Joram Gumbo issues statement on Zimbabwe Airways and dualisation of Beitbridge-Harare Road

          D. Resuscitation of Zimbabwe Airways (Pvt) Ltd

          Mr. Speaker Sir, between 2012 and 2017, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development sought authority from the Cabinet to seek for Strategic Partners for Air Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd.

          At its meeting on the 10th of March, 2015, Cabinet resolved that the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development submit to it the following:

                   i.            a list of possible Strategic Technical Partners for Air Zimbabwe;

                ii.            strategy for engagement; and

             iii.            as proposed acceptable shareholding structure.

The Ministry was also tasked to benchmark the plan with international best practice, particularly with respect to the regional airlines that had undertaken similar projects.

Efforts to secure a strategic partner were hampered by two major issues, namely the debt situation which remained unresolved despite Cabinet approving its takeover and the non-availability of audited accounts in the airline since 2009.  Matters came to a head in 2016 when the management at the Air Zimbabwe then, sought to re-launch the Harare-London route without consulting the Ministry and the CAAZ submitted their application to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).  During the same period that the management made the application to EASA, they had received the results of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA audit, which results were not positive.

The Government of Zimbabwe as the State party to the international Civil Aviation Authority Organisation (ICAO), the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) as the aviation sector regulatory authority in Zimbabwe and Air Zimbabwe Limited as the national carrier and offending party, were summoned to appear before the European Union Air Safety Committee on 26th April, 2017 in Brussels, Belgium.

Subsequently, in May 2017, under references ARES (2017) 246318 Zimbabwe updated the community list of air carriers subject to an operating ban within the European Union in the framework of regulations (EC. Number 2111/2009), Air Zimbabwe was then banned from flying or over flying the European Union air space.

The Ministry, on behalf of the Government of Zimbabwe, being desirous to continue air space operations through a national carrier then resuscitated the operationalisation of Zimbabwe Airways Private Limited in July 2017.  The Ministry renewed the air service permit for Zimbabwe Airways and is valid until July 2020.

Purchase of aircraft

Mr. Speaker Sir, in October, 2016 Air Zimbabwe approached the State Procurement Board to seek authority for the purchase of four Boeing 777 second hand aircraft from Malaysia.  SPB approved Air Zimbabwe’s request in November, 2016.  Air Malaysia offered the Government the four aircraft for a purchase price of US$70 million in total.  The Zimbabwe Aviation Leasing Company was then informed to ensure that the aircraft would not be attached by creditors who were after Air Zimbabwe property.  To date, a payment of US$41 million has been made and the balance of US$29 million is outstanding.  Government has since received delivery of the first aircraft on 11 April, 2018.This covers the issue of Zimbabwe Airways and its history to-date.

Continued next page

(1325 VIEWS)