Source: PICS: Mugabe’s daughter Bona at airport to welcome new plane with dad’s initials | News24
Robert Mugabe’s daughter Bona was at Harare’s international airport on Wednesday to see the arrival of a newly-acquired passenger plane bearing her father’s initials.
The Boeing 777, with the registration code Z-RGM, made a low fly past over Harare’s main Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport before it touched down early afternoon from Malaysia.
Pictures from the runway showed Bona Mugabe with her husband, Simba Chikore, who was aboard the plane and dressed in a pilot’s uniform. It was unclear if Chikore, a trained airline pilot, had been at the controls.
See pictures below
Chikore was chief operating officer at the debt-ridden Air Zimbabwe at the time a deal was reportedly sealed last year with Malaysia Airlines to purchase pre-used planes. He no longer holds that post.
State journalist Clarkson Mambo, tweeting from the airport, quoted Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa as saying the Zimbabwe government had so far paid $35 million for two Boeing 777s. He said the government – now headed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa – plans to acquire six more smaller aircraft.
Debt-ridden Air Zimbabwe is currently banned from flying to Europe because of safety concerns.
Last year there was speculation the government of former president Robert Mugabe would try to create a new airline called Zimbabwe Airways so that it can resume flights on lucrative European routes.
Mugabe was forced to step down during a military takeover in November.
Scenes at RG Mugabe International as the Zimbabwe Airways Boeing 777 is treated to a water salute. The plane's registration is Z-RGM (Robert Gabriel Mugabe). I reckon this long-haul aircraft would be suitable for the Harare-London or Harare-Lusaka-Guangzhou routes. pic.twitter.com/yPRYVKEeK8
— Brezh Malaba (@BrezhMalaba) April 11, 2018
Simba Chikowore, with wife Bona Mugabe at RGMI Airport.
Not sure if he was one of the pilots but was one of the people who were in the plane, Z-RGM#ZimAirways pic.twitter.com/h0OmLZzsi1
— Clarkson Mambo (@cemambo) April 11, 2018
Ladies and Gentlemen Zimbabwe Airways has announced itself with a low fly past over R.G Mugabe International. pic.twitter.com/f9brd5xsZW
— Jerry Haas (@IamMrHaas) April 11, 2018
COMMENTS
PROUDLY!!!!!!!!!! I am not ” SPELLBOUND “.
Welcome to Mugabe Land. He alone and his mafia stood to benefit from the protracted war of independence. He gets to choose what he likes and simply issues orders to give this license to Bona, that tender to Leo and that money to Grace to start their not so thriving businesses in Gushung-ho Dairy, ZimAirways, Airport tenders and many diamonds deals.
Robert Mugabe had such health threatening syphilis that surgery rendered him unable to father children.His “children” are Grace’s children by other men.TARA
Does what Mugabe did for the country deserve us to name the International Airport under his name. Look at what is happening in the country. he was the architect of all these problems by refusing to leave while he was still welcome. Mugabes policies dragged the country into the misery and mess we are in and people are still naming structures under his name. Are we really honest that Mugabe is a hero after what the country went through under his nose as President.How many people lost their lives because he did not want opposition. What about Gukurahundi. What about the loss to the country of our savings policies and the poverty on the country being blamed on sanctions yet we all know it was because of faulty policy making and not wanting to leave power. To me this whole bunch of people are the same and Mugabe was not a saint and does not deserve what we are giving him. The people he killed are really turning in their graves
Well said..all i can add to that is zanupf are thieves and thugs for the last 42 years..
“African Democracy”? One man – one vote – once! Learn to live with our choice!
You don’t need to be a prophet to foretell that this airport’s name will change soon. Sooner than we think.
I received a Rhodesian immigration package in the mid 1970’s as a late teen. The phrase then was ‘Rhodesia is Super’. Apparently not for all. I am a Canadian with strong interests in the international realm. I have and do follow developments in Zimbabwe to this day. From what I see on the internet recently, I have two thoughts:
1) A new slogan suggestion: ‘Zimbabwe. The past is the past. Delivering the future’. The future is all that anyone can participate in.
2) A hopeful, future looking name for the international airport – not Mugabe, Perhaps ‘Loftus International Zimbabwe Airport’ or ‘Zimtus International airport’ – note the ‘us’ in both versions – which includes both the domestic and international elements and desires. The reality for all.
The connection to me is simply that I have followed your nation with interest since the mid 1970’s, and in moving forward, domestically and internationally, the inclusive ‘us’ is relevant to all countries. We are all in this together! Zimbabwe could use this view to become a vwey pertinent international participant moving forward.
Kind Regards,
Gary Loftus