Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and from the Indian Ocean islands, Third edition January 2012
AVIATION, TOURISM AND CONSERVATION NEWS from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands A weekly roundup of breaking news, reports, travel stories and opinions by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome Get daily breaking news updates instantly via Twitter by following @whthome, join me on Facebook where the articles also cross load or read the daily […]
Kenya aviation breaking news – Lonrho / Stelios consortium take over Fly 540
LONRHO / STELIOS TAKE OVER FLY 540 It was learned over the weekend that a new ownership has emerged at Fly 540 Aviation, when Lonrho with their new partner Sir Stelios compelled the other existing shareholders to sell – in the face of whatever evidence they were confronted with – taking full control of East […]
East African aviation – The battle of the skies continues with another twist of the tail
THE BATTLE OF THE SKIES CONTINUES, LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY The proverbial knives are out between fast riser RwandAir and our local quasi national airline Air Uganda, over flights to and from Kigali. The erstwhile code share arrangement, talked about here repeatedly in the past, had been hollowed out when the aim to have an early […]
Rwanda breaking news: Rwanda’s own Felix Ndagijimana appointed to head the Karisoke Gorilla Research Centre
RWANDAN APPOINTED TO HEAD GORILLA RESEARCH ORGANIZATION The Karisoke Gorilla Research Centre has just announced that they have appointed the first ever Rwandan national, Mr. Felix Ndagijimana, as its new director. Felix will take over from Katie Fawcett, who has been holding the position for some time. Karisoke, founded in 1967, is the legacy of […]
Sea Life Seychelles hits the news stands on the archipelago
SEALIFE SEYCHELLES HITS THE NEWS STANDS ACROSS THE ISLANDS The start of 2012 also saw the inaugural edition of Sealife Seychelles being launched in Victoria and across the main islands, a new publication dedicated to highlighting and promoting ocean based activities for tourists. The new magazines editor, Arnold Chetty, had this to say: The primary […]
Seychelles tourism industry stands united, ready for the challenges of 2012
SHTA CHAIRMAN VOICES TOURISM TRADES CONCERNS OVER 2012 Louis DOffay, long serving chairman of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association, has over the weekend voiced his members concerns over what they felt would be a tough 2012, considering the withdrawal of all European services by Air Seychelles. Stating that all members of SHTA must and […]
AFRAA joins growing chorus condemning the EU Emission Trading Scheme
AFRAA JOINS CHINESE AND AMERICAN AIRLINES TO OPPOSE THE EUS EMISSION SCHEME Although several key African airlines have complied with the EU Emission Trading Scheme, and at a very substantial cost that is, AFRAA has now taken up the matter once again with a public statement issued from the associations office in Nairobi, opposing the […]
Uganda aviation news – SN set to upgrade cabin layout, improve comfort levels
BRUSSELS AIRLINES ANNOUNCES CABIN UPGRADE It was learned over the weekend from a regular source in Kampala that the Belgian national airline is planning to upgrade their entire A330 fleet, presently comprising 6 aircraft, to a new standard. The first such retrofitted aircraft will be deployed on the upcoming route to New York, but all […]
Uganda aviation news – Qatar Airways flights to Madrid now use Terminal 4
QATAR AIRWAYS SWITCHES TERMINALS IN MADRID Travellers to Spain have been notified that Qatar Airways, the 5 star airline, will be switching terminals at Madrids Baraja International Airport, from presently Terminal 1 to their new location in Terminal 4. The move will be effective Monday 16th January and is aimed to improve service levels. Ground […]
Uganda conservation breaking news – Another rhino baby is born at Ziwa
UPDATE – NEW RHINO BABY CONFIRMED TO BE ANOTHER GIRL! MOTHER IS KORI, ORIGINALLY FROM THE SOLIO GAME RESERVE IN KENYA AND FATHER IS TALEO, ALSO ORIGINALLY FROM SOLIO. IT IS A RHINO FEST AT ZIWA Within a week after reporting that Bella had a […]
New talks on the use of the Nile waters raise hope on lasting agreement
MULTILATERAL TALKS ON NILE WATERS UNDERWAY (Map source by WikiMedia) Egypt and the Sudan (Khartoum) have reportedly started talks with the government in Addis Ababa over a planned major dam and power station on the Blue Nile near the border between Ethiopia and Sudan. The project, fiercely opposed by the former Mubarak regime, had raised […]
Kenya news – Briatore’s luxury resort expansion raises controvery
BRIATORES RESORT PLANS MEET LOCAL OPPOSITION Flavio Briatores plans for expanding his billionaires resort in Malindi met with local opposition when boat and beach business operators protested at the public beach of the construction site, preventing contractors to put up a fence which could have cut off access to the beach in contravention of existing […]
Episodes from my hikes across the Congo Nile Trail
WHERE THE CONGO NILE TRAIL CROSSES PATHS WITH LOCAL CHARITY (The Bumba Base Camp, operated by Father Patrick) A few weeks ago, while traversing sections of the Congo Nile Trail, the effects tourists can have on local needs became quite apparent. First, the visit to the L Esperance orphanage, one of the 8 base […]
Kenya aviation news – Lack of second runway at JKIA sees operations halted for repairs and maintenance
RUNWAY REPAIRS DELAY FLIGHTS IN AND OUT OF JKIA The stark reality of past failures to look and plan ahead in good time has once again come home to roost for the Kenya Airports Authority and all the airlines operating from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport last night, when due to urgent repairs and maintenance of […]
Kenya tourism news – Western Kenya gets greater exposure
LAKE VICTORIA TOURISM ASSOCIATION PRESENTS NEW CONCEPTS (Rusinga Island Camp on Lake Victoria, tranquil and serene pictures courtesy of www.rusinga.com) A new tourism masterplan for Western Kenya has been unveiled earlier in the week in Nairobi, aimed at first showcasing the regions attractions and then bringing visitors, Kenyans and wagenis alike to this hitherto under […]
Mauritius conservation news – Marine park sees restocking project go underway
MARINE PARK RESTOCKED WITH FISH Over 25.000 young fish were released at the Blue Bay Marine Park earlier in the week as part of the Mauritian governments efforts to restore biodiversity and restock areas in lagoons and bays with insufficient fish numbers. This particular location is due to ultimately see up to 100.000 young fish […]
Rwanda conservation and tourism news – Lake Kivu islands to be surveyed to determine future use
LAKE KIVU ISLANDS SURVEY MAY HOLD KEY TO FUTURE CONSERVATION USE (Lake Kivu, as seen from the Bumba Base Camp along the Congo Nile Trail with Napoleon Island in the centre dominating the view ) Several dozen of the scenic islands, which dot Lake Kivu in Rwandan waters, will be surveyed in coming months to […]
Mauritius tourism update – Winning big at the World Tourism Awards in Qatar
MAURITIUS REAPS BIG AT WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS CEREMONY IN DOHA Mauritius tourism stakeholders will be pleased with the outcome of the World Travel Award Ceremony earlier in the week in Qatar, when the country scooped several major awards, against stiff competition from amongst others their fellow Vanilla Island competitors. The Trou Aux Biches, operated by […]
AFRAA launches joint fuel purchasing scheme with 9 African airlines participating
AFRAA LAUNCHES JOINT FUEL PURCHASING PROJECT Nine member airlines of the African Airline Association in Nairobi will be joining hands under a project devised by AFRAA in an effort to seek lowering their fuel cost in the future. Kenya Airways will jointly with Ethiopian Airlines, Precision Air, RwandAir, Air Malawi, Air Namibia, TAAG of Angola, […]
Uganda news update – Tourism Minister officially gets Kanyeihamba report, halts action till court cases resolved
TOURISM MINISTRY FINALLY GETS KANYEIHAMBA REPORT After four months of waiting has the Ministry of Tourism finally received the Kanyeihamba report, giving the findings of the commission of enquiry which has over the past year significantly impacted on the running of the Uganda Wildlife Authority and affected other related bodies too. The Minister for Tourism, […]
Uganda news – Electricity tariffs set to rise between 36 and 69 percent
ELECTRICITY TARIFFS UP BETWEEN 36 AND 69 PERCENT Ugandans woke up to the stark reality of electricity tariffs rising sharply, after government negated on their contract with the people and shelved power subsidies, forcing the Electricity Regulatory Authority to approve an immediate rise in tariffs. The delay of the Bujagali power plant going on line, […]
Uganda aviation news – Aeroclub turns 15, lines up big celebration with aerial display show
KAMPALA AERO CLUB TURNS 15 The Kampala Aero Club and Flight Training Centre, based at the Kajjansi Airfield and Ugandas leading domestic charter airline, is turning 15 years, after 1 ½ decades of accident free operations across East Africa. Founded by Captains Jeremy McKelvie and Russell Barnes in 1997, KAFTC has grown in leaps and […]
Mauritius aviation news – Airport company awaits acquisition consent from land owners
AIRPORT AUTHORITY SEEKS TO ACQUIRE LAND FOR EXPANSION The Airports of Mauritius company is reportedly engaged in negotiations with nearby residents to acquire their land, needed to optimize security and operational safety. From information received from the island over 20 families have received offers of compensation to give up their land and resettle somewhere else, […]
La Reunion aviation news – Air Austral to drop Sydney and Bangkok, adds flights via Seychelles
AIR AUSTRAL SCHEDULE AND DESTINATION CHANGES A source from Mauritius has passed information overnight that Air Austral, the home airline of the French Indian Ocean territory, is set to make some significant changes to their schedules and destinations, following the return of a B777-200 to the lessor recently. The airline will end flights to both […]
Seychelles news update – DMC’s sign Memorandum of Understanding with China
SEYCHELLES DMCS SIGN MOU WITH CHINA (Picture courtesy of STB) It was reported overnight that the 6 leading destination management companies in the Seychelles, Masons Travel, Creole Travel Services, 7 Degrees South, Elite Travel Club, Select Seychelles and Vision Voyages have yesterday signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding with China in a meeting organized by […]
Seychelles news – 2012 arrivals up by 11 percent to 194.753 visitors
SEYCHELLES NEW ARRIVAL RECORD FIGURES 11 PERCENT UP Data availed overnight show an impressive 11 percent arrival growth for the Seychelles in 2012, making it the second record breaking year in a row after 2010. 194.753 visitors had arrived across the year, more than twice the number of people actually living on the archipelagos islands. […]
Uganda aviation news – Qatar Airways to offer two new destinations from February onwards
QATAR AIRWAYS EXPANDS NETWORK The office of Qatar Airways in Kampala has announced that from early February the airline will fly to two additional destinations, Tbilisi in Georgia and Baku in Azerbaijan. This will in particular aid the inflow to East Africa of tourists from there, but also for the purpose of trade and investments, […]
Uganda conservation breaking news – Rhino baby born at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary a few hours ago, mother and baby are well
NEW RHINO BABY EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR AT ZIWA News just came in that Bella, one of the mature female rhinos at the Rhino Fund Uganda’s rhino sanctuary at Ziwa, has given birth last night. While it is too early to determine the sex of the little one these particulars are expected to become […]
Rwanda breaking news – French magistrate’s report clears President Kagame and the RPF
RWANDA SHINES AS LIES FINALLY PUT TO REST Rwandans will be celebrating today as the contents of a long awaited judicial report, conducted in France by independent magistrates, are becoming public today. The main issue, after a clearly biased, probably unduly influenced and now completely disgraced Brugiere had accused the Rwanda Patriotic Front in general […]
Seychelles aviation news – Air Seychelles downsizing continues with 20 percent redundancies
AIR SEYCHELLES TRANSFORMATION BUTTERFLY OR MOTH With the last European service of HM now withdrawn, January 10th having been the watershed day for Air Seychelles, the downsizing, management would probably prefer the word rightsizing of Air Seychelles continues. Besides the domestic services to a number of islands, where operations continue as usual and without problems, […]
