- He is one of most seasoned, accomplished pilots in Zambian aviation industry
FOR over four decades, the cockpit was his second home. Gerald Tembo, fondly known as Captain GT, has finally hung up his uniform at the age of 65, drawing the curtain on an extraordinary career as Zambia’s longest-serving presidential pilot.
Capt Tembo spent 43 years in active aviation, logging an unmatched 24,520 flying hours, making him the only pilot in the country to reach such a milestone.
Having recently retired from Proflight, he stands out as one of the most seasoned and accomplished pilots in the Zambian aviation industry.
Over the years, Capt Tembo flew six heads of State, a responsibility he describes as both humbling and demanding.
Among the many missions etched in his memory, one stands out as the most emotional – flying former President Frederick Chiluba to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during a time of war.
“This was the most challenging moment and one I will live to remember. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) at that time had appointed former President Chiluba as the mediator between the government of Congo and the rebels, former President Joseph Kabila’s group,” he recalls.
He says that it was a busy time as they could fly to Kigali, which was the centre of the negotiations, twice or three times a day.
“We could fly to the war zone ,Goma, I could get scared, but I used to get comforted by the thought that if a President can be allowed to go into these areas where there is war, then security is there,” he says.
Capt Tembo’s aviation journey began immediately after graduating from Zambia Air Services Training Institute (ZASTI) and obtaining his pilot’s licence.
A day later, he was entrusted with his first high-profile assignment – to fly then Minister of Education Rajah Kunda from Kitwe to Lusaka and back.
Although he had not anticipated such a responsibility so early in his career, he embraced the opportunity with gratitude, seeing it as a sign of confidence in his abilities.
“That night was really hard, it was the longest night ever.
You know, you start preparing, you think through it, you sleep through the flight, I kept imaging myself flying a VIP person, a minister, but I am grateful that I successfully flew the minister and brought him back to Lusaka after a smooth flight,” he says.
Another defining moment came in 1990 when he was working for Roan Air Services.
Former President Kenneth Kaunda had just retired from active politics, and Capt Tembo was assigned to fly him to his farm in Chinsali.
“…that was my first time flying President Kaunda and the beginning of flying presidents,” he says.
He described the experience as both exhilarating and fulfilling.
During the presidency of Levy Mwanawasa, Zambia acquired a presidentialfor experienced pilots. Capt Tembo recalls receiving an urgent call from then Zambian Airways chief executive officer Mutembo Nchito.
“My boss phoned me asking me to meet him at State House in a few minutes; he said even if you are not dressed appropriately just come like that, it is urgent,” he recalls.
When he arrived at State House, he found President Mwanawasa waiting. Before he could take his seat, the former President asked whether he was a pilot and questioned his experience due to his youthful appearance.
“I was about 34, but I had vast experience, the former President was impressed with me and that is how I started flying him,” he says.
Capt Tembo says the responsibility of flying a President was immense, as it required the highest levels of professionalism, discipline, safety and security.
His distinguished career extended beyond Zambia’s borders. He also flew former South African President Nelson Mandela after his retirement from politics.
“I flew President Mandela and his wife around South Africa, at that time, I think he was retired or something, from Pretoria to Cape Town, spent a night in Cape Town, two nights maybe, and we went into Maputo,” he says.
He further boasts of flying former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano during his farewell tours after retiring from active politics.
Capt Tembo retired on a high note after recently flying President Hakainde Hichilema on several domestic and regional trips.
Capt Tembo began his education at St Anne’s Primary School in Chipata.
His father, a civil servant in the Ministry of Health, was later transferred to Kasama, where he continued his education at Tiffany Primary School before completing his secondary school at Kasama Boys Secondary School.
In 1979, shortly after completing Form Five, he was taken for Zambia National Service compulsory military training.
After completing the programme, he pursued accountancy studies before enrolling in engineering at University of Zambia’s School of Natural Sciences.
After a year at the university, he was invited for interviews at ZASTI, which he passed, marking a turning point in his life. Upon qualifying as a pilot, he was retained by the institution as an assistant flying instructor before joining Flying Doctor Service in Ndola in 1986 as the youngest pilot.
“There were some moments which were disheartening. One kind of a moment was when we received an emergency to ferry a boy who was suffering from anaemia from Luano Valley to Ndola General Hospital… but we lost the child,” he says.
His love for aviation began in childhood after witnessing helicopters ferry flood victims in Lundazi.
“I used to look at the helicopter, something used to strike in me. I wished I could someday become like them,” he recalls.
As he steps into retirement,
Capt Tembo says his greatest pride lies in mentoring young pilots.
“As I retire, I just want to be remembered in a small way.
I have helped a few pilots to achieve their dreams as an instructor and help them to get their licences and I have helped them to get that professional level they were thriving for. I have trained so many young pilots and I want to be remembered for this,” he says.
Looking ahead, Capt Tembo now hopes to establish a flight academy.
“My vision now is to open a flight school academy, we will start with ground subjects, like human factors, maybe we do a dispatch course, we do cabin crew course and hopefully run a full flight school,” he said