adminNyemudzai Kakore : Herald Correspondent
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo has ordered the national airline Air Zimbabwe to streamline its bloated management. Addressing delegates while appointing a new Air Zimbabwe board yesterday, Dr Gumbo said the new board should develop and recommend an appropriate organisational structure to the ministry.He said this would be enhanced by the appointment of the new chief executive officer, Mr Ripton Muzenda, who together with the board members were expected to spearhead the airline attending to critical issues and producing tangible results.
“Pursuant to the full implementation of the turnaround of the national airline, the ministry has deemed it necessary to reorganise the Air Zimbabwe board in the hope that these appointments will assist the ministry and Government in the turnaround process,” he said.
“We want to see a new organisational structure and this is a matter of urgency if it can even be done today. I can point out that Air Zimbabwe has been having about 28 directors, an airliner of that size. To me it doesn’t augur very well so we urgently want to see a thinner structure and that’s the only way we can turn around Air Zimbabwe.”
Among the issues to be worked on are ensuring the return of the Airbus A320, which has been undergoing maintenance in South Africa, finalise the production of audited accounts for the airline which have been outstanding since 2009 and attend to all labour and human resources issues bedevilling the airline.
Other urgent matters are to instil business ethics in management by ensuring that at least flight schedules are adhered to, ensuring the revival of lucrative regional and international routes and working closely with the ministry and Government in identifying a strategic partner and develop other sound business models to make the airline competitive.
Responding to questions on whether the new board and its directors would change the face of Airzim amid revelations that the new board chairman was coming from a parastatal that was not performing, Dr Gumbo said, “The fact that he got the job after over 30 candidates were interviewed and scrutinised means he is the rightful candidate for the job.”
He said Mr Muzenda worked at Airzim for 19 years at a senior position before he went abroad to work for another airline and he had the necessary experience.
The board, which comprises members from the public and private sector, is led by Professor Chipo Dyanda (re-affirmed) who will be deputised by Mr Pathias Chironga.
Other members of the board are Messrs Pascal Changunda, Luckson Muzondo, Lyton Shumba, Gift Noko, Fulton Mangwanya and Ms Mandas Marikanda as well as Ms Dacl-Ray Rambanapasi.
Online Reporter