Masai Mara air crash update
MOMBASA AIR SAFARI CRASH KILLS TWO PILOTS In a breaking news development in Kenya it was reported that Mombasa Air Safaris suffered a fatal crash in the Masai Mara at Ngerende airstrip near the Mara Safari Club, with both pilots of the aircraft killed as well as at least one passenger. The aircraft had arrived […]
Mara crash of LET 410 causes loss of life
MOMBASA AIR SAFARI CRASH KILLS TWO PILOTS In a breaking news development in Kenya it was reported that Mombasa Air Safaris suffered a fatal crash in the Masai Mara at Ngerende airstrip near the Mara Safari Club, with both pilots of the aircraft killed as well as at least one passenger. At this moment of […]
Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club now mourns two principals in three months
WINDSOR GOLF HOTEL AND COUNTRY CLUB MOURNS DOUBLE BLOW Only weeks after the untimely death of the principal owner of Kenyas premier golf resort, the late Hon. John Michuki, Minister in President Kibakis government, his wife has also passed away this morning at the Nairobi Hospital, throwing the entire staff and management of the golf […]
Precision Air adds domestic capacity to meet growing demand for air travel
PRECISION AIR ADDS MORE DOMESTIC CAPACITY The sudden departure of Air Tanzania from the skies recently, when an emerging dispute over the continued lease of a B737-500 from a UAE based company prompted the plane to be grounded, has not had any significant impact on options for travelers in Tanzania. In fact, Precision Air, which […]
Loss of handling monopoly translates into greater profits for Swissport Tanzania
SWISSPORT PROFITS UP INSPITE OF INCREASED COMPETITION The loss of the Swissport monopoly for aircraft and cargo handling at Tanzanias main airports has apparently not dented the profitability of the company, with the latest figures available now showing an increase before taxes of 8 percent in a year by year comparison. The company, traded at […]
New ferry, new problems or just a shaky start …
NEW FERRY, NEW PROBLEMS, ALREADY? Rowdy scenes by travelers were reported in the local Ugandan media, surrounding the new MV Pearl ferry, officially launched only days earlier by the Minister for Works and Transport, when an apparent damage to an engine, caused by striking submerge rocks on attempting to land the ferry, required repairs to […]
With Zenawi’s passing a new era is dawning on Ethiopia
ZENAWIS DEATH PLUNGES ETHIOPIA INTO UNCERTAINTY The smoke screens on Prime Minister Meles Zenawis health have finally been lifted, after many misleading statements, when the announcement just broke that he has died abroad while undergoing treatment for an unspecified illness. Zenawi, long serving strongman of Ethiopias post communist period since overthrowing Dictator Haile Mariam now […]
Coast tourism stakeholders finger government for lack of support
COAST RESORT OPERATORS BLAME GOVERNMENT FOR LACK OF VISITORS Let me be very specific here so that there is no mistake on what I say. It is the government which has denied KTB the funding needed to do the job, and although KTB should do more with the resources they have, there are limitations. Their […]
Another Zanzibar bound boat sinks, three tourists amongst the 11 passengers rescued.
TOURISTS ESCAPE DEATH AFTER DRAMATIC OCEAN RESCUE The series of marine accidents in Tanzania just does not seem to end, as according to a regular source from the Tanzanian coast three wagenis aka tourists from overseas had to be pulled from the sea, as their boat, sailing from Pangani to Zanzibar, sank after running into […]
Tanzania’s tourism stakeholders demand greater visibility of 7 New Natural Wonders campaign
TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS DEMAND GREATER VISIBILITY FOR 7 WONDERS VOTE Sections of Tanzanias tourism stakeholders have voiced their concern over the lack of visibility for the upcoming 2012 vote for the 7 natural wonders of the world, for which the country has reportedly entered three key attractions, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti with the […]
Royal Ascot Goat Races confirmed for 01st September
ANNUAL ROYAL ASCOT GOAT RACES CONFIRMED FOR SEPTEMBER 01 What started at the Kampala Rugby Club way back in 1993 as a small fundraising event, providing some family fun watching the goats to be egged on to race around a small circle, with onlookers nevertheless dressed as if indeed they had come to see Royal […]
Nature Uganda announces dates for national ‘Big Birding Day’ 2012
BIG BIRDING DAY DATES ANNOUNCED Those who love the birds of the feathered kind will be marking October 19 October 20 in their calendar, when from midnight to midnight ornithologists and hobby birders will once again swarm Ugandas best, and also the lesser known sites to collect sightings and audible identifications of as many of […]
Talodi / South Kordofan crash report update
UPDATE ON TALODI / SOUTH KORDOFAN ANTONOV CRASH (Wikipedia file photo of the Antonov 24) More information has now been received on the deadly crash yesterday in South Kordofan, where 31 passengers and crew died as the aircraft hit the side of a mountain near the main town of Talodi while attempting to land for […]
Embattled Kimunya now resorts to a new committee appointment to impose his agenda on JKIA expansion
DEFIANT KIMUNYA APPOINTS SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO OVERSEE AIRPORT EXPANSION In what now clearly has become a game of who blinks first has Kenyas embattled Transport Minister Kimunya, no stranger to controversy after stumbling from scandal to scandal and having been removed from cabinet before, appointed a special committee to oversee the ongoing implementation of plans […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, Third edition August 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 You can get your daily breaking news updates instantly via Twitter by following @whthome, join me on www.facebook.com/WolfgangHThome where the articles also cross load or […]
Another Antonov crash in Sudan claims 31 passengers and crew, including government minister and senior military officials
ANOTHER CRASH CLAIMS 31 LIVES A delegation of high ranking government, military and administrative officials died when their aircraft crashed earlier today with as many as 31 passengers and crew on board. The crash took place in the disputed state of South Kordofan, as it attempted a second time to land in what was reported […]
Bujagali Lake, Falls no more …
BUJAGALI LAKE FALLS NO MORE (This correspondent during a recent visit to the Nile Porch, with the new Bujagali Lake in the background) When in November 2011 the dam of the new Bujagali hydro electric power plant was finally completed and closed, the water levels of the Nile behind the dam wall immediately started to […]
Plans for Kasese and Gulu aerodrome expansion ready says UCAA
UGANDA CAA COMPLETES PLANNING FOR GULU AND KASESE AERODROME EXPANSION Planning for the expansion of two important upcountry aerodromes, Gulu in Northern Uganda and Kasese in Western Uganda, has reportedly been completed, according to information released by the organizations Corporate Communications and PR Manager Ignie Igundura. It was stated on the occasion that the cost […]
University of Seychelles enters into partnership agreements with Mauritius’ top resort groups
UNIVERSITY OF SEYCHELLES SIGNS MOUS WITH MAURITIUS RESORT GROUPS It was confirmed during the week, that the University of Seychelles has signed partnership agreements with two leading Mauritius based hospitality groups, to provide for industrial training and work place experience for their hospitality management students presently studying for their Bachelor Degree. Beachcomber Hotels, one of […]
Radar outage ‘not a problem’ according to TCAA’s Director General – REALLY
TCAA DENIES ANY DANGER TO AIR TRAFFIC AS RADAR EQUIPMENT FAILS Assurances to airlines and the aviation industry, that air operations across Tanzania were safe inspite of the failure of crucial radar equipment, sounded hollow at best and exculpatory at worst, prompting sharp comments from regular contributors from Tanzanias airlines. If the TCAA Director General […]
RwandAir’s first CRJ900 goes into the Bombardier paintshop for mid October delivery
RWANDAIRS NEW CRJ900 NOW IN PAINTSHOP AT BOMBARDIER (Picture of a CRJ900, being painted in RwandAir livery) RwandAirs first of two Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft, due for delivery in October this year, is now, that the annual factory closure for the summer holiday season is over, in the manufacturers paintshop, where in coming days it will […]
Seychelles enters fibre optic broad band era as new system goes online
SEYCHELLES FIBRE OPTIC CONNECTION NOW FULLY OPERATIONAL Visitors to the tropical Creole island paradise of the Seychelles will now be able to surf the net at full broad band speeds, made possible by the connection to the global grid via fibre optic cable. The connection, originating from the Tanzanian coast off Dar es Salaam, landed […]
Sarova Hotels Kenya sign up with B4Checkin
SAROVA HOTELS KENYA SIGN UP WITH B4CHECKIN B4Checkin has been selected by Sarova Hotels, Resorts and Game Lodges to provide communication and feedback software systems to their entire chain of hotels and lodges throughout Kenya and East Africa. The implementation of B4Checkin solutions at Sarova Hotels’ eight properties marks the company’s first African installations and […]
GeoLodges Africa make it into the top 50 brand names of Uganda’s who is who in business
GEOLODGES AND EAGLE AIR MAKE IT INTO UGANDAS TOP 50 BRANDS GeoLodges Africa, owners and operators of some of Ugandas best known lodges like the Nile Safari Lodge, Jacana Safari Lodge, the award winning RainForest Lodge in Mabira and the upcoming Equator Snow in the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon, has beaten more […]
COMESA releases draft agenda for the Tourism Forum in Nairobi next week
COMESA TOURISM FORUM DRAFT AGENDA RELEASED COMESA, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the COMESA Business Council have now released the draft agenda for the upcoming Tourism Forum to be held in Nairobi / Kenya between August 22 and 24. The lineup of speakers is now largely confirmed, with some changes from […]
Seychelles Tourism now targets Indian Ocean port authorities to increase cruise tourism for the Vanilla Islands
SEYCHELLES REMAINS AT THE HEART OF REGIONAL TOURISM INITIATIVES Information received from the Seychelles continues to affirm that the archipelago is playing a pivotal role in pushing for the restoration of the once flourishing cruiseship trade, when at a meeting of the Indian Ocean port authorities on Mahe brought together key personnel from the ports […]
Kimunya faces the ire of MP’s in Nairobi over allegations of misleading parliament
KIMUNYA TO FACE PARLIAMENTS IRE OVER MISGUIDED TENDER DIRECTIVE If he is found to have lied to parliament in what he said earlier to the house about the KAA tenders for the new runway and new terminals, he will be censored and has to be sacked said a member of Kenyas parliament to this correspondent […]
Emirates extends free Visa deal to their entire regional destinations
UGANDAN TRAVELERS ALSO GET SPECIAL VISA DEAL FROM EMIRATES Dubais award winning national airline, Emirates, leaves apparently no stone unturned when it comes to capturing more traffic and travelers from Uganda too will now be given a special deal for Visa in coming weeks, following the launch of the promotion in Kenya earlier in the […]
Emirates makes irresistible free Visa offer for Kenyan travellers to Dubai
KENYAN TRAVELERS GET SPECIAL VISA DEAL FROM EMIRATES Dubais award winning national airline, Emirates, leaves apparently no stone unturned when it comes to capturing more traffic and travelers from Kenya will be given a special deal for Visa in coming weeks. The airline is arranging for a 30 day free Visa for passengers in all […]
Kagesheki sacks Director of Wildlife and two others, demotes Deputy Director over wildlife export scandal
DIRECTOR OF WILDLIFE SACKED OVER ILLEGAL EXPORT OF WILDLIFE Tanzanias no nonsense minister for natural resources and tourism, Ambassador Khamis Kagesheki, announced today the sacking of several top officials in his ministry for their involvement in the illegal export of wildlife to Qatar in November 2010, as was reported here soon afterwards when the scandal […]
