Kenya tourism news – TLB stands accused of conducting ‘insensitive vehicle checks’ on tourist vehicles
STOP HARASSING OUR DRIVERS, SAFARI OPERATORS TELL TRANSPORT BOARD The Chairman of the Mombasa and Coast Tourist Association Mohamed Hersi has made sweeping accusations against a reported crackdown by the countrys Transport Licensing Boards personnel engaged in road blocks and vehicle checks in the area around Voi, a popular cross road from Mombasa into Tsavo […]
Uganda news update – Museum to stay says new Minister for Tourism
MUSEUM TO STAY SAYS NEW MINISTER Ahead in wisdom and intellectual capacity over his predecessor by miles has the new Minister for Tourism, Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu finally said in public what was an open secret in the corridors of the tourism ministry: The Museum will stay. The previous minister, notorious for a range of shoot […]
Seychelles aviation breaking news – Air Seychelles gets new CEO
AIR SEYCHELLES GETS NEW CEO Bram Steller is according to reliable sources going to join HM as new Chief Executive Officer, taking over from Mr. Maurice Loustau-Lalanne who has served as stand in Executive Chairman for almost six months, since Capt. David Savy retired from the airline following the departure of the former CEO. Bram […]
Tanzania news update – TAZARA turns 35
TAZARA TURNS 35 The obligatory birthday celebration took place in Dar es Salaam yesterday for the Tanzania Zambia Railway, build in the early 1970s by China to link Zambia with a safe port in Tanzania while the then apartheid regime in South Africa all but blocked imports and exports to and from Zambia for supporting […]
Tanzania aviation news – Transport Minister defends throwing more money at ATCL
TRANSPORT MINISTER DEFENDS FUNDING FOR AILING AIR TANZANIA At the launch of the Transport Week on Wednesday this week, part of the ongoing preparations and celebrations of Tanzanias 50th independence anniversary, has the Minister for Transport Mr. Omar Nundu defended the 16 billion Tanzanian Shillings the government has poured into the financially and operationally stricken […]
Uganda tourism news update – Minister laments lack of funding and budget allocations
TOURISM MINISTER LAMENTS LOW FUNDING FOR HIS MINISTRY Our sector contributes 9.2 percent to the GDP of Uganda and yet we are only getting 0.14 percent in budget allocation from the overall annual budget said the Minister for Tourism Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu earlier in the week when addressing tourism stakeholders in Kampala. He asked his […]
East African aviation news – Stakeholders denounce CASSOA as greedy
AVIATION STAKEHOLDERS DENOUNCE CASSOA AS GREEDY Emotions were once again running high between aviation stakeholders and the regional Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency, when the latter announced the introduction of yet another fee to finance operations. These bureaucrats never learn. They also never listen. They are the main obstacle to make flying in […]
Uganda news update – Flooded Muzizi river disrupts key road link between parks
FLOODED RIVER MUZIZI CUTS DIRECT ROUTE BETWEEN PARKS The most direct connection for travel by road between Murchisons Falls National Park and the Queen Elizabeth National Park, with Kibale, Rwenzori and the Semliki Game Reserve also enroute, has been cut yesterday when the Muzizi river burst its banks following prolonged heavy rains lashing the catchment […]
Kenya conservation news – KWS to relocate up to 200 elephant into Masai Mara
KWS TO SHIFT DOZENS OF ELEPHANT FROM FARMING AREAS INTO THE MASAI MARA Information was given overnight that the Kenya Wildlife Service will embark next week to relocate as many as 200 elephant roaming the farmlands in the wider vicinity of the reserve and surrounding conservancies into the Masai Mara, following persistent complaints by farmers […]
East Africa news – Economic worries persist amid uncertain outlook for the future
BLEAK OUTLOOK FOR EAST AFRICAN ECONOMIES Record inflation and sliding currency values are now combining with higher interest rates, posing further challenges to the economies of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania in coming months. Consumer confidence, from the little research available in the region, is nearing record lows and in particular rising food prices, partly as […]
Indian Ocean news update – Vanilla Islands step up surveillance amid security reviews
SEYCHELLES ASSURES VISITOR SAFETY AMIDST SECURITY REVIEW The events in Kenya in recent days, when a remote beach resort half way between Lamu and the Somali border was attacked, a British tourist killed and his wife abducted but suspected Somali intruders, has reverberated across the Vanilla Islands, triggering an immediate review of their own respective […]
Kenya news update – UK Metropolitan Police and Special Forces join hunt for abducted woman
UK SPECIAL FORCES AND DETECTIVES JOIN HUNT FOR ABDUCTED WOMAN Lamu and Kiwayu Island have been swarmed by the international media since the killing of a British citizen and the abduction of his wife a few days ago. In the very first release here speculation was already raised, at a time when official Kenya still […]
Kenya conservation news – KWS to celebrate World Rhino Day with cycling race in Nakuru
KWS MARKS WORLD RHINO DAY WITH CYCLING RACE IN NAKURU NP The increasing threat towards the very survival of the rhinos on the African continent will be highlighted when World Rhino Day is celebrated, drawing attention to the need to boost anti poaching measures, give greater protection to the species and make it abundantly clear […]
Seychelles tourism news update – Tourism industry to celebrate World Tourism Day with ‘Seychelles Ball’
ANNUAL TOURISM BALL BECOMES PART OF CALENDER OF EVENTS True to form has the Seychelles Tourism Board and the tourism industry across the archipelago raised their game again and will hold Seychelles Ball 2011 to commemorate the UN World Tourism Organizations World Tourism Day in style. Saturday the 24th of September will see the Seychelles […]
Weekly roundup of news from the Eastern African and Indian Ocean regions, Second edition September 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. Many of these stories are also […]
Kenya aviation news – New terminal construction for JKIA attracts interest from around the world
NEW AIRPORT TERMINAL ATTRACTS INTEREST FROM ACROSS THE WORLD Information received overnight from Nairobi talks of over 100 international and regional construction companies expressing interests in the tender documents available from the Kenya Airports Authority for the re-development of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport into a first class international airport with the capacity to handle an […]
EAC news update – Spats over jurisdiction for Serengeti Highway go to EAC Summit
CROSS BORDER SENTIMENTS TO COME TO A HEAD IN NOVEMBER EAC SUMMIT Disturbing news have reached from Arusha that the debate on the Transboundary Ecosystems Management Bill which was introduced in 2010 to the East African Community Legislative Assembly, has upon substantial pressure by the Tanzanian government been postponed to allow the forthcoming Head of […]
Uganda conservation news – UWA and NFA jointly offer free entrance to promote ‘bird watching’
BIRD WATCHING BONANZA FOR WORLD TOURISM DAY CELEBRATIONS Ugandans will once more have the opportunity to get into the countrys national parks and forest reserves free of charge at the end of the month, when the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the National Forest Authority have combined forces to promote bird watching. Coinciding with the World […]
Kenya aviation breaking news – KQ takes delivery of another E190
KENYA AIRWAYS RECEIVES EIGHTH EMBRAER, CONTINUES EXPANSION Another Embraer E190 joined the growing KQ fleet overnight, when the latest bird arrived in Nairobi and was taxied to the Embakasi base of The Pride of Africa. Registered as 5Y KYR the new aircraft will shortly be deployed across the East and Southern African skies, soon to […]
Kenya breaking news – Major fire outbreak at Kenya Pipeline depot kills scores in Nairobi
TRAGEDY STRIKES NAIROBI A major fire near or at a Kenya Pipeline Company depot in the industrial area on the outskirts of Nairobi has claimed dozens of lives according to breaking news from Kenyas capital. As the fire brigade is deploying in full force to control the fire and prevent it from spreading to other […]
Kenya tourism news – Gamewatchers / Porini offer ‘mobility’
GAMEWATCHERS / PORINI OFFER MOBILITY IN THEIR CONSERVANCIES Gamewatcher Safaris and Porini Safari Camps have launched a mobile tented operation, which is available during certain times of the year, currently between July and October. Comprising 6 dome tents, which sleep up to two guests at a time, they are located on their Selenkay Conservancy outside […]
More News about Africa – check this out
E-NEWS FROM THE REGION Many readers of my regular weekly roundup or even those following me on Twitter or are connected via LinkedIn or Facebook where all my blog articles are cross loaded to reach more and more people interested in Eastern Africa and Indian Ocean events, keep asking for :where can we read more. […]
Zanzibar ferry accident update – Now government denies knowledge of ferry owners
ZANZIBAR GOVERNMENT DENIES KNOWLEDGE OF OWNERS OF SUNKEN FERRY In an extraordinary, though not unprecedented turn of events has the government of Zanzibar reportedly denied to have any knowledge of the registered owners of the MV Spice Islander. Registration and licensing of ocean going vessels however has been confirmed to be a function of government […]
Breaking News – British tourist killed, wife abducted from remote beach camp 30 miles North of Lamu
ATTACK ON REMOTE BEACH RESORT LEAVES ONE BRIT DEAD AND ONE ABDUCTED A small resort on the Indian Ocean beaches some 30 miles north of Lamu was attacked earlier today, according to reports emerging from reliable sources in Nairobi. Information is sketchy right now but it appears that the British High Commission has confirmed the […]
Seychelles hospitality news – STA opens Spa, offers relevant courses to students
SEYCHELLES TOURISM ACADEMY OPENS TRAINING SPA The Seychelles Tourism Academy at La Misere opened their new Spa facility in the presence of Principal Flavien Joubert and Seychelles Tourism Boards Deputy CEO Elsia Grandcourt. All the leading resorts across the archipelago presently operate Spas and wellness centres and students at the STA can now acquire appropriate […]
EAC news update – Bureaucrats and lawyers find way out of Khartoum’s membership application
EAC FINDS FACE SAVING WAY OUT OF KHARTOUMS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION When the application by the Bashir regime in Khartoum to join the East Africa Community became public knowledge, it put the political leaderships in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Kigali and Bujumbura into a dilemma of sorts. Bashirs cunning plan, to apply ahead of the […]
9 / 11 – Ten years on
9/11 TEN YEARS ON It was a just past 4 in the afternoon when I got a call, being on the outskirts of Kampala enroute back from the airport in Entebbe, that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Centre in New York, prompting me to abort my drive to where I was heading […]
Tanzania breaking news – Ferry with 600 on board sinks between Zanzibar and Pemba
ZANZIBAR STRUCK BY FERRY DISASTER New broke earlier today but took a while to confirm and fully ascertain, that a ferry with reportedly over 600 people on board between Unguja, commonly referred to as Zanzibar and Pemba sunk after capsizing, leaving scores of passengers dead in the water and others struggling to survive by clinging […]
Tanzania conservation news – Maige’s remarks about Kenya’s ivory burning may be true after all
TOURISM MINSTERS ALLEGED DEROGATORY REMARKS ABOUT KENYA TRUE AFTER ALL? When Kenya burnt a cargo of seized ivory a few weeks ago at the KWS training school in Tsavo, dignitaries from across the region had been invited to witness this act of defiance and declared opposition to poaching and the growing trade in blood ivory, […]
South Sudan news update – Major investment conference planned for October
MAJOR INVESTMENT CONFERENCE PLANNED Juba will host the first post independence South Sudan Investment Conference and Trade Fair in October, according to a regular source in Juba. We will be showing potential investors what great range of projects they can apply for, can make a sales pitch for. We need foreign investments in the entire […]
