GOVERNMENT is in talks with Fly Zambia investors who want to set up a national airline under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative. The airline will be managed by a group of investors from South Africa and Zambia in a partnership arrangement.
The airline will use the Fokker 100 and Fokker 50 aircrafts which have low operational costs. The regional routes will include Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Transport, Works, Supply and Communications permanent secretary Dominic Sichanga said the proposed airline will be driven by the private sector. Mr Sichinga said in an interview in Lusaka that the airline, once set up, will have a positive social and economic impact on the nation.
“We had a discussion with Fly Zambia on the need to set up a national carrier. We are still studying their proposal and our technical team is looking at how this airline will be set up under PPP arrangements,” he said.
He said transport is important to national development and the government is also looking at improving transport infrastructure such as airports and harbours.
Mr Sichinga said Mpulungu Harbour is one port that Government is considering to revive by making it a gateway to the great lakes region. “Since we took over Mpulungu recently, we want to make the port economically viable since the port is nearest to the markets in the great Lakes region,” he said.
He said the country has been using Mpulungu to export it sugar and cement steel will now be exported using the same port.
Meanwhile, a technical team engaged in talks with a Turkish firm, Guris Holding on the development of a new international terminal in Lusaka is expected to conclude discussions soon.
The team will then submit a report to Government to indicate whether the bidder is responsive to the demands of infrastructure development at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka.
Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communication permanent secretary Dominic Sichinga who confirmed this in an interview said negotiations are progressing well.
Recently, Guris Holdings won the tender after Government advertised for a concessionaire for the development of a new international terminal which attracted Chinese companies, South African firm and a consortium of Zambians with an international company.
Mr Sichinga said at the end of negotiations, the technical team will report to the Public Private Partnership (PPP) council of ministers which will scrutinise the recommendations.
“Government will need to study the report. It will either accept the recommendations of the technical team or proceed to negotiate with the next bidder,” he said.
Mr Sichinga said Government has made 21 proposals to be considered that include a new terminal building with a capacity to handle 5,000,000 passengers annually, a runway, five star hotel and an expanded dual carriage way leading to the airport, among other things.
“We want a bigger terminal of modern architecture. Because of security issues, most airports are now made of glass (material) and we want such kind of a structure,” he said.
He said there is need to upgrade on security measures to international standards otherwise Zambia would be vulnerable to safety threats. The proposed new airport will also have a VIP terminal for presidents and other international dignitaries and existing terminal at the KK International Airport will serve as a domestic terminal.
Mr Sichinga said the concessional period has not been agreed upon but would depend on the investment in the project, marketing strategy of the client and revenue projections.
He said the marketing structure will look at whether Guris Holdings will introduce more new airline routes into the country such as Turkish Airline and boost local tourism.
[Zambia DAily Mail]
