Africa’s fast growing airline, RwandAir has sacked its CEO, John Mirenge after a cabinet meeting chaired by Rwandan President, Paul Kagame.
The sacking of the former Chief Executive on Wednesday paved the way for the appointment of Col. Chance Ndagano as the Acting CEO of the airline.
According to afritraveller.com, the cabinet also appointed Lt Col. Sylvere Munyaneza as the Deputy CEO in charge of Operations (COO) while Makolo Manzi Yvonne was given the portfolio of the Deputy CEO in charge of Corporate Affairs.
Other decisions in the meeting included the appointment of Dr. Muvunyi Emmanuel as the airline’s Executive Director replacing Dr. Innocent S. Mugisha.
The Acting CEO Ndagano received John Mirenge’s handover report in a ceremony that took place at RwandAir’s Head Office today.
It is not yet clear why John Mirenge who was appointed CEO of the national carrier in 2010, was sacked.
Under John Mirenge, RwandaAir made some giant strides including the acquisition of the airline’s first ever wide-body aircraft (2 Airbus A330s) which cost more than $400 million financed from Eastern and Southern Africa Development Bank (PTA Bannk)
According to atqnews.com, Mirenge was able to expand the fleet to presently 11 aircraft with another Boeing B737-800NG due for delivery in May to complete the full dozen.
He had earlier said that it was the acquisition of the new widebody will allow his airline to compete globally.
RwandAir according to former CEO would open new long-haul routes to Mumbai, Guangzhou, London and Paris.
Mirenge had told AIN that the management of RwandAir has also begun studying the Airbus A350-900, Airbus’s newest jetliner. “We have a plan to launch flight service to New York with the A350,” he said.
The airline, which has grown at a rate of 20 percent every year since its launch, recently passed the IATA operational safety audit for the second time.
RwandAir currently operates two Bombardier Q400s, two Bombardier CRJ900s, two Boeing 737-700s and a pair of 737-800s. The airline expects to take delivery of its second widebody, an A330-300, in November. It also plans to take two more 737-800s that same month and one in May 2017.
RwandAir started new flights to Mumbai, Harare and London this month and recently secured 5th freedom Rights in Nigeria.
By Friday Nwosu
