President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed former Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa as chairperson of Air Zimbabwe. 

The insolvent national airline is however still under reconstruction under the administration of Grant Thornton & Camelsa’s Reggie Saruchera.

In a statement, the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, said the appointment is with immediate effect.

Analysts have questioned why the Government would appoint a new board chair when the airline is still under reconstruction.

Saruchera told Members of Parliament this afternoon that delays by the Government in assuming Air Zimbabwe’s US$387 million debt had basically placed the reconstruction process on hold.

He added that because of the hold up, the reconstruction agenda had missed its initial June 2019 deadline and would therefore be extended to 2020.

However the appointment of the former Finance Minister could indicate that the Government may have another play on Air Zimbabwe.

Issues around Air Zimbabwe have been murky, especially as the previous Robert Mugabe-led Government moved to introduce Zimbabwe Airways – linked to the former president’s son-in-law Simba Chikore.

The move was largely viewed as a strategy to kill off Air Zimbabwe.