J M Nkomo Airport set for facelift again

THE Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport in Bulawayo needs a facelift as its appearance is not up to standard and is one of the facilities that the Government has put forward for possible Chinese funding, a Cabinet Minister said.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting between Zimbabwean officials and the nine member Chinese delegation that was in the country for site visits and discussions on the state of the projects funded by the Asian country, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joram Gumbo said the Bulawayo airport was also one of the projects put forward and discussed with the Chinese.

The Chinese delegation led by Vice Minister of Commerce Zhang Xiangchen held discussions in Victoria Falls with Minister Gumbo on Thursday where they were appraised on the progress made on the expansion of the Victoria Falls International Airport as well as aviation projects that are yet to be undertaken.

"I am not even happy about the appearance of the Joshua Nkomo Airport especially when you see the 'Welcome to Joshua Nkomo' writing; it is not up to standard. We will be looking at all that and the lounges as well as every aspect of the airport," said Minister Gumbo.

Minister Gumbo said face lifting the appearance of the airport was important because airports were the first place where visitors get a feel of the country. He said it was important for them to be presentable.

"The visitors' first impression of our country is formed at the airport that is why we need to change the appearance of the JM Nkomo Airport. We outlined the changes that need to be done to it to the Chinese delegation when we were discussing the aviation projects we intend to undertake," Minister Gumbo said.

Aside from the changes that Government intends to implement at JMN International Airport, development of the airport is still incomplete with certain areas that include the control tower, fire station and runway still yet to be completed.

The Minister said all these were included in the project proposal presented to the Chinese.

CCTVs are being used to monitor and communicate movements at the airport.

"Those areas have not been left behind. The thing is we are still working on the Victoria Falls airport that we are hoping to operationalise end of November and commission by May next year," said Minister Gumbo.

Some of the projects in the aviation sector outlined by Minister Gumbo included rehabilitation of the Harare International Airport, Buffalo Range and Kariba airports.

Speaking on the national airline, Air Zimbabwe, Minister Gumbo said it was not part of the Chinese plan but that Government was engaging other partners to turn around the company.

"Air Zimbabwe is actually in the sick bay and we are working on it but not with the Chinese. We are talking to other partners who will help make a turnaround of Air Zimbabwe.

"As a national airline, we are coming up with our own partners who will partner us or help one way or the other in resuscitating AirZim," he said.

Minister Gumbo also outlined other areas of development in his ministry that include dualisation of major roads like the Beitbridge- Bulawayo- Victoria Falls highway and the Beitbridge- Harare- Chirundu road.

He said all these projects will be costly as feasibility studies done for the Beitbridge- Masvingo road showed that about $1,5 to $2 billion is needed including the Harare ring road.

Minister Gumbo confirmed that the tender would be announced before December.
He also highlighted that construction of border posts was another area of interest discussed with the Chinese.

"We are looking at constructing Plumtree, Victoria Falls, Nyamapanda and Forbes border posts. Everyone is clamouring for the Beitbridge border post because it is the biggest with the most traffic," he said.

The discussions in Victoria Falls with the Chinese delegation were also attended by Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister Supa Mandiwanzira as well as Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Edgar Mbwembwe among other top government officials.