Zanzibar tourism and culture news – Sauti Za Busara 2012 line up of artists now confirmed
SAUTI ZA BUSARA 2012 NEWS Zanzibars globally renowned music, film and culture festival, Sauti Za Busara, has just announced the final lineup for selected artists participating in next years event, in their latest information sent out to the media. A partial reproduction of their latest news letter, which also includes a final call for Movers […]
Rwanda aviation news – Second B737-800 for RwandAir now on production line
RWANDAIRS SECOND B737-800 GOES ON THE PRODUCTION LINE The second brand new B737-800, featuring once again Boeings Sky Interior, has recently been put on the production line in Everett and is now being assembled, ready for an expected delivery to Rwandas national airline on the 25th of October. RwandAirs fleet will then grow to a […]
Uganda aviation breaking news – Air Uganda welcomes Kayle Haywood as new CEO
AIR UGANDA SET FOR ANOTHER CHANGE AT THE TOP Hugh Fraser, Air Ugandas Chief Executive, is reportedly set to leave the airline at the end of October. His main achievement during his time at U7 was to return the carrier to level keel and bring it into calmer waters, following multiple management changes in key […]
Tanzania aviation news – ATCL gets their AOC at last, more bailout money from tax payers
PAYMENT OF ATCL DEBTS TILTS MARKET AVIATION OBSERVERS CLAIM Air Tanzania has finally received a new AOC Air Operators Certification from the Tanzanian Civil Aviation Authority, after the previous permit had lapsed following the suspension and halt of all operations early this year. This opens the way for the airline to resume operations with their […]
Uganda conservation news – Bickering follows GVTC meeting in Kampala
BICKERING FOLLOWS IGCP MEETING IN KAMPALA As reported here did the Greater Virunga Transboundary Committee meeting take place in Kampala last week, discussing closer cooperation and harmonized policies and responses to the conservation challenges faced by each of the participant members, UWA from Uganda, RDB Tourism and Conservation from Rwanda and the Congolese Institute for […]
Seychelles news update – Seychelles makes it on to UNWTO’s Sustainable Tourism Committee
SEYCHELLES MAKES IT ON TO UNWTOS SUSTAINABLE TOURISM COMMITTEE The extraordinary efforts by the Seychelles to promote sustainable tourism and put the environment first as shown results when during the recently concluded general assembly of member countries of the UNs World Tourism Organization the country was elected to the important sustainable tourism committee. The archipelagos […]
South Sudan news – New country phone prefix activated faster than planned
ISD SWITCHOVER BROUGHT FORWARD The anticipated migration to an own International Dialing Code, away from Khartoums +249 prefix, has been brought forward from December as a result of continuous eavesdropping by the regime of ICC fugitive Bashir. A source in Juba confirmed that our own prefix +211 is now active and we no longer need […]
Rwanda conservation news – 67 million trees to be planted to boost degraded forest areas
RWANDA TO PLANT 67 MILLION TREES Rwandas policy of active re-forestation by 2020 an area covering 30 percent of the country with forests has been set as target has received a further boost when it was announced that over 67 million tree seedlings will be availed for planting to speed up the exercise. The Ministry […]
Seychelles tourism news – SUBIOS comes calling again
SUBIOS ANTE PORTAS Seychelles globally renowned festival of marine life under the waters of the Indian Ocean is just around the corner now, due to take place between November 04 and 06. Diving and underwater safari aficionados from around the world will fly into Mahe for the event to participate in the annual competition for […]
Kenya breaking news – Government in Nairobi decides on policy shift, deploys army and airforce units to Somali border
KENYA GOVERNMENT CHANGES STRATEGY, ALLOWS HOT PURSUIT In a long awaited policy shift has the Kenyan government now given their military, and probably all security organs involved in keeping Al Shabab at bay, permission to cross the border with Somalia in pursuit of militants. While it was not immediately known if this is being applied […]
Uganda aviation news – SAA hosts South African wine festival in Kampala
SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS HOSTS SOUTH AFRICAN WINE FESTIVAL Star Alliance member South African Airways, the only airline flying a daily nonstop service between Entebbe and Johannesburg, on Friday night hosted the travel and business community to their annual South African Wine Festival, co-sponsored by fellow South African companies MTN and Stanbic Bank, both of which […]
South Sudan aviation news – Fly 540 to add more flights to Nairobi
JUBA GETS MORE NAIROBI FLIGHTS A source in Juba has confirmed that Fly540 will launch a second daily flight between Nairobi and Juba between Monday and Thursday while Friday to Sunday will continue to see the regular daily departure. Nairobi has become the destination of choice for many South Sudanese to connect to international flights […]
Kenya aviation news – AGM approves Kenya Airways’ plans for a share issue
KENYA AIRWAYS GETS SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL FOR NEW SHARE ISSUE The Annual General Meeting of The Pride of Africa at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi yesterday produced the anticipated result, when the shareholders overwhelmingly voted YES when the proposal by the Board of Directors for a new share issue was tabled. A meeting of the […]
Kenya tourism news – Tourist ignores ‘no swimming’ advice in Watamu and pays the ultimate price
BRITISH TOURIST DEFIES BAD WEATHER WARNING, DROWNS A tourist from Britain drowned earlier in the week off the beach in Watamu, where he went swimming inspite of strong if not categoric warnings of bad weather, high surf and off limit guidance from the hotel and officials. Kenya has in past days experienced unusually high waves […]
Ethiopia aviation news – Added Khartoum flights now bypass Addis
NEW FLIGHTS FROM ETHIOPIA TO NORTH SUDANS CAPITAL Ethiopian Airlines has two days ago launched nonstop flights from Bahir Dar and Mekele to Khartoum, providing passengers with a faster connection without having to travel first via Addis Ababa. The airline is using their Bombardier Q400 turboprop for the service which is now going to operate […]
Uganda news – Government takes ‘delivery’ of second fibre optic ‘backbone’ phase
NEW FIBRE OPTIC BACKBONE GOING INTO OPERATION IN UGANDA Years of waiting and billions of Uganda Shillings in expenditure are now coming to a successful conclusion as Chinas Huawei is handing over the finished product to the Ugandan government, which has paid for the installation of fibre optic cables across the country to connect The […]
Tanzania news – Prince of Wales to visit Tanzania for 50th Independence Day celebrations
PRINCE OF WALES EXPECTED IN TANZANIA Conservationists have taken heart when it was learned that the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will visit Tanzania in November on the occasion of the countrys 50th Independence Day celebrations. The Prince of Wales is embarking on a tour to the Middle East and Africa, which […]
Kenya tourism news – Balala gets elected to UNWTO Executive Committee Chairmanship
UNWTO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ELECTS KENYAS TOURISM MINISTER AS CHAIRMAN Tourism Minister Najib Balala was elected chairman of the important executive committee of the UNs World Tourism Organization during the just concluded assembly of the UNWTO in South Korea. The 31 member committee runs the affairs of the UNWTO between general assemblies and for the first […]
Kenya aviation news – ATC ‘goes slow’ to press for better pay
KENYAS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS GO SLOW Nairobi aviation sources confirmed a go slow by air traffic controllers overseeing operations at the countrys main gateway Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and also at Wilson Airport, where most of the tourism related safari flights originate. Negotiations between the Civil Aviation Authority and the Aviation and Allied Workers Union […]
Tanzania aviation news – Precision gears up PR during IPO phase
PRECISION GEARS UP PR DURING IPO PERIOD Tanzanias Precision Air, currently in the process of an IPO on Dar es Salaams Stock Exchange, has notably geared up its PR activities in support of the share sale, and probably also to counter a disputed assessment by a Nairobi investment firm about the valuation of the shares […]
Kenya news – Abductions of MSF doctors from refugee camp casts fresh doubts on Kenya’s ability to stop cross border raids
ABDUCTION OF AID WORKERS FROM REFUGEE CAMP CASTS FRESH DOUBTS News broke yesterday of several aid workers in the main refugee camp at the border with Somalia getting abducted including two foreigners working with MSF Medicines Sans Frontiers in another daring raid by suspected Al Shabab militants into Kenya. It prompted immediate doubts on Kenyas […]
Kenya aviation news – Cargo flight announcement by BA not a threat to Kenya Airways’ own plans
BRITISH AIRWAYS RAINS ON KENYA AIRWAYSS PARADE As Kenya Airways is putting final touches on the preparations for todays annual general meeting, where shareholders are expected to sign off on plans for a new shares issue as proposed by the Board of Directors, and only days after the airline announced the acquisition on a long […]
Uganda news update – Bujagali hydro electric plant enters test phase
BUJAGALI ENTERES TEST PHASE The Bujagali hydroelectric power plant has reportedly commenced the testing phase with the first installed 50 MW turbine, due to go into production in November, according to reliable sources. The plant, worth over 860 million US Dollars, was initiated by the IPS Kenya, itself part of the Aga Khan Fund for […]
Uganda aviation news – AVGAS cost goes through the roof after another price rise by Shell
SHELL ACCUSED OF DAYLIGHT ROBBERY OVER NEW AVGAS PRICES Shell Uganda is fast becoming a byword for all things negative and bad for those in the aviation fraternity using traditional piston engined aircraft, when news emerged that the cost for AVGAS has just again been raised inexplicably by the company. A large number of aircraft […]
Kenya aviation breaking news – Two more B777-300ER to join Kenya Airways growing fleet
KENYA AIRWAYS SIGNS UP WITH GECAS FOR TWO MORE B777-300ER Kenya Airways has yesterday late afternoon confirmed that they have signed a long term lease agreement with leading aircraft leasing company GECAS for the delivery of two more very long haul B777-300ER, at a press conference held at the InterContinental Hotel in Nairobi. The two […]
Uganda aviation news – Qatar Airways chief to be in Uganda at launch of flights
QATAR AIRWAYS CEO AKBAR AL BAKR EXPECTED IN UGANDA FOR INAUGURAL FLIGHT It was confirmed yesterday that the outspoken CEO of Qatar Airways will be present at the launch of flights between Doha and Entebbe on the 02nd November, when the inaugural flight will come to Uganda. Also published was the schedule for the new […]
Kenya conservation news – Nakuru latest scene of rhino poaching in Kenya
DOUBLE LOSS AS RHINO CUB DIES AFTER MOTHER WAS KILLED The Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenyas first official rhino sanctuary established some decades ago, was the scene of a double whammy, when first the remains of a female rhino were found with her horn cut off and then news emerged that her cub, only a […]
East Africa news – Currencies keep sliding to ever new lows
EAST AFRICAN CURRENCIES KEEP SLIDING The three main East African currencies, the Kenya Shilling, the Tanzania Shilling and the Uganda Shilling are all trading in record low territory now to the dismay of the business community and local consumers but the delight of foreign visitors, who get substantially more for their Dollars, Euros and Pounds […]
Rwanda tourism news – PWC chosen to evaluate the value of the Umubano Hotel
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS CHOSEN TO EVALUATE FORMER LAICO HOTEL IN KIGALI Next week will see the start of an estimated one month long evaluation audit of the former Laico Umumbano Hotel in Kigali, which the government has repossessed in the face of sanctions against the Gadaffi regime. The official position is that the 60 percent share of […]
Tanzania conservation news – Plans for Uranium mining continue to cause controversy
URANIUM MINING IN THE SELOUS GAME RESERVE ON GOVERNMENT FAST TRACK AGENDA Russias ROSATOM, the State Nuclear Energy Corporation, is in the cross hairs of environmentalists and the conservation fraternity over plans to mine Uranium in the Selous Game Reserve, which would according to conservation sources irreversibly alter the environment and possibly poison the immediate […]
