro bond, Sir. Your public lecture is not a strategic plan. If you want to turn it into one, expose it to the honest scrutiny of your management team (specialists and government as funders), allowing them to criticize it and amend it without consequences to their jobs should they tear it to shreds and show you that you are hallucinating.
Why not declare interest in the company you wanted to train senior management staff? While you were away, we enacted an abuse of office clause in our anti-corruption law. Watch your step.
You are a reputable engineer sir (so we believe), give us references we move on. This may be petty to you, but it is somebody’s job, so just cooperate sir.
You want to be part of the procuring committee, why not restrict that to international procurement where you may have connections to leverage in our favour? Otherwise, it’s best you stay out of procurement.
I don’t fault you for demanding KR250,000 per month, 25% shares, 6 air tickets, etc you were a professional negotiating and you had to start from somewhere. It is unfortunate that the board, in their politicking, have trumped up your demands and remained quiet on what their counter proposals to your demands were.
You did good to refuse to pay the board those scandalous allowances. Most of all, we love your vision for ZR. Especially that it looks unrealistic. If you can really pull it off, it will be our own version of putting a man on the moon in a decade. You will be a JF Kennedy and a Neil Armstrong in one. You will have taught the nation to dream again. Good luck!
Conclusion
Is CEO the best way Chirwa can serve our rail transport sector? How about as Permanent Secretary? Or better still, as a Mwansa Kapeya type of deputy minister – specific to rail transport only?
The ZR saga is a case of educated people struggling or failing to fix what is broken and they wash their dirty linen in public, saying, “This cannot be fixed, because it is broken.” This should never happen.
[pullquote]In national interest, all findings are here by declassified[/pullquote] Education is not only for preventing things from breaking, real education should fix broken things too. Don’t just be educated, have wisdom!
Chirwa has been at ZR for 4 months now, how much has he been getting per month? Himself, he says KR140,000 per month, because that is what he signed for after his demands were turned down. If this is true, why the fussy from the board about demands that have been rejected? Or is Chirwa paying himself KR250,000? If so, sanctioned by who? Because these are just demands yet to be regularized.
If he is getting KR250,000 when no board has regularized, can we infer from this that he will get the 25% shareholding too? I think no. But just in case we may have a Daniel Munkombwe at ZR, all focus then must be on State House. Could there be an invisible shareholder in the 25% shareholding?!
Madam Auditor General and our investigative wings, get to the bottom of this for us. In national interest, all findings are here by declassified! No information is confidential.
Zambia Railways is ours, we are watching!
Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) director general Rosewin Wandi says the fight against corruption drive has gained momentum in the last two years as seen from the number of graft cases being reported to the commission.
Ms Wandi said yesterday that the ACC is so far investigating 759 cases of corruption, which she said was a sign of good work given the limited number of manpower under the commission.
She said 19 of the cases under investigation are those reported in the 2011 auditor general’s report.
ZANIS reports that the ACC Director General said this at Solwezi Royal Hotel yesterday.
This was during a one day meeting organised to exchange ideas on how to effectively fight corruption, attended by ACC officers, provincial government heads of departments and representatives of the private sector.
She cited the Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012 as among the factors that have given impetus to the fight against corruption as it allows the ACC to investigate and confiscate proceeds of crime and any unexplained property.
She also attributed the increased momentum in fighting corruption to the national anti corruption policy.
She said the anti-corruption policy provides for all law enforcement agencies to work in partnership, unlike in the past when these agencies worked in isolation.
Ms Wandi said with this approach corruption in the country is now being fought in a comprehensive, extensive and sustainable manner.
Earlier North Western Province permanent secretary Augustine Seyuba said there has been serious compromises in standards of transparency and accountability within government in the province leading to high levels of corruption.
Mr Seyuba said North Western has seen an increase in economic activities which has led to a huge demand for goods and services.
He said following many people interacting in procurement of these services and goods, a tendency of corruption has risen proportionally.
He said the provincial administration has declared zero tolerance against corruption, the resolve which has made the administration unpopular among corrupt people.
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
(2 Corinthians 5:20, NIV)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
God has an assignment for you that nobody else can fulfill. God needs you. He needs your gifts, your smile, your love, your passion. You are a part of His divine plan. You have something to offer nobody else can offer. Nobody has your exact personality, your exact looks. There is something unique about you. Don’t wear that “average” label. If you think you’re average, then you’ll be average. If you think you’re ordinary, then you’ll live an ordinary, “get by life” and never do anything great.
The truth is, there is nothing ordinary about you. You have the fingerprints of God all over you. The Creator of the universe breathed His life into you. He crowned you with His favor. You have royal blood flowing through your veins. You have a destiny to fulfill, something greater than you’ve ever even imagined. Embrace His truth, embrace His love, and embrace the blessings He has in store for your future!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father, thank You for equipping me and choosing me to be Your ambassador on earth. Help me to be Your light and use my gifts and talents to lead others to know You in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Veteran striker Owen Mwendabai came off the substitute bench to salvage a point for Kabwe Warriors who forced an away 1-1 draw against Kalulushi Modern Stars in Kitwe.
With Kalulushi seemingly heading for a win, Mwendabai headed in a speculative cross in the 73rd minute to level the scores.
The ex-Zambia international cancelled Clarence Berrington 13th minute go
Barrington commonly known as Junior handed Kalulushi an early lead with a spectacular overhead kick beating keeper Kelvin Musonda.
Midfielder Gerese Muyumba had a chance to put Kalulushi back in front in the 80th minute but directed his shot wide with only keeper Musonda to beat.
Kalulushi had dominated the first half before Warriors controlled the game late in the second half.
Before the start of this FAZ Super Division match, a moment of silence was observed in memory of the 1993 Gabon Air Disaster whose 20th anniversary falls on Sunday.
ETHIOPIAN Airlines has relaunched its 787 Dreamliner fleet that also services the Zambian route with a direct flight from Addis Ababa to Lusaka.
The 787 Dreamliner fleet was grounded three months ago by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after a problem was detected on the aircraft’s battery system.
But following the FAA’s approval of the improved battery system, Ethiopian Airlines yesterday became the first airline to resume Dreamliner services.
Ethiopian Airlines Senior Vice President for Global Sales Esaya Woldemariam Hailu said Africa’s fastest growing airline relaunched its 787 Dreamliner fleet with a flight to Nairobi, Kenya.
Mr Hailu said after the relaunch 787 Dreamliner fleet would continue servicing the airline’s flagship routes including Lusaka which was among the first destinations the much sought-about aircraft first landed in Africa.
“We were told that most of Ethiopian passengers couldn’t wait for our 787 fleet to be flying again, the good news is that we are the first carrier to resume 787 services,” he said.
He said the Ethiopian Airlines 787 Dreamliner fleet did not suffer any technical hitch but that the airline ground operations in compliance with authorities.
Mr Hailu said safety was the airline’s priority and that even the decision to resume the 787 Dreamliner was arrived at on approval from technicians.
“The FAA approved the improvements to the 787 battery system. Dreamliner is back to provide unrivalled passenger comfort and a revolutionarry flying experience,” he said.
The relaunch of the Ethiopian Airlines 787 Dreamliner created as much hype with the world media swamping Addis Ababa airport to witness the giant aircraft make its way from the hangar.
The Japanese Government on Friday also gave a green light to airlines in the Far East country with 787 Dreamliner service to start using their fleet.
The move follows the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to allow 787s to fly again effective Friday after approving Boeing’s modified battery system last week, even though the root cause of the problem has not been found.
Transport minister Akihiro Ota said on Friday morning that multiple measures have been taken to eliminate fire risks, playing down any remaining safety concerns.
He said in an effort to restore the trust of the flying public, the ministry will ask ANA and JAL to apply voluntary safety measures, such as enhancing monitoring of battery voltage.
Aviation authorities worldwide grounded the 787 after one operated by ANA made an emergency landing at Takamatsu Airport in Kagawa Prefecture on January 16th due to smoke in the cockpit.
Tourism Deputy Minister David Phiri is expected in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia tomorrow (Sunday 28th April) to discuss progress made towards the hosting of the 20th Session of the UNWTO General Assembly in Livingstone and Victoria Falls in August this year.
Mr Phiri and Zimbabwe’s Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Walter Mzembi are expected to jointly brief AU Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Clarice Dlamina- Zuma on the preparations made by their respective governments towards the co-hosting of the mammoth event.
The two Ministers will meet Dr Zuma on Monday 29th April at the AU New building complex in Addis Ababa.
The meeting is a good opportunity for Zambia and Zimbabwe to lobby AU Member States to participate in the 2013 UNWTO General Assembly.
Mr Phiri will present the brief on Zambia’s preparations on behalf of Tourism Minister Silvia Masebo.
This is contained in a statement by First Secretary for Press at the Zambian High Commission in Ethiopia, Dorcas Chileshe.
Power Dynamos on Saturday ended a five game winless streak with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Napsa Stars at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe.
Goals from midfielder Julius Situmbeko and winger Simon Bwalya aided Power to their first home win of the 2013 FAZ Super Division campaign.
Situmbeko put Power in front with a low header one minute into the first half additional time.
Bwalya doubled Power’s lead with a long range shot six minutes afte the restart.
However, Napsa striker Adubelo Phiri caused panic in the Power camp when he scored against his former club in the 83rd minute to ensure a dramatic end to this Week Six fixture.
Phiri’s goal motivated Peter Kaumba’s Napsa to press for an equaliser that never came.
Power have increased their tally to nine points while Napsa are stuck on four points after six matches.
