Mu myaka myinshi ishize, abantu benshi mu bucuruzi mpuzamahanga bari bafite imyumvire ivuga ko ibigo bya Leta byo muri Afurika bidashobora gukora neza, guhangana ku isoko mpuzamahanga cyangwa kugera ku ntsinzi irambye. Hari abemeraga ko ibyo bigo byanze bikunze birangwa n’imikorere idahwitse kandi bidashobora guhangana n’ibigo mpuzamahanga.
Tewolde Gebremariam, wahoze ari Umuyobozi Mukuru wa Ethiopian Airlines, yamaze imyaka myinshi areba uburyo yahindura iyo myumvire. Mu buyobozi bwe bushingiye ku cyerekezo n’udushya, yahinduye Ethiopian Airlines iva ku rwego rwa sosiyete y’indege ikorera cyane mu karere, ayigira ikigo gikomeye kandi cyunguka ku rwego mpuzamahanga.
Kubera guhanga udushya no gukomeza kunoza imikorere, Ethiopian Airlines yabaye ikigo kinini kurusha ibindi mu rwego rw’ubwikorezi bwo mu kirere muri Afurika, ndetse iba imwe mu masosiyete y’indege yubashywe kandi yizewe ku isi yose.
Uyu munsi, Tewolde Gebremariam akomeje gusangiza ubunararibonye bwe urwego rw’ubwikorezi bwo mu kirere muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika, aho akora nk’Umujyanama Mukuru mu Bikorwa by’Ingamba muri Delta Air Lines. Aherutse kugirana ikiganiro na Elias Taye, Umwanditsi Mukuru wa Amjambo Africa.
Igihe Gebremariam yagirwaga Umuyobozi Mukuru wa Ethiopian Airlines, urwego rw’ubwikorezi bwo mu kirere muri Afurika rwari rutandukanye cyane n’urwo tubona uyu munsi.
Mu mwaka wa 2010 na 2011, amasosiyete y’indege nka Kenya Airways na South African Airways ni yo yari ayoboye isoko ry’indege muri Afurika, mu gihe Ethiopian Airlines yari iri inyuma yayo ku rutonde rw’amasosiyete akomeye. Ariko mu myaka yakurikiyeho, ayo masosiyete yagiye ahura n’ibibazo bikomeye ndetse agatakaza imbaraga, mu gihe Ethiopian Airlines yo yakomeje kwaguka ku buryo butigeze bubaho, inarenga ibyo benshi bari biteze.
Gebremariam avuga ko urufunguzo rw’izo mpinduka zikomeye rwari rushingiye mbere na mbere ku muco w’imitekerereze ndetse n’indangagaciro za Etiyopiya.
Yagize ati:”Ikintu cya mbere cyadufashije kugera ku byo twagezeho ni imyumvire yo kwizera ko bishoboka. Mu rurimi rw’Ikinyamuhariki turavuga ngo “Yichalal”, bisobanura ngo ‘Birashoboka.’ Iyo myumvire ni yo nkingi ya byose. Iyo wemeye ko ikintu gishoboka kandi ukacyizera, bigutera ishyaka, kandi iryo shyaka rikaguha imbaraga zo kugikora.”
Iryo shyaka n’imbaraga byagaragaye hakiri kare binyuze muri gahunda yiswe Vision 2010, ingamba zikomeye zafashije Ethiopian Airlines kongera amafaranga yinjizaga ku mwaka agera kuri miliyari imwe y’amadolari ya Amerika.
Nyuma y’iyo ntsinzi, Gebremariam n’itsinda rye ry’abayobozi bashyizeho icyerekezo 2025, gahunda y’iterambere ry’imyaka 15 yari ifite icyerekezo kirekire kandi gitinyutse, itandukanye n’uburyo busanzwe ibigo byinshi byo mu Burengerazuba bw’isi bikoramo igenamigambi.
Igihe Ethiopian Airlines yatangizaga Vision 2025, abantu benshi bayishidikanyagaho. Gebremariam n’itsinda rye bari bafite gahunda yo guteganya iterambere ry’ikigo mu gihe cy’imyaka 15 iri imbere. Abasesenguzi bavuga ko muri iki gihe ubucuruzi bwo ku rwego mpuzamahanga buhindagurika cyane, ku buryo n’ibigo bikomeye bigorwa no guteganya neza umwaka umwe gusa. Ibigo byinshi byo mu Burengerazuba bw’isi bikunze gucungwa harebwa umusaruro wa buri mezi atatu, kubera igitutu cyo gutanga raporo zihuse ku bashoramari bo ku isoko ry’imari rya Wall Street.
Gebremariam yagize ati: “Twe twahisemo gukurikiza uburyo bw’Abashinwa, kuko bo bemera cyane igenamigambi ry’igihe kirekire.”
Yasobanuriye ko muri icyo gihe indege ebyiri nshya zari ziri gukorwa Boeing 787 Dreamliner na Airbus A350 zari zigiye guhindura cyane urwego rw’ubwikorezi bwo mu kirere, ariko zikaba zari gukenera hafi imyaka icumi kugira ngo zibe ziteguye gukoreshwa neza. Ni yo mpamvu guteganya iterambere mu byiciro by’imyaka myinshi byari ingenzi.
Byongeye kandi, Ethiopian Airlines ntiyigeze yemera ko isoko ryayo rigomba kugarukira muri Ethiopia cyangwa muri Afurika gusa. Ahubwo, yasesenguye akarere gashobora kugerwamo n’indege mu masaha icumi uvuye i Addis Ababa, isanga ako karere karimo abantu bagera kuri miliyari esheshatu, batuye mu bice bifite ubukungu buri kwiyongera cyane, birimo u Bushinwa, u Buhinde, Uburasirazuba bwo Hagati, na Amerika y’Epfo.
Nubwo hari abanenze iyi gahunda bavuga ko yari inzozi zidashoboka, Ethiopian Airlines yagiye igera kuri buri ntego yari yarishyiriyeho, ndetse iyigeraho imyaka itanu mbere y’igihe yari yihaye. Mu mwaka wa 2020, amafaranga yinjizaga yari amaze kwikuba inshuro eshanu, naho umubare w’indege zayo wari warazamutse uva kuri 33 ugera kuri 133.
Icyakora, uru rugendo rw’iterambere ntirwabaye rworoshye. Mu gihe Gebremariam yari ayoboye Ethiopian Airlines, yahuye n’ibibazo bibiri bikomeye byagize ingaruka zikomeye ku mateka y’isosiyete: impanuka y’indege ya Boeing 737 MAX ndetse n’icyorezo cya COVID-19 cyahungabanyije ubwikorezi bwo mu kirere ku isi hose.
Nyuma y’impanuka ibabaje y’indege Flight 302, yabaye ku Cyumweru mu gitondo igahitana abantu bose bari bayirimo, Gebremariam yerekanye imikorere y’ ubuyobozi bukora vuba kandi bufata ibyemezo bikomeye. Iyi mpanuka yatangajwe bwa mbere ku rwego mpuzamahanga na Elias Taye, Umwanditsi Mukuru wa Amjambo Africa, icyo gihe akaba yari umunyamakuru wa Associated Press muri Afurika y’Iburasirazuba.
Nyuma yo kujyanwa n’indege ya gisirikare ya kajugujugu (helicopter) aho impanuka yabereye i Bishoftu, Gebremariam yahise asubira ku biro bye afata icyemezo gikomeye. Atarategereza amabwiriza cyangwa inama z’inzego mpuzamahanga zishinzwe kugenzura ubwikorezi bwo mu kirere, yahise ahagarika ikoreshwa ry’indege zose za Boeing 737 MAX zari mu mutungo wa Ethiopian Airlines. Icyo cyemezo cyafashije isosiyete gukomeza kubungabunga izina ryayo mu bijyanye n’umutekano no gucunga neza ibihe by’ibibazo.
Mu buryo nk’ubwo, igihe icyorezo cya COVID-19 cyahagarikaga ingendo z’indege zitwara abagenzi ku isi hose, Ethiopian Airlines yari yariteguye neza kurusha andi masosiyete. Ibyo byaturutse ku cyemezo Gebremariam yari yarafashe imyaka myinshi mbere, nubwo icyo gihe hari abacyamaganaga.
Mu gihe hategurwaga gahunda y’icyerekezo 2025, yari yarategetse ko isosiyete igura indege 10 za Boeing 777 zagenewe gutwara imizigo. Icyo cyemezo cyaje kuba ingenzi cyane, kuko cyafashije Ethiopian Airlines gukomeza ibikorwa byayo no gutwara ibikoresho n’imizigo mu gihe indege nyinshi zitwara abagenzi ku isi zari zarahagaze kubera icyorezo.
Gebremariam yibuka uko abantu banenze icyemezo cyo kugura indege 10 za Boeing 777 zagenewe gutwara imizigo, agira ati: “Igihe twatumizaga indege 10 za Boeing 777 zitwara imizigo gusa, abantu benshi bavuze ko twasaze, ko twihuta cyane kandi ko twari kwisenya. Ariko si ko byagenze. Nyuma haje icyorezo cya COVID-19, maze mu gihe ubwikorezi bwo mu kirere bwari bwahagaze hafi ya bwose, ibikorwa byo gutwara imizigo ni byo byabaye agakiza kacu kandi biradufasha.”
Kimwe mu bibazo bikunze kubazwa ni uburyo Ethiopian Airlines, nubwo ari ikigo cya Leta ya Etiyopiya ku kigero cya 100%, yabashije gutera imbere mu gihe andi masosiyete menshi y’indege yo muri Afurika yagendaga asubira inyuma cyangwa agahomba.
Gebremariam asobanura ko ibanga ritari mu kuba ikigo ari icya Leta cyangwa icy’abikorera. Ahubwo, ikintu cy’ingenzi ni uko ubuyobozi bw’ikigo bugira ubwigenge mu gufata ibyemezo no mu micungire yacyo.
Atanga urugero rwa Kenya Airways, yari isosiyete yigenga ariko ikaza guhura n’ibibazo bikomeye, mu gihe Ethiopian Airlines yakomeje kuba iya Leta ariko ikagera ku ntsinzi idasanzwe. Kuri we, ibanga ry’intsinzi ni ugutandukanya neza ubuyobozi bwa politiki n’imicungire y’ubucuruzi.
Yagize ati:”Guverinoma zo muri Afurika zigomba kwimenyereza kutivanga mu micungire y’amasosiyete. Ubucuruzi bw’indege butanga inyungu nto cyane, ndetse no mu bihe byiza. Iyo habaye amakosa make gusa, ashobora guteza igihombo gikomeye.”
Yashimye kandi guverinoma zitandukanye zayoboye Etiyopiya kuba zarahaye inzobere mu by’indege umudendezo wo kuyobora Ethiopian Airlines, zikirinda kwivanga mu byemezo bya buri munsi by’isosiyete.
Kimwe mu byo Gebremariam yasize nk’umurage ukomeye ni ishoramari rikomeye yakoze mu guteza imbere abakozi b’Abanyafurika bafite ubumenyi mu by’ubwikorezi bwo mu kirere.
Ahagana mu mwaka wa 2010, Ethiopian Airlines yari ifite ikibazo gikomeye cyo kubura abapilote n’abatekinisiye, kuko benshi mu bari barahuguwe bahitagamo kujya gukora mu bihugu byo mu Karere ka Golfe byabaga bibaha imishahara myiza.
Aho gucika intege, Gebremariam yabibonye nk’amahirwe yo kubaka ubushobozi bw’ikigo mu gihe kirekire.
Yagize ati: “Nabyita ubukene buri hagati y’ubutunzi bwinshi.” Yabonaga bidakwiriye ko igihugu gifite abaturage barenga miliyoni 100 icyo gihe cyabura abakozi bafite ubumenyi bukenewe, nyamara hari urubyiruko rwinshi rwize rushaka akazi.
Agira ati: “Ntushobora kubuza abantu kujya aho babona ubuzima bwiza kurushaho.” Yemeje ko igisubizo kirambye ari ugutoza no gutegura umubare munini w’inzobere zifite ubushobozi ku rwego mpuzamahanga.
Ni muri urwo rwego Ethiopian Airlines yubatse ikigo kinini kurusha ibindi muri Afurika cyigisha imyuga y’ubwikorezi bwo mu kirere, gifasha guhugura ibihumbi by’urubyiruko rwari rwararangije kaminuza rushaka akazi.
Igihe Gebremariam yabaga Umuyobozi Mukuru, Ethiopian Airlines yari ifite abapilote bagera kuri 300 gusa. Igihe yasezererwaga mu mirimo, uwo mubare wari umaze kugera ku 1,200, bikaba byaragize uruhare runini mu kwagura ibikorwa bya sosiyete no kuyigira kimwe mu bigo bikomeye by’indege ku mugabane wa Afurika.
Nyuma yo gusezera ku mirimo hakiri kare muri Werurwe 2022, Tewolde Gebremariam yimukanye n’umuryango we ajya gutura muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika. Akunda kuvuga ko Amerika ari nk’urugo rwe rwa kabiri, kuko mbere yaho yari yarabaye uhagarariye Ethiopian Airlines mu mujyi wa New York.
Icyakora, ikiruhuko cye nticyamaze igihe kinini. Ubumenyi n’uburambe bwe byahise bikurura ubuyobozi bwa Delta Air Lines, bumutumira gukora nk’Umujyanama Mukuru mu Bikorwa by’Ingamba.
Uyu munsi, Gebremariam afite uruhare rukomeye mu gutegura no kuyobora gahunda ya Delta yo kwagura ibikorwa byayo ku rwego mpuzamahanga, by’umwihariko muri Afurika, Uburasirazuba bwo Hagati, u Buhinde, ndetse no mu rwego rwo gutwara imizigo ku isi hose.
Avuga ko Afurika atayibona gusa nk’umugabane akomokaho, ahubwo ayibona nk’isoko rifite amahirwe menshi y’iterambere ry’ubukungu muri iki kinyejana cya 21.
Yagize ati: “Ntekereza ko iki kinyejana kizaba icya Afurika. Isi yose iri gushaka umutungo kamere, cyane cyane amabuye y’agaciro y’imbonekarimwe n’andi mabuye y’agaciro ari mu bitera guhangana hagati ya Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika n’u Bushinwa. Ayo mabuye aboneka ku bwinshi muri Afurika.”
Ku basomyi ba Amjambo Africa, cyane cyane urubyiruko rw’Abanyafurika bimukiye mu mahanga n’abakora imirimo y’imwuga bashaka gutera imbere mu bigo byo mu mahanga, Gebremariam yabahaye inama zishingiye ku bunararibonye bwe.
Yagize ati: “Uyu munsi, iyo ukora muri Leta Zunze Ubumwe za Amerika, ntabwo uba ugihanganye n’abantu bo mu gace utuyemo gusa. Uba urushanwa n’abahanga bo muri Koreya y’Epfo, u Buyapani, u Bushinwa ndetse no mu bihugu byinshi by’u Burayi. Ni yo mpamvu Abanyafurika baba mu mahanga bagomba kwiyemeza kwiteza imbere buri munsi. Ndetse n’akazi koroheje bakagakora neza kandi bashyiramo imbaraga zose.”
Aya magambo ayasangira n’abandi ariko anayabwira buri gihe umuryango we. Gebremariam ni umubyeyi w’abana batanu, kandi batatu muri bo biga muri za kaminuza ziri mu zigisha neza kurusha izindi. Avuga ko gukomeza kwiga, gukora cyane no guhora umuntu yiteza imbere ari ryo banga ry’intsinzi, kandi ni imwemu nama ahora atanga uko yicaranye n’umuryango we.
Icyitonderwa cy’Umwanditsi: Iyi nkuru yagaragaye bwa mbere mu igazeti ya Amjambo Africa yo mu ntangiriro z’ukwezi kwa Nyakanga 2026.
