Govt maintains Oct 24th for Zambian Airways launch

Government has maintained that 24th October this year still remains the official date on which the Zambian Airways will be launched.

Minister of Transport and Communication Brian Mushimba says the large part of the homework to establish the national airline have now been done.

Mr. Mushimba says this includes stakeholder engagements, technical studies, economic modeling and the putting together of business cases.

He states that this is in fact what has lead to the partnership which the Zambian government has entered into with the Ethiopian Airways to establish the national airline.

Mr. Mushimba has disclosed to QTV News agreements have to this case been tabled with the Ethiopian Airways and that all these engagements are now coming to an end.

He states that from what he has seen, the shareholders agreements, Airplane leasing Agreement, Maintenance agreement and management contracts will be signed this month.

Mr. Mushimba is confident that if these agreements and contracts can be signed this month, September can used for recruiting and that planes can be brought on the ground in October.

He says government is therefore holding steadily that there will be an inaugural flight on 24th of October this year of the Zambian Airways planes.

Meanwhile Mr. Mushimba has directed the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to ensure that before the Zambian Airways is launched, all aerodromes and airstrips in the Country are well sanitized.

Mr. Mushimba has urged the CAA to ensure that all structures that have built on the aerodromes and airstrips illegally demolished and all aerodromes and airstrips put on title as a matter of urgency.

He was speaking when he toured the CAA stand at the Zambia Agricultural and Commercial Show in Lusaka.

And CAA Director General Gabriel Lesa has informed Mr. Mushimba that the process of putting on title all aerodromes and airstrips in the Country has already begun.

Mr. Lesa says the CAA has also developed new guidelines and standards for all aerodromes in the Country.

Meanwhile Mr. Lesa says this year’s Zambia Agricultural and Commercial Show theme of Sustainable Economic Empowerment tallies well with the CAA’s mandate.

Mr. Lesa has told QTV News that this is because all sectors of the Zambian economy rely on affordable effective and reliable transport which the air transport provides.

He says the CAA believes that air transport is the most affordable effective and reliable transport in Zambia.