Aman Wole GURMU becomes Zambia Airways’ new CEO as Ethiopian Airlines deepens its management role
AeroMorning – John Smith – August 17, 2026
Zambia Airways has appointed Aman Wole Gurmu as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 August 2026.
The appointment was announced by the Board of Directors of Zambia Airways (2014) Limited in a statement issued from Lusaka on 6 August 2026. The Board said the appointment reflected its commitment to strong and visionary leadership and its ambition to build a competitive, safe, customer-focused and market-driven national airline.
Gurmu joins Zambia Airways from Ethiopian Airlines Group, where he spent more than 19 years in aviation, commercial and international management positions. His previous assignments included Regional Director for Mainland China and Mongolia, Regional Director for France and the Maghreb, Area Manager for Zambia and Director of Sales in Addis Ababa. His previous experience in Zambia also gives him direct knowledge of the local market.
Commenting on his appointment, Gurmu said it was an honour to lead Zambia Airways at an important stage in its development. He identified safety, operational excellence, investment in employees, strategic partnerships and customer service as immediate priorities.
The third Ethiopian Airlines executive to lead Zambia Airways
Gurmu succeeds Thomas Gabreyohannes Woldesenbet, who had been CEO since April 2024. Zambia Airways has not publicly announced Woldesenbet’s next position or destination.
The change is nevertheless significant because all three CEOs who have led the relaunched Zambia Airways since December 2021 have come from Ethiopian Airlines.
Asrat Jiru became the first CEO following the airline’s relaunch in December 2021. Thomas Gabreyohannes Woldesenbet succeeded him in April 2024, and Aman Wole Gurmu has now taken over from Woldesenbet, effective 1 August 2026.
The succession reflects the close structural relationship between the two airlines. Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), on behalf of the Zambian government, owns 55% of Zambia Airways, while Ethiopian Airlines Group owns 45%. Ethiopian Airlines has therefore been both a shareholder and a major source of management expertise for Zambia’s national carrier.
The relationship also extends to operational training. In April 2026, Zambia Airways said five of its pilots had completed type-rating and upgrade training through a partnership with Ethiopian Airlines Group, supporting operations across the airline’s Boeing 737 and Q400 fleet.
What is Zambia Airways?
Zambia Airways (2014) Limited is the national airline of Zambia, based in Lusaka and operating from Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.
The current carrier was established through a partnership between the Zambian government, through IDC, and Ethiopian Airlines Group. It resumed commercial operations in December 2021, initially focusing on domestic and regional connectivity.
The airline currently serves destinations in Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. Its network includes Lusaka, Ndola, Livingstone and Solwezi domestically, together with Harare, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Dar es Salaam internationally.
Zambia Airways launched its Lusaka–Dar es Salaam service in June 2024, adding another important link between Southern and East Africa.
Fleet and traffic
Zambia Airways remains a relatively small regional carrier. Its current fleet consists of two aircraft: one Boeing 737-800 and one Bombardier Dash 8-Q400, according to recent industry and company information.
The Boeing 737-800 is used for longer regional routes, while the Q400 provides capacity better suited to shorter domestic and regional services.
The airline operates both passenger and air-cargo services, serving business and tourism markets and providing links between Zambia and neighbouring countries.
Zambia Airways has not recently published a reliable current annual passenger-traffic figure. It is therefore preferable to distinguish between current traffic and longer-term expansion targets.
The airline’s strategy calls for continued growth in fleet and network capacity. The Zambian government has previously outlined an ambition for Zambia Airways to reach 12 aircraft and more than 1.9 million passengers by 2028. This should be regarded as a long-term target.
A new CEO with a strong commercial background
Gurmu’s profile is particularly relevant to Zambia Airways’ next phase.
His career at Ethiopian Airlines has included sales, revenue development, international market development, regional management and strategic partnerships. Those skills could be important as Zambia Airways seeks to strengthen its existing network and develop additional regional markets.
For the new CEO, the challenge will be to combine operational reliability and financial discipline with fleet and network expansion.
For Zambia Airways, Gurmu’s appointment is therefore more than a routine management change. It reinforces a distinctive model in which Ethiopian Airlines provides both equity and senior management expertise, while Zambia retains majority ownership of its national carrier.
Source: AeroMorning
