Govt appoints AirZim board

By The NewsDay | Aug. 1, 2022 | 2 Min read

TRANSPORT minister Felix Mhona yesterday appointed a six-member interim board for the struggling national airline, Air Zimbabwe.

BY FREEMAN MAKOPA TRANSPORT minister Felix Mhona yesterday appointed a six-member board to lead the struggling national airline, Air Zimbabwe.

The six-member board, chaired by Silvano Gwarinda, replaces the previous one which was led by Andrew Bvumbe.

The other board members are Ruth Raina Hungwe-Rukarwa, former chief executive Edmund Murambiwa Makona, Lawrence Simbarashe Musendekwa, Ticharwa Garabga and Mucharemba Kahombe.

“The substantive board takes over from the interim board, exactly one year and 23 days since the day we appointed the interim board to take over the strategic leadership role of Air Zimbabwe from the administrator, Reggie Saruchera of Grant Thornton on 8 July 2021,” Mhona said.

“Air Zimbabwe was placed under administration in terms of the Reconstruction of State-Indebted Insolvent Companies Act [Chapter 24:27] from 4 October 2018 to 30 June 2021. Mr Saruchera and his team implemented a scheme of reconstruction until 30 June 2021, whereupon we appointed the outgoing interim board on July 8, 2021,” he said.

Mhona said government approved the implementation of the Air Zimbabwe six-year Strategic Turnaround Plan, whose blueprint is already in operation, albeit with a few adjustments in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted businesses across the world.

“It is our hope that the substantive board will move in with speed, familiarise themselves with the same, align the strategic plan to their priorities and strategy, with the view to chart a way forward which will enhance business of the airline,” Mhona said.

The Transport ministry is in the process of appointing the seventh board member, a female who shall be announced in due course.