Kenya conservation news – Increasing conflict between humans and wildlife
JUMBOS BREAK FENCES, ESCAPE PARKS IN SEARCH OF WATER AND FOOD News emerged overnight from Kenya that several ‘jumbo hotspots’ were giving the Kenya Wildlife Service headaches, of how to contain elephants which in search of food and water are leaving reserves and parks, causing havoc for nearby villages. Reports from Kwale, near the Shimba […]
Kenya conservation news update – United stand needed by African governments against poaching
KENYA ASKS FOR PAN AFRICAN SUPPORT IN ANTI POACHING EFFORTS Only days before several tons of ivory will be burned in a symbolic gesture by the Kenyan government, seen as an act of defiance but also a signal to other African countries to intensify their own campaign against poaching, did the Kenya Wildlife Service and […]
Uganda news update – Electricity and who pays for it, a balancing act on the high wire
ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION – GOVERNMENT’S BALANCING ACT ON THE HIGH WIRE Uganda’s government has apparently made a principal decision to expire diesel propelled power generation plants, just as soon as the Bujagali hydro electric dam goes into operation in November this year. Starting with an initial production of 50 MW this relatively low cost electricity production […]
Uganda aviation news – Air fare wars ‘reloaded’
NEW FARE WAR ON ENTEBBE – NAIROBI ROUTE Inspite of continuously high fuel prices and inflationary pressures on airlines have fares between Entebbe and Nairobi started to move again, downwards that is. According to travel agents, keenly monitoring these developments to give their clients the best possible deal, return flights now sell from US Dollars […]
Seychelles aviation news update – Zil Air gets first fixed wing aircraft
ZIL AIR TAKES DELIVERY OF FIRST EVER FIXED WING AIRCRAFT Yesterday Zil Air of Seychelles, previously a company known for helicopter operations, broke new ground when taking delivery at Mahe International Airport of their first fixed wing aircraft, an Italian built P68C Vulcanair. The twin engined Partenavia will offer 5 passenger seats and increased comfort […]
Seychelles breaking news – Parliament dissolves itself, paves way for fresh general elections
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS COMING UP IN 90 DAYS President Michel’s party LEPEP gained a crucial victory in parliament yesterday, when they managed to attain a two third majority in two important rounds of voting. Each time a senior member of the SNP opposition crossed the floor and voted with the ruling party, providing the all important […]
Kenya news update – Will more highways decongest traffic?
NEW DUAL CARRIAGE ROADS AND HIGHWAYS TO DE-CONGEST NAIROBI As the ‘Eastern and Northern’ by passes around the city of Nairobi are showing signs of advanced construction, with sections of the new highways already completed by the contractors, the ‘Southern By Pass’ has received fresh impetus according to Nairobi based sources, after China offered to […]
Kenya hospitality news update – Elementaita Serena officially opened, Nairobi Serena to be expanded
ELEMENTAITA SERENA OFFICIALLY OPENED, NAIROBI SERENA TO GET EXPANDED Serena’s latest addition to their growing collection in East Africa, the Soysambu based Elementaita Serena on the shores of Lake Elementaita, was yesterday officially opened by the Minister of Tourism Hon. Najib Balala in the presence of His Highness Prince Amyn Aga Khan, Serena’s Group Managing […]
Kenya conservation breaking news – 5 elephant slaughtered in revenge for arrests?
REVENGE KILLINGS OF ELEPHANT SHOCK KENYA News emerged just now from conservation sources in Nairobi that members of a gang of poachers, allegedly led by one Adan Kanjur, inflicted cruel death on a family of 5 elephant south of Kora National Park in the wider Meru Conservation Area recently, although details were only now becoming […]
South Sudan news update – Next to be free: Abyei, South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darful
NEXT TO BE FREE: ABYEI, SOUTH KORDOFAN, BLUE NILE AND DARFUR Khartoum’s regime leader, fresh from the humiliation of losing a major chunk of his country following his failed policies of war, oppression and disenfranchising the Southern African people, is busy to divert attention back home by beating the war drums again. No sooner had […]
Kenya news update – South Coast ‘by pass’ project on track
SOUTH COAST ‘BY PASS’ ON TRAC Sources from Mombasa have dismissed suggestions that the latest round of consultations between Japanese experts – Japan, inspite of her problems at home following a devastating series of earthquakes and a hugely destructive tsunami, is financing the project with grants and loans – and local counterparts were not a […]
Uganda news update – Aga Khan on working visit in Uganda
AGA KHAN ON WORKING VISIT TO UGANDA His Highness the Aga Khan is in Uganda for a two day working visit, which will include an inspection of the Bujagali hydroelectric power station, which is being lead developed by Industrial Promotion Services from Kenya, itself part of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development. IPS stepped […]
Uganda news update – Power is back, for now
POWER IS BACK, FOR NOW The independent power generating companies, which a week ago turned off their plants following the non- payment of an alleged 200+ billion Uganda Shillings in subsidy arrears contractually agreed with government, have yesterday resumed production. The ‘loss of capacity’ as UMEME had put it in public newspaper adverts, had caused […]
Ethiopian aviation news update – More delays for B 787 expected
MORE DELAYS ON B787 DELIVERY The ‘Dreamliner turned Nightmare’ scenario seems to continue unabated, as Boeing had to admit to yet another delay, this one caused by the need to re-engineer sections of the aircraft already under assembly as a result of findings from a series of test flights carried out until now. Ethiopian Airlines, […]
Tanzania conservation news update – 64 ‘village rangers’ graduate
VILLAGE RANGERS TO BOOST ANTI POACHING 64 ‘village rangers’ were passed out over the weekend in Northern Tanzania’s Longido district after undergoing training in various subject, including anti poaching patrols. Paid for in full by the Honey Guide Foundation, details about which can be accessed via www.honeyguide.org the rangers will be deployed immediately to cut […]
Mauritius tourism news – Trou aux Biches installs own desalination plant
MAURITIUS RESORT INSTALLS OWN DESALINATION PLANT The Trou aux Biches Resort and Spa on Mauritius is in the process of installing its own desalination plant, as renovations and expansion of the resort is ongoing. The new plant is due to produce some 450 CM per day, against an estimated use of about 600 CM per […]
East African news update – Electricity shortages hit everywhere
POWER CRISIS COVERS ALL OF EASTERN AFRICA NOW Drought conditions in parts of the East African region, poor maintenance and aged equipment and even non -payment of dues to independent power producers have taken their toll on the availability of electricity in the entire region, with ‘load shedding’ or power rationing the order of the […]
Visa hurdles for East Africans get higher still for entry to the US
GETTING US VISAS JUST GOT YET MORE DIFFICULT ‘Do you know what life in the USA is like’ may be the next question added to the already complex catalogue of ‘grilling’ applicants for a Visa to the United States have to answer, as yet more hurdles are placed in their way to travel to America. […]
Weekly roundup of news from the Eastern African and Indian Ocean region, Second edition July 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 instantly via Twitter by following @whthome or read the daily postings on my blog via: www.wolfganghthome.wordpress.com Second edition July 2011 East […]
South Sudan news update – New money for new country
NEW MONEY FOR NEW COUNTRY Next Monday will see the launch of the South Sudan Pound – yes, not the hoped for South Sudan Shilling as was anticipated in East African circles – which will become the legal tender for the new Republic of South Sudan just as soon as the new notes and coins […]
Zanzibar tourism update – Sauti Za Busara: Final call for artists on 31st July
FINAL CALL FOR SAUTI ZA BUSARA PARTICIPANTS Artists intending to participate in the 2012 edition of East Africa’ most significant and most widely recognized music and art festival, Zanzibar’s Sauti Za Busara, need to hurry up to send in their applications as the 31st July deadline now looms large. Taking place between February 08th to […]
Uganda remembers – A year on since 7 / 11
A YEAR ON – 7 / 11 REMEMBERED July 11th 2010 was to be a day of great excitement in Kampala with venues all over the city preparing to show the FIFA World Cup Final live, and as early as 5 p.m. sports lovers from all over the city started to get ready to join […]
South Sudan aviation news update – Flights to and from Juba in great demand from all over East Africa
JUBA FLIGHTS IN GREAT DEMAND With the restrictions placed on the 08th and 09th of July on commercial flights to and from Juba now lifted, airlines are back on the route in full swing, if not more. Jetlink, in the run up to the Independence Day on 09th of July, went from 2 to 3 […]
Seychelles tourism news update – New ‘green’ masterplan in final consultative stages
TOURISM ‘GREEN MASTERPLAN’ NOW ENTERING CONSULTATIVE STAGES Information was received from Mahe over the weekend, that the new ‘green’ tourism masterplan, which is presently being developed, will go into the public consultative stages with a major public forum planned on the 18th of July at the International Conference Centre. While a great deal of work […]
Kenya aviation news update – KQ and KALPA sign agreement
KENYA AIRWAYS AND KALPA AGREE ON NEW TERMS The Kenya Airline Pilots Association has according to a well placed airline source in Nairobi signed a collective bargaining agreement with ‘The Pride of Africa’ earlier today, ending a period of uncertainty for the airline and its passengers of what could have been turning into industrial action. […]
Rwanda aviation news update – Kanombe International Airport gets new fuel trucks
KIGALI’S KANOMBE AIRPORT GETS NEW FUELING TRUCKS Three new state of the art Mercedes Benz fueling trucks were launched yesterday at the Kanombe International Airport in Kigali, replacing the old equipment with two 36.000 litre vehicles and one of 18.000 litre capacity. This will now be enough to refuel several aircraft at once, including long […]
The Republic of South Sudan – Independent at last
THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN – INDEPENDENT AT LAST Following the sequence of events yesterday, and tweeting it to the world, was playing living witness to a very rare event, the birth of a new nation, as the Republic of South Sudan was finally launched. For many in the crowd of what can only […]
Rwanda conservation news – RDB – Tourism and Conservation launches new birding routes
RWANDA DEVELOPMENT BOARD LAUNCHES NEW ‘BIRD ROUTES’ RDB – Tourism and Conservation in conjunction with the Rwanda Birding Association has launched three new routes for tourists visiting the East of the country. John Gara, the Chief Executive of the Rwanda Development Board was at hand for the launch, as was Ms. Rica Rwigamba, Head of […]
Seychelles news update – UNESCO application for Mission Lodge gets boost
MISSION LODGE BID FOR UNESCO RECOGNITION GATHERS PACE The pending application for World Heritage Status for the ‘Mission Lodge’ on the island of Mahe / Seychelles has gathered added information to strengthen the case when more ‘digs’ unearthed more evidence of human population around the area, which if granted UNESCO WHS status will be the […]
Seychelles conservation news – President Michel asks for ‘sustainability’ from fellow world leaders
PRESIDENT MICHEL ASKS WORLD TO ‘GO SUSTAINABLE’ Ahead of the June 2012 Rio de Janeiro UN Conference on Sustainable Development has the Seychelles President James Michel asked the rest of the world to embrace sustainability in their economic activities, so as to preserve the planet for future generations. A two day meeting at the Le […]
