Zambia will no longer be receiving a Sukhoi SuperJet 100 VIP passenger jet from Russia as it lacks the funds to pay for the aircraft.
Russia’s Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov told TASS during the Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi last week that the contract for the VIP-configured aircraft has been suspended as Zambia cannot pay for the jet.
“In Africa, for example, we signed a contract for the supply of a VIP version of the SSJ 100 [SuperJet] to Zambia. But in Zambia, besides the advance payment, there were no funds to finance this aircraft, so the contract has been frozen,” Manturov said.
In July 2017 it was reported that Zambia had ordered five SuperJets from Russia.
Subsequent media reports stated that Sukhoi would only supply a single VIP-configured SuperJet for President Edgar Lungu, after earlier reports suggested four SuperJets would be acquired for the relaunch of Zambia Airways.
The single SuperJet was to be delivered this year at a cost of $45-49 million, Sukhoi vice president Yevgeny Andrachnikov said at the Russian Business Aviation Exhibition last year.
Zambia’s Air Force has acquired a number of new aircraft in recent years.
By August this year, it had received its two Leonardo C-27J Spartan transport aircraft that were ordered in 2015 from Italy.
In Zambian service, the C-27Js will most likely replace the Air Force’s BAe 748s and supplement its Y-12 and MA60 transport aircraft.
They are based at Lusaka/Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, according to Scramble Magazine.
On 28 February this year, the Zambian Air Force received a new Gulfstream 650ER jet, which is believed to have been ordered for $65 million via Israel, where it was fitted with a self-defence system.
The G650 takes over from the Challenger 604 used by the Zambian government for VIP transport.
Just forget about Zambia Airways. Zambia is broke; running an airline requires years of subsidies.
Now Lungu..how many luxury jets does want? This is greed at its highest. Now he has exhausted our money and cant pay for his toys. Meantime the minions will be here on this blog trumpetting rubbish and calling anyone that criticizes such lavish lifestyle at the exoense of the poor all sorts of names.
As I have always said, just because you benefit from this corrupt, greedy regime should not make you insensitive to the suffering of others! At least just shut your mouth and stop feeding us your rubbish under the guise of being clever. We all know that its because your bread is buttered by being a cadre. Without your cadrerism you would be a popper because you are too lazy to do an honest day’s work!
Where is the Challenger Ba Pompwe imwe?????
Zambia faces no financial crisis, said Margaret Mwanakatwe whn she was Finance Minister and the band played on.
Lungu and PF bandits….what do you expect…bankrupting the country like no mans business….Politicians are wicked…..
What else can Zambia afford apart from wasting tax payers money paying for Esther Lungu’s bedroom attendant and meaningless foreign trips
The years of stealing with impunity is catching up with this corrupt, despotic pf government
Value of money… $40 million is alot of money.
And it’s $40 million that Dora Siliya’s ministry scoffed out of Zambia in name of buying invisible electricity from dry lines of xenaphoobic Escom.
PFools.
Value of money… $40 million is alot of money.
And it’s $40 million that Dora Siliya’s ministry scoffed out of Zambia in name of buying invisible electricity from dry lines of Escom.
PFckers!
HAZALUZA HAGAIN! Let’s do it HAGAIN!
You are failing to pay Mamba barat for electricity which we prepay and you think you can pay for this Jet? These nincompoos have no preorities whatsoever, why buy a jet when the wheels of the economy are off due to lack of electricity? PF is a curse, a bad omen that we should get rid off ourselves in 2021,nonsense.
Chipantepante BS.
AN AIRLINE ISN’T A PRIORITY BETTER WE PAY FOR ELECTRICITY WITH MAAMBA THAN AN AIRLINE. AN AIRLINE IS GOOD ECONOMIC VENTURE BUT NOT AS NECESSARY AS RETURNING SANITY TO THE INDUSTRIAL AREA. LOTS OF COMPANIES ARE ALREADY MAKING LOSSES AS A RESULT OF LOAD SHEDDING.
Blessing in disguise. Russian passenger planes have the worst record. Just cancel the thing.
so what happens to the deposit already paid? How much was it?
please explain
Lost …….lungus collateral damage.
Deposit is non refundable
Where is that chap BR Mumba? Rolling into oblivion?
B.R MUMBA IS STILL ROLLING IN THE DEEP, – basically Sh1t3!!
The guy is a clueless P.F cheerleader, who boasts to all cadres who care to lend an ear, “we run this country”, & when things go wrong, he goes into typical P.F mode, which is – Reverse gear & proclaims shamelessly, “I’m a UNIPIST”
Sad state of affairs is these ARE THE EDUCATED ZAMBIANS!! Kaya???
It’s also believed Zambia lost the Deposit they paid Russian air company as they are in breach of contract.
JUST HOW MUCH TAXPAYERS CASH IS DISHONEST LAWYER CHAKOLWA, & HIS ANCIENT FIRE TENDER LOVING WIFE LOSING ZAMBIA??
These Guys bene Jona would not even be fit to be a cashier in ShopRite, as he’s a Lawyer with “Long Fingers”, just ask the Widow!
Lungu tomba noko
This is when you run a country like you are running a tarven in chawama …….
You borrow to buy an expensive juke box while the roof is leaking heavily …..
Actually just waiting for Mr “Red Snapper” Monday Chanda to shamelessly declare, “ITS ALL HAKAINDE’S FAULT, HE STOLE OUR DEPOSIT, & MONEY WE HAD PUT ASIDE IN THE BANK TO PAY FOR THIS USELESS DUNUNA REVERSE WHITE ELEPHANT AIRCRAFT PROJECT”
Ba Valden will in the meantime be having nightmares, as I’m sure his seat was already marked with his name printed on the expensive leather seats, hence, the NO NONSENSE Russians “gwinyaring” the deposit. Only in Jona Mwibala’s Kleptocracy!
Shame on you BR Mumba ,my prediction has proven you were wrong on Zambia Airways relaunch.
Ati HH pocketed US$ 14 million from the sale of Lower Zambezi National Park. So the PF sold the mine to an opposition leader and competitor.
Now you have ECL and the PF wasting tax payers money on useless private jets.$65 million on a private jet and 2.5 million Zambians are facing acute hunger.
CRY MY BELOVED COUNTRY.
Apart from the new jet that was purchased for him in February this year, he was still waiting for another one. Surely, what kind of foolis.hness is this? The country has been bleed dry and all you can think of as a leader is a new jet?