SKAL Kampala elects new board, brings hope for better days ahead
SKAL KAMPALA GETS NEW ‘OLD’ PRESIDENT Ms. Kainembabazi Sabiti, in her professional life General Manager of Amadeus Uganda, was elected to another term of office as president of the Skal Club of Kampala yesterday evening, bringing an uneventful year to a close and giving renewed hope to the Skalleagues for better times ahead. Club vice president for the new […]
Seychelles news update – The MAIA takes Conde Nast honours again
THE MAIA GETS ANOTHER JEWEL IN THEIR CROWN Information was received during the week that Conde Nast has once again put this unique luxury resort in their ‘hot list’ for 2011, after already last year honouring them in 2010 as ‘best hotel for food’. Three renowned chefs are on call to create the most amazing […]
Regional economic news update – Inflation creeping towards double digits
INFLATION MOVING TOWARDS DOUBLE DIGIT TERRITORY The recent slide of the Uganda Shilling and subsequent rise in fuel prices and prices of imported goods in general, combined with lesser supplies of food to the main consumer markets due to drought effects, has driven inflation to a decade long high, as across the region the ‘magic […]
Conservation breaking news – Tanzanian president cancels UNESCO WHS application
TANZANIAN PRESIDENT CANCELS APPLICATION FOR ANOTHER UNESCO SITE True to his form of putting reckless exploitation before careful conservation has Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete reportedly cancelled an application filed by his own ministry of natural resources and tourism, to have the area comprising two more recently established forest national parks – Mkomazi and Udzungwa – recognized by […]
Conservation news update – Female gorilla dies after sustained attacks by two ‘suitors’
GORILLAS NOT IMMUNE TO SEXUAL VIOLENCE News have emerged that a female gorilla of the Nkuringo group has recently died, after her body was found a considerable distance away from the ‘normal’ habitat of the group. It was reported that she has been subject to ‘beatings’ and attacks by two male gorillas, vying for her […]
Aviation news update – Kenya Airways funds new dining hall for special needs school
KENYA AIRWAYS IN SUPPORT OF SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOL The Ikuu Special School in Eastern Kenya had a new dining hall constructed by the Pride of Africa recently as part of the airline’s annual social responsibility programme. The school, which educates special needs children, including many suffering of autism, for which purpose the facility was initially […]
Aviation news update – Air Uganda cuts Mombasa / Zanzibar flights during low season
AIR UGANDA’S MOMBASA / ZANZIBAR FLIGHTS TO BE ‘SEASONAL’ Information from Uganda’s quasi national airline indicates that the airline will be exploring new ways to maintain their route from Entebbe to Zanzibar via Mombasa. Effective 01st of May there will be NO FLIGHTS until the 30th June, before resuming again for the period of […]
South Sudan news update – Nile waters on agenda of Egypt / South Sudan meeting
INDEPENDENT SOUTH SUDAN TO RESPECT NILE WATER AGREEMENTS The soon to be independent South Sudan – expected to be on 09th July this year – has recently met with an Egyptian delegation seeking to establish ties with the Southern leadership. Key issue on the agenda was the River Nile and its waters, with the ‘White […]
Rwanda news update – 17th anniversary of genocide coming up
17TH GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION IN RWANDA The ‘land of a thousand hills’ will shortly remember the 1994 genocide, inflicted by murderous gangs of hardline militias and individuals on members of the Tutsi tribe and moderate Hutus seeking peaceful co-existence between the tribes. The genocide triggered the eventual fall of the hardline government and saw the militias […]
Tanzania news update – Drop in tourism rankings also due to ‘controversies’
TANZANIA TOURISM RANKING DROP ATTRIBUTED TO HIGHWAY/POACHING CONTROVERSY Several stakeholders in the tourism sector have, following a consultative meeting of the industry in Dar es Salaam in early March, spoken out on the issue. Some regular sources claimed that some of the reasons were being played down by officials, such as the impact of poaching […]
Pan African Movement supports Gadaffi ?!?
PAN AFRICAN MOVEMENT SULLIED BY ‘PRO GADAFFI DEMONSTRATION’ Earlier in the week did the Kampala based Pan African Movement call for demonstrations in Kampala, denouncing the UN sanctioned ‘No Fly Zone’ over Libya and the intervention by Western countries. Singing the predictable but misplaced tune of ‘colonialism’ the Pan African Movement lost much of its credibility […]
Conservation news update – Another UWA ranger killed in the line of duty
ANOTHER UWA RANGER KILLED The remote Kidepo National Park was the scene of the latest victim of poachers violence against rangers and warden, when over the weekend yet another UWA staff was shot dead. According to information at hand aerial surveillance had established an intrusion into the park, allegedly from across the border in Southern Sudan, by […]
Breaking news – LAICO owned Lake Victoria Hotel in Entebbe also ‘seized’
BREAKING NEWS – LAKE VICTORIA HOTEL ‘SEIZED’ TOO The Laico owned and operated Lake Victoria Hotel in Entebbe, once the grand old dame of the hospitality industry in Entebbe, was according to breaking news just received also seized yesterday late in the day, when the Libyan appointed managers were told to hand over to a […]
Uganda news update – Libya sanctions and asset freeze now extend to UTL
LIBYA SANCTIONS AND ASSET FREEZE NOW EXTENDS TO UTL Uganda Telecom, in which Libya holds 69 percent shares, was next on the list of the Ugandan government to ‘seize’ in line with the UN resolution on an asset freeze, when news emerged late yesterday that the shareholding and control by Libya over the communications company has […]
Seychelles news update – STB strategizes with partner islands
SEYCHELLES MEETS WITH OTHER ‘VANILLA ISLANDS’ TO MAP OUT COOPERATION The Seychelles Tourist Board, represented by CEO Alain St. Ange, Deputy CEO Elsia Grandcourt and the CEO of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association Jennifer Sinon, met their counterparts from the other Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and the Comoros in Madagascar’s capital of Antananarivo. […]
Weekly round up of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean region – Fifth edition March 2011
TOURISM, AVIATION AND CONSERVATION NEWS from the Eastern African and Indian Ocean region A weekly roundup of reports, travel stories and opinions by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome Get daily breaking news updates via Twitter @whthome or on my blog: www.wolfganghthome.wordpress.com Fifth edition March 2011 JAPAN’S GENEROSITY IN TIMES OF INTERNAL DISASTER AND HARDSHIP […]
Burundi news update – BTB scoops top price at ITB
BURUNDI SCOOPS TOP PRICE AT ITB The recently concluded International Tourism Bourse in Berlin / Germany saw little Burundi outshine all other African exhibitors, when taking first price for their stand display and presentation at their first appearance. Traditional dancers and a ‘homestead’ setting convinced the judges, and visitors for that matter, that the Burundi exhibition […]
Aviation news update – Kenya Airways share price drops on market fear over escalating fuel cost
KENYA AIRWAYS SHARES HIT BY ESCALATING FUEL COST The predicted fallout from the sharply risen fuel cost for airlines operating in Kenya has driven the share price of Kenya Airways to a two year low, as the value of KQ’s shares has slipped by nearly a third since the beginning of the year. Investors, both […]
Uganda conservation news update – New road, cutting migration trail, to be opposed
ROAD PLANS NEAR KYAMBURA RUN INTO OPPOSITION While not on the scale of the anti Serengeti highway plans at this stage, protests are nevertheless gathering momentum against a planned road cutting across an ancient game migration route. Leading conservation groups in Uganda, and individual conservationists have demanded from government to spare the wildlife migration corridor […]
Japan’s generosity continues in the midst of their own calamity
JAPAN’S GENEROSITY IN TIMES OF INTERNAL DISASTER AND HARDSHIP IS HUMBLING A few weeks ago, it seems ages already, a massive earthquake of 9 on the open ended Richter scale struck off the coast of Japan, causing major damage to the country’ infrastructure, only to be topped by a gigantic tsunami wave, in some areas […]
Aviation news update – Fly540 frequency changes
FLY 540 WILL TEMPORARILY SUSPEND MONDAY MORNING FLIGHT TO ENTEBBE Effective 02nd May, and until 30th June, will Fly 540 suspend their Monday morning flight between Nairobi and Entebbe, while the Tuesday morning flight will route Entebbe – Nairobi – Juba – Nairobi – Entebbe according to a regular source at the airline. Regular travellers on […]
Seychelles news update – Aldabra Atoll gets connected
ALDABRA ATOLL ‘GETS CONNECTED’ The lesser known ‘other’ but nevertheless unique and in fact second to none UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Aldabra Atoll’ in the Seychelles, managed by the Seychelles Island Foundation, has now been ‘connected’ to allow VOIP calls via Kokonet, a service provider tapping into an existing internet connections to allow voice calls […]
Tanzania news update – Public accounts committee unleashes broadside on tourism sector
PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE LOCKS HORNS WITH TOURISM INDUSTRY Safari lodge and camps, tour and safari operators in Tanzania expressed their concern yesterday when it emerged that the parliamentary public accounts committee had reportedly ‘cancelled’ the current concession and royalty fees charged by TANAPA after claiming that it generated a huge loss for the country and waving […]
Kenya news update – KACC to be involved in hospitalty grading exercise
KENYA’S HOTEL GRADING TO BE ‘EYEBALLED’ BY ANTI CORRUPTION BODY The Kenya Hotels and Restaurant Authority’s unfolding grading exercise, long delayed for lack of funding but now finally confirmed to commence by the end of March, will be subject to oversight by the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission following pending complaints by sections of the hospitality […]
Uganda news update – More woes for Mt. Elgon National Park
MORE ATTACKS ON UWA RANGERS AT MT. ELGON Mt. Elgon National Park remains a hot spot for conservation and the staff of Uganda Wildlife Authority are putting their life on the line day in day out, as the latest news from the East of the country confirm. One ranger was seriously injured in an attack by […]
Breaking News – Uganda’s Central Bank seizes Libyan shares in Tropical Bank
BANK OF UGANDA SEIZES LIBYAN SHARES IN TROPICAL BANK No sooner had the formal announcement been made that Uganda would fully comply with the UN resolution to freeze the assets of Libya’s faltering dictator Gadaffi et al, did the Bank of Uganda react and seized the Libyan shareholding in Tropical Bank. Compelled two weeks ago already to […]
Aviation news update – Ethiopian secures a further 40 MIO USD loan for ordered B777’s
ETHIOPIAN SECURES ADDITIONAL FINANCING FOR B777’S It was learned overnight that Ethiopian Airlines has been given approval by the African Development Bank for a co-syndicated secondary loan of 40 million US Dollars, towards the five Boeing B777-200LR, which from part of an extensive order for newer and additional aircraft. ET has been at the forefront […]
Aviation breaking news – Precision Air’s complaint against tender award for airport handling succeeds
PRECISION AIR’S COMPLAINT OVER AWARD OF AIRPORT HANDLING LICENCE SUCCEEDS Information was received from Dar es Salaam, that following a formal complaint by Precision Air Ground Handling Services and one other bidder, the Tanzania Airport Authority was instructed by the Public Procurement Authority of Tanzania to cancel the award they made and in addition pay […]
Breaking News – Uganda to finally freeze Libyan / Gadaffi assets
LIBYAN ASSETS IN UGANDA TO BE FROZEN AFTER ALL Uganda has late yesterday confirmed that in compliance with relevant UN resolutions the assets of Col. Gadaffi, his close cronies and in fact of Libya herself in the country will be frozen. It was also confirmed that Uganda’s Ambassador to the UN has formally asked for guidance […]
Aviation breaking news – Kenya considering additional tax on air fares to finance health budget
KENYA TALKING OF NEW TAX ON AIRFARES WHILE UK DELAYS FOR 4 YEARS News have emerged from Nairobi overnight that the Kenyan government plans another financial assault on air passengers, seeking to introduce a tax ‘to pay for HIV treatment’. The health ministry, responsible for this planned air travel tax atrocity, claims that donor funding […]
