Minister for Transport, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe

The Minister for Transport Dr Harrison Mwakyembe has pledged to find out the reasons which made an investor in the Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) to change his decision and quit.

He was responding to a supplementary question by Kheri Khatibu Ameir, Legislator Matemwe (CCM) who wanted the government to explain why the investor left.

Minister Mwakyembe said he has directed officials of his Ministry to let him know when the investor (China Singangol International Limited) would arrive and meet him to discuss the issue.

“The investor is scheduled to fly into the country soon. I will meet him to find out the reasons which made him quit,” he told the house.

He said already the government has started to take various measures aimed at reviving the ailing ATCL.

“It is the government’s intention to see the company improving and becoming self sustaining in service delivery, so as to contribute to the economy,” he said.

Some of the measures taken include setting aside 16.7bn/- for the 2011/12 which was spent in maintenance of its Dash 8Q300 plane in South Africa. He said the maintenance of another plane

Dash 8Q300 will be carried out in the country later on.

He said the government has since 2010 been paying salaries of ATCL workers.

Minister Mwakyembe said the Ministry has presented to the government, the ATCL arrears estimated to be 106bn/- in order to make it access loans and operate commercially.

“We have also made management changes aimed at improving accountability within the company,” he said.

According to the minister the government has also continued to look for more serious investors for the company.

In the year 2007 the government invited the Chinese private company Sonangol International limited to invest in ATCL.

However due to unavoidable circumstances the investor changed his decision to invest in ATCL.