Presidential plane not fit for HH, says State House

The plane was acquired with due diligence and all considerations for use by the Head of the State, however it is no longer suitable for the exact job.

The Presidential jet has been declared unfit to transport the first President Hakainde Hichilema, State House Chief Communication Specialist Clayson Hamasaka has said.

He said President Hichilema will continue using commercial flights for as long as the presidential plane remains unfit.

Hamasaka told Phoenix News in an interview that the arrangement is practical and temporary, following established travel protocols, with robust security arrangements in place.

He has defended the President’s use of Proflight planes, citing it as a preferable local airline for the Head of State.

Hamasaka is urging citizens to focus on national development priorities, including food production, and encouraged Zambians to invest in farming to boost economic stability and resilience rather than focusing on the President’s mode of transport.

His comment comes in the wake of continued stakeholder concerns over the use of commercial flights by the Head of State as evidenced on his recent visit to Zimbabwe.