By Elishamai A. Ziumbwa
Air Zimbabwe has placed integrity and strong governance at the heart of its turnaround plan as pressure mounts on state-owned enterprises to improve accountability.
The airline’s board members and senior executives signed corporate and individual integrity pledges at the company’s annual general meeting.
Officials described the move as central to rebuilding public trust in the troubled national carrier.
Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) chairperson Michael Reza said the ceremony signalled a renewed commitment to ethical leadership.
“This ceremony is not just procedural it is symbolic. For an airline, credibility is capital; integrity is currency,” Reza said warning that corruption in the aviation sector poses risks far beyond financial loss.
He cautioned that graft could threaten passenger safety, international route rights and strategic partnerships. He said the pledge was in line with government efforts to transform state enterprises into transparent, efficient institutions.
“This pledge is a living commitment. It must shape how every contract, every dollar and every decision is handled,” he said.
Government officials echoed the call for disciplined management saying Air Zimbabwe’s future depends on sound governance.
In a speech read on his behalf by his deputy Joshua Sacco, Transport Minister Felix Mhona applauded the airline’s efforts to comply with public corporate governance standards.
“These expectations are not optional they are essential for the airline’s recovery,” he said.
He said despite a difficult operating environment, the carrier had maintained key routes and preserved engineering capacity.
Mhona urged the Mutapa Investment Fund which oversees state assets to recapitalise the airline but said any fresh investment must be coupled with responsible stewardship.
“Air Zimbabwe must reclaim its place in the skies, but it must do so with transparency and accountability,” he said.
Chief executive Edmund Makona said the company’s growth strategy recognises that credibility is vital especially as the airline eyes expansion beyond the borders.“We want to grow from within and dominate the domestic market.
But even as we look outward to London and China our growth must be rooted in systems that can withstand ethical scrutiny,” he said.
The AGM reflected a shift in Air Zimbabwe’s narrative away from aircraft availability and route networks and towards restoring public confidence in a state asset long burdened by debt and perceptions of mismanagement.
As government pushes towards its Vision 2030 goals, officials said the national airline must set a new standard for governance.
“Integrity is the wind beneath our wings. If we get governance right, Air Zimbabwe’s revival will follow.” Reza said.
