BULAWAYO – Struggling national carrier Air Zimbabwe has appointed Edmund Makona as its new CEO.
Makona has been acting CEO since April this year.
“The incoming CEO is a top-notch regional and international aviation expert and consultant with over 38 years of experience,” the Air Zimbabwe board said in a statement on Monday.
“He has been an aviation consultant with aeronautical engineering background, a type-rated licensed aircraft engineer, aviation quality, safety and security expert and a trainer for the aircraft engineers and pilots ground school.
“Makona also served both as president and executive committee member of the African Airline Association. He is currently the ambassador of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) for the Africa Southern Region.
“The board is keen on unlocking value from Makona’s diverse expertise and vast experience. We are confident that he will complement the board’s vision to turn around the national carrier and reposition it to become a strategic, competitive and viable airline for the country.”
Air Zimbabwe is saddled with huge debts of over US$400 million. The auditor general, in a report released last year, said: “The accumulated losses of US$407,843,950 have been recognised to date and that the company’s total liabilities exceed its assets by US$380,224,835.”
Air Zimbabwe has eight planes on its books, comprising six Boeing 700 series, an Airbus A320 and an Embraer ERJ145.
Of the eight aircraft, only the Boeing 737, Boeing 767 and the smaller Embraer ERJ 145 are currently in service.
The airline only operates domestic and regional flights from its hub in Harare to Bulawayo, Victoria Falls, Johannesburg and Dar es Salam.
