With just one airplane, over 100 employees and a full-fledged board plus heavy losses, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said the appointment of Patrick Chinamasa as Air Zimbabwe board chairman is above board.

In an interview with Capitalk 100.4FM last Friday, President Mnangagwa said he was alive to the fact that Air Zimbabwe was under administration.

Mr Reggie Saruchera of Grant Thornton is the administrator since October last year, after Government issued General Notice 758/2018, which placed Air Zimbabwe under administration.

Some legal practitioners have been insinuating that the appointment of Chinamasa as Air Zimbabwe board chairman last week, was offside since management of the national flag carrier was “thrust in the hands” of Mr Saruchera.

But President Mnangagwa said both the administrator and board have their duties clearly spelt in terms of the law.

“That’s not a problem (Air Zimbabwe being under administration); the board is a board of Air Zimbabwe,” said President Mnangagwa. “The administrator, who is doing reconstruction, has a period which he has been given. I am not ignorant of that. So, I know where we are going, the board must be there.

“Those who get frightened because we have put people who are going to drive things, it’s their own fault. So, there is no conflict at all. The board has its duties spelt out, the administrator has his duties or her duties spelt out. Let him do his duty and let the board do their duty.”