UMichael Shirima, iTanzania Aviation Pioneer, Ushonile

Umndeni wakhe ukuqinisekisile ukushona kwakhe wathi uchwepheshe embonini yezindiza eTanzania udlulile emhlabeni futhi uzobekwa endaweni yokuphumula yaphakade kuleli sonto emzini wakhe osesifundeni iKilimanjaro enyakatho neTanzania.

Umndeni uchaze UMnu Shirima “njengogqozi nomholi kwabaningi,” ethembisa “ukwazisa ukuphila kwakhe phakade.”

UMnu Shirima wayengu Tanzania usomabhizinisi, usomabhizinisi, kanye ne-philanthropist. UbenguMsunguli noSihlalo we-Precision Air, okuyinkampani yezindiza ezimele kuphela eTanzania.

UMengameli waseTanzania, uSamia Suluhu Hassan, uthumele umlayezo wenduduzo futhi wachaza uMnu Shirima njengomuntu obalulekile ebhizinisini lendiza yaseTanzania nakweminye imisebenzi yomphakathi.

Abaphathi bePrecision Air Services bakuqinisekisile ukushona kukasihlalo wayo ngemininingwane yomphakathi ngoMgqibelo ntambama.

UMnu. Shirima wasungula i-Precision Air ngo-1993, enenjini enezinjini ezimbili ezihlala abantu abahlanu, iPiper Aztec.

I-Precision Air ifakiwe eTanzania ngoMasingana 1991 njengenkampani yezindiza ezimele futhi yaqala ukusebenza ngo-1993. Ekuqaleni, yayisebenza njengenkampani ezimele eqasha ezokuthutha ngendiza, kodwa ngoNovemba 1993, yashintsha ukuze inikeze izinsiza zendiza ezihleliwe ukuze isebenze imakethe yezokuvakasha ekhulayo eTanzania. Inkampani yezindiza yabe yelula amaphiko ayo emadolobheni amaningi aseTanzania nakwezinye izingxenye zaseMpumalanga Afrika okuhlanganisa neNairobi, inhloko-dolobha yaseKenya. 

Isebenza njengenkampani yezindiza ezimele yokuqala nencintisanayo e-Tanzania, i-Precision Air ikwazile ukubusa esibhakabhakeni saseTanzania kuze kube manje, iqhudelana nezinkampani zezindiza ezinkulu nezikahulumeni phezu kwesibhakabhaka saseMpumalanga Afrika.

I-Precision Air iqale izinsiza zayo zomoya edolobheni lase-Arusha ngokuhlinzeka ngezindiza eziqasha ukundiza izivakashi ezivakashela amapaki ezilwane zasendle aseNyakatho okuhlanganisa i-Serengeti National Park kanye ne-Ngorongoro Conservation Area nezinye izinkonzo zokushaja eziya eZanzibar.

Ngo-2006, i-Precision Air yaba inkampani yezindiza yokuqala yaseTanzania ukuphumelela Ukuhlolwa Kokuphepha Kokusebenza kwe-IATA.

Ukukhula kwezinombolo zamakhasimende kwabe sekuheha inkampani yezindiza ukuthi ithole ezinye izindiza yase iqala izindiza ezihleliwe kulo lonke elaseTanzania, kwase kuba yi-Nairobi. Ngo-2003, i-Kenya Airways yathola u-49% wamasheya e-Precision Air ngemali eyisamba esingu-$2 million.

UMnu Shirima ongasekho ukhulume ne-eTN ngoJuni 15, 2012, wabe esenikeza indaba enokuqonda mayelana nezokuthutha ngezindiza kanye nezokuthutha e-Afrika nezinselelo ezibhekene nesibhakabhaka sase-Afrika. Utshele abakwa-eTN ukuthi iPrecision Air yandulelwa inkampani ekhiqiza uthuli kwezitshalo eyasungulwa ngasekupheleni kuka-1986 nalapho kuba nesomiso eTanzania ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1990 sikhipha uthuli lwezitshalo ngaphandle komsebenzi owanele, kwavela umqondo wokusungula inkampani eqashayo, futhi. ngakho-ke, kwaba ukwakhiwa kwenkampani yezindiza i-Precision Air.

“Lokhu ngixhaswe yimi ngenzuzo yebhizinisi lokuthekelisa ikhofi engangizibandakanye nalo kusukela [ekuqaleni] kwawo-1980 futhi ngisebenzisana ne-Tanzania Venture Capital Fund eyayisanda kwakhiwa ngama-66% kanye nama-33% ngokulandelana. Leso sikhwama sathengwa yiKenya Airways ngo-2003,” wake watshela i-eTN.

“Izinkampani zezindiza emhlabeni wonke zihlangene, zibambisene, ziyathenga, futhi zinemifelandawonye. Labo abazimele bodwa abasekho, futhi lapho bekhona babuthaka. Bengifuna iPrecision Air iqhubeke nokuba khona futhi ibe ngumdlali ohlonishwa umhlaba wonke,” usho kanje.