Edmund Murambiwa Makona has been appointed by Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development and Air Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd board, as the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the national airline, with immediate effect.
Makona, a board member of Air Zimbabwe, has been appointed in accordance with Section 14 (4) (b) of the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act [Chapter 10:31] for a period of six months, during which the board aims to recruit a substantive CEO.
Makona is a highly experienced aviation expert with a career spanning over three decades. He is a top-level aviation executive, an international aviation consultant, and a licensed engineer with a background in aeronautical engineering. He is also an expert in aviation quality, safety, and security, as well as a trainer for aircraft engineers and pilots ground school.
Makona previously served as the CEO of Air Zimbabwe and successfully relaunched the airline in 2013. He has also held the position of President of the African Airlines (AFRAA) and has served as an independent consultant for IATA on various African airline missions.
As the acting CEO of the national carrier Makona has been tasked with spearheading the airline’s recovery process and implementing the company’s six-year strategic turnaround plan (STP).
This plan includes the procurement and deployment of appropriate equipment for the current and planned route network, as well as fleet commonality to contain maintenance and operational costs.
The board is confident that Makona’s vast experience and expertise will greatly contribute to the business turnaround of Air Zimbabwe during his six-month tenure. We are excited to have him on board and look forward to unlocking value from his strategic leadership as we work towards a successful future for Air Zimbabwe.