The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Group announced the appointment of six members of the board of directors of Zambia Airways, who include former Attorney General Bonaventure Mutale, among others, with immediate effect.

In a statement issued by IDC public relations manager Namakau Mukelabai, Friday, IDC Chief Executive Officer Mateyo Kaluba announced the appointment of the six directors, who comprise three Zambians and three Ethiopians respectively.

On the Zambian side, Mutale will be joined by former Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL) managing director Robinson Misitala and Ministry of Transport and Communications Permanent Secretary Misheck Lungu, while the Ethiopian directors are: Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer, Tewolde GebreMariam; Ethiopian Airlines Vice President for Marketing, Rahel Assefa, and Ethiopian Airlines Vice President Internal Audit and Compliance, Kassim Geresu.

An additional member of the board representing IDC will be appointed later, bringing the number of IDC appointees to four, while the chair of the board will be selected from the members representing the IDC, according to Mukelabai.

Commenting on the appointees, Kaluba hailed the new directors’ broad-ranging skill-set for the task of spearheading the process to operationalise Zambia Airways.

“The skills mix and vast experience of the board members gives us the confidence that we have the right team to actualise the joint investment between IDC and Ethiopian Airlines”, Kaluba said.

He further said the board would have regular interactions with the media and the general public to ensure effective communication and information sharing.

On August 19, 2018, the IDC and Ethiopian Airlines held a signing ceremony in Lusaka to mark the agreement as shareholders of Zambia Airways.

As strategic partners on the national airline project, IDC will hold a 55 per cent equity in the national carrier, with Ethiopian Airlines holding 45 per cent stake.

In October, 2018, Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba told Parliament that the date for the launch of the much-hyped national airline had been extended to early 2019 to allow for the certification and registration processes to be completed.