Tanzania’s Foreign Affairs minister has threatened to pull the government out of aircraft deals with Canada to protest the reported seizure of a plane over a contentious $33 million debt owed to a South African farmer.
Professor Palamagamba Kabudi adds that he summoned Canada’s envoy to Dar es Salaam last week to express displeasure at the plane’s impoundment due for delivery to the government on Thursday.
The DHC Dash 8-400 aircraft, a turboprop which seats up to 90 and built by Canada’s De Havilla, is the second of Tanzanian planes to be seized in connection with the case.
In August, an Airbus 220-300 aircraft was seized in South Africa’s Johannesburg airport during a scheduled flight but was released in September after a court reprieve.