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 […]
Qatar Airways adds the ‘Windy City’ as US destination number 4
QATAR AIRWAYS ADDS THE WINDY CITY AS US DESTINATION NUMBER FOUR The Worlds Five Star Airline has just announced their plans to commence daily flights between Doha and Chicago from April 10th next year onwards, bringing to four the number of US destinations served nonstop, following New York, Washington DC and Houston. The airline, already […]
MV Kaawa set to resume lake ferry service from Port Bell to Mwanza
MV KAAWA DUE TO RETURN TO FERRY DUTY (Picture courtesy New Vision file photos) ONLY 7 YEARS after colliding with MV Kabalega, which subsequently sunk into the deep of Lake Victoria, will the MV Kaawa return to service. Diddling with the pros and cons of repairs versus building a new rail ferry, the concept of […]
New routes, more frequencies announcements expected when RwandAir gets new CRJ900 jets
RWANDAIR SET TO MAKE ROUTES ANNOUNCEMENTS WHEN NEW CRJ900S ARRIVE Regular sources close to Rwandas national airline RwandAir have given the clearest indication yet that once the two ordered Bombardier CRJ900 jets have been delivered, thought to take place in October or latest November this year, the airline will almost immediately announce an increase in […]
Minister admits failure to repair Narok to Masai Mara road
MINISTER ADMITS DISMAL FAILURE AS CHINESE COMPANY SET TO FIX MARA ROAD All but admitting to have misled the Kenyan public in the past, the Minister for Roads had to eat humble pie during a public interview on one of Nairobis TV stations, when he had to reveal that the notoriously bad road between Narok […]
Poaching in Tanzania ‘completely out of hand’ according to parliamentary report
TANZANIA PARLIAMENT TOLD OF 30 POACHED ELEPHANT A DAY A report recently submitted to and discussed by parliament in Dodoma makes stark reading and confirms what has been rumoured for long, that the rate of poaching is way higher than Tanzanian officials have previously admitted. During the period between 2006 and 2009 as many as […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, Second 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 […]
KAA and transport minister in quarrel over tender award for second runway and airport expansion
NEW HURDLES FOR AIRPORT EXTENSION THREATEN TIMELINES Over the weekend did news emerge in Nairobi that wrangles over the tender for an additional terminal and a second runway have run into a series of problems, with directives and counterclaims flying from all directions. While the Office of the President appears keen to see the project […]
Rhino Fund Uganda releases new tariffs for Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary 2013
RHINO FUND PUBLISHES 2013 RATES FOR ZIWA RHINO SANCTUARY SERVICES The Rhino Fund Uganda has just announced their fee structure for the year 2013, well ahead of the due date to allow for incorporation in tour and safari itineraries, many of which now include a visit to the only place in the wild in Uganda […]
Kenya and South Sudan sign pipeline deal
SOUTH SUDAN AND KENYA SIGN PIPELINE DEAL Within days of reaching agreement with hostile neighbour Khartoum Sudan over the fees on transporting South Sudans oil to Port Sudan for export said to have been literally forced down South Sudans throat by Western governments and subsequently the most expensive such deal ever costing the South some […]
Air Mauritius reports slight reduction on Q1 losses compared to 2011
AIR MAURITIUS ANNOUNCES SLIGHTLY REDUCED LOSS FOR Q1 Air Mauritius announced a slightly reduces loss from last year for Quarter 1 of 10.4 million Euros, compared to 11.9 million Euros in 2011. Airline sources blamed in particular the change in value between the Euro and the US Dollar for the magnitude of the loss, which […]
British Airways counters lower loads with special offers for Business Class to Europe and America
BRITISH AIRWAYS CUTS FARES FOR AUGUST DUE TO LOW LOADS A reported downturn in sales out of Entebbe to Europe and the United States has prompted British Airways to counter the trend with some aggressive market fares, which for business class from Uganda to key points in Europe have been pegged at 1.999 US Dollars, […]
Reed Exhibitions to launch International Luxury Travel Market Africa in Cape Town / April 2013
REED EXHIBITIONS TO LAUNCH FIRST EVER LUXURY AFRICA TRAVEL FAIR IN APRIL 2013 Following in the footsteps of the hugely successful ILTM International Luxury Travel Market series which includes dedicated Asia and Americas editions, Reed Exhibitions has just announced that the first ever Africa edition has been scheduled for April next year in Cape Town […]
African Football Confederation heading to the Seychelles for their extraordinary general meeting
AFRICAN FOOTBALL CONFEDERATION SET FOR SEYCHELLES GENERAL MEETING Only weeks after successfully hosting 4 major international events in succession, the International Council of Tourism Partners, the RETOSA Board Meeting, the Vanilla Island Organization General Meeting and the Routes Africa Conference, will the African Football Confederations 54 member associations head for the archipelago for a week […]
