Tanzania news update – First windpower project gets licensed
TANZANIA LICENSES FIRST EVER WINDPOWER PROJECT PROPOSAL News have come in overnight from Dar es Salaam that the first major renewable energy project, a proposal to construct a 100 MW windpower farm in the Singida region of Tanzania, has been licensed to go ahead. Wind East Africa Ltd. is now in a position to secure […]
Kenya conservation news – KWS starts new beach management pilot programme
KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE STARTS 6 MONTH PILOT PROGRAMME FOR MARINE PARKS Beach management are the two key words it appears, after reading through details received over the weekend about a planned pilot programme, which has come about as a result of intense consultations between affected stakeholders, i.e. hotels, KWS and tourism operators. One of the […]
Seychelles aviation news – Gulf airlines expected to snap up crews, technicians and other staff
GULF AIRLINES TO SNAP UP AIR SEYCHELLES CREWS AND STAFF, REDUCING JOB FEARS Etihad and Emirates are both confirmed to be holding a job fair at the Air Seychelles headquarters at Mahe International Airport, aimed to absorb qualified cockpit and cabin crew, but also aircraft technicians, ground personnel and key office staff, following the confirmed […]
Tanzania aviation news – Precision at cross roads about future following less than successful IPO
PRECISION AIR GOES BACK TO DRAWING BOARD The poor take up of the airlines IPO in November, which raised only just over 7 million US Dollars instead of the anticipated nearly 18 million US Dollars they expected in their coffers at the end of the first ever share offering by a privately owned Tanzanian airline, […]
Uganda news update – Lack of board appointments blamed in part for lacklustre performances
APPOINT NEW BOARDS, MINISTRY TOLD Pressure is growing on the Ministry of Tourism to appoint boards for various institutions under the auspices of the ministry, in particular for the Uganda Wildlife Authority, now that the albeit hugely controversial probe report by a special commission of enquiry has been presented to the Minister. While in this […]
Seychelles tourism update – Cerf Island Resort adds more luxury villas
CERF ISLAND RESORT COMMISSIONS 12 NEW LUXURY VILLAS Located inside the Sainte Anne Marine National Park, Cerf Island is home to the Cerf Island Resort, a luxurious hideaway of the kind which keeps away prying eyes and offers the level of privacy combined with comfort and service levels for which the Seychelles have become well […]
Uganda aviation news update – British Airways opens ‘Christmas fare sales’ for business class
THE EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE BIGGER SEATS ON BRITISH AIRWAYS For three days, and three days only, between the 07th and 09th of December, will British Airways in Uganda sell business class fares to the UK and Europe 1 for a mere US Dollars 256 return, PLUS taxes. Outbound travel must take place, from Uganda […]
Kenya tourism news – The hidden treasures along the South Coast
KAYAKING THROUGH MANGROVE FORESTS, THE LATEST ACTIVITY AT KENYAS COAST Information has reached that the extensive mangrove forests, still in existence along sections of the Kenyan coast, are now being opened up for tourists by with a kayak safari, allowing those brave enough to silently glide across the water, watch birds and fish and other […]
Uganda / Kenya tourism news – Air Uganda hits market with the offer of the year …
AIR UGANDA HITS MARKET WITH SUPER PACKAGE TO MOMBASA Mombasa here we come has to be the motto for those able to pack and go at an instants notice, after Air Uganda has launched their incredible offer of US Dollars 237, per person sharing, all taxes included, to fly nonstop from Entebbe to Mombasa, get […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands, First edition December 2011
TOURISM, AVIATION AND CONSERVATION NEWS from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands 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 articles then also […]
Rwanda aviation news – The Glitz and Glamour of inaugural fligths
INAUGURAL FLIGHTS, THE GLITZ AND GLAMOUR AND THE REALITY BEHIND IT RwandAirs 13th destination was being launched with pomp and glamour, not only to prove the proverbial bad luck number 13 wrong but mainly because the new route leads to Lagos / Nigeria, Africas economic powerhouse and the continents most populous nation. Why Nigeria one […]
Uganda aviation breaking news – Gulf Air launches scheduled flights between Bahrain and Entebbe
GULF AIR RETURNS TO THE UGANDAN SKIES Yesterday saw the long awaited return to Uganda of Bahrains national airline Gulf Air, when the inaugural flight touched down on time at 15.45 hrs at Entebbe International Airport, greeted by the traditional welcome shower by two fire engines, dousing the plane with an arc of water as […]
Kenya aviation breaking news – B787 Dreamliner is coming to Nairobi on 14th December
KENYA AIRWAYS AND BOEING SHOW OFF THE DREAMLINER December 14th has been set as the long awaited date, that Boeings new wonderplane, the B787 Dreamliner is finally making an appearance over the skies of Kenya, a harbinger of things to come when The Pride of Africa finally can take delivery of the first of 9 […]
Tanzania conservation news – Stiegler’s Gorge / Selous power project, lies exposed and truth be told
STIEGLERS GORGE POWER PROJECT, LIES EXPOSED AND TRUTH BE TOLD When earlier in the year the news was broken here, that the Tanzanian government had reached deep into the bottom drawers of its archives and took out and dusted off the old plans for a power plant at Stieglers Gorge from back in the late […]
Kenya conservation news – Major shipment of blood ivory seized at Mombasa port
KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE AND PORT SECURITY SEIZE MAJOR IVORY HAUL Over the weekend did news emerge that KWS officials, working hand in hand with customs and port security personnel, detected yet another ivory shipment destined, according to shipping documents, for Cambodia, estimated to be worth nearly 160 million Kenya Shillings. 465 tusks and ivory pieces […]
Uganda conservation news – Grey Pratincole sighting confirmed in Queen Elizabeth National Park
GREY PRATINCOLE SIGHTING CONFIRMED IN QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK Birding enthusiasts will be delighted to learn of this latest addition in confirmed sightings of birds within the Queen Elizabeth National Park, where last week the Grey Pratincole was spotted, bringing the total confirmed birds listed to well over 600 in this single location. Uganda had […]
Rwanda aviation updates – Pearl Lounge now offers ‘specials’ for weary travelers
PEARL LOUNGE AT KANOMBE INTERNATIONAL NOW OFFERS SPECIALS While waiting for my flight at Kanombe International Airport in Kigali, the flight being an inaugural event marking the start of scheduled services between Rwanda and Nigeria, it was learned that the Pearl Lounge had launched a special valid on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays, when the normal […]
Uganda news – Two Danish tourists drown in Lake Bunyonyi
DANISH TOURISTS GO MISSING IN LAKE BUNYONYI One of Ugandas most scenic lakes, Lake Bunyonyi near Kabale, has apparently claimed the lives of two Danish tourists, who were last seen swimming off the shores before they disappeared. The lake is known to claim victims regularly but it is extremely rare that foreign tourists are involved […]
Rwanda aviation breaking news – Kigali is now connected with Lagos as inaugural flight takes to the skies
RWANDAIR MAKES IT 13 AND NOT ONE BIT SUPERSTITIOUS This morning will see the launch of RwandAirs 13th destination, and I can see already those with superstitious tendencies to advocate for 12A or 14 instead, but 13 it is and a lucky number by the look of it. The new connection will operate initially three […]
Tanzania hospitality breaking news – Serena’s Kirawira Camp rated 5th best in the world by Conde Nast
KIRAWIRA SERENA BAGS CONDE NASTS 5TH BEST IN THE WORLD Serena has done it again one ought to say, when news broke that one of the worlds leading travel magazines, Conde Nast, has declared their Kirawira Camp as the world 5th best property, according to a vote taken by the readers of the magazine. Today, […]
Uganda news update – Aviation fuel shortage caused by ‘several factors’, all beyond our control …
FIRE, POWER OUTAGES AND PIPELINE CONTAMINATION THE CAUSE OF FUEL SHORTAGES Oil company executives have been struggling to offer a believable explanation over the lack of jet fuel at Entebbe International Airport earlier in the week, when airlines were forced into costly diversions of scheduled flights in order to secure enough fuel to reach their […]
Uganda tourism news – Marasa phases out road and air packages come January 2012
MARASA PHASES OUT ROAD AND AIR PACKAGES COME JANUARY 2012 Marasa Africa, the hospitality and tourism business within the Madhvani Group, which operates Ugandas three main safari lodges in Queen Elizabeth and Murchisons Falls National Park, has just announced that they will be phasing out their direct road and air packages to Mweya Safari Lodge, […]
Uganda hospitality news – Sheraton Kampala Hotel rings in festive season
SHERATON KAMPALA HOTEL RINGS IN FESTIVE SEASON Christmas carols in November? One might wonder but the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, for the last 6 months under the able leadership of Chris Pollard and now having its shine back again, did invite the who is who of Kampala on the last evening of November for their annual […]
Kenya news update – Financing pact for ‘Southern Bypass’ signed between Kenya and China
NAIROBIS SOUTHERN BYPASS FINANCING SECURED, PROJECT READY TO GO The Peoples Republic of China has yesterday signed the financing deal with the Kenyan government to begin the process of constructing a southern bypass around the city, which will run nearly 30 kilometres from the citys outskirts along Mombasa Road, giving through traffic to the Rift […]
Kenya aviation news – KAA CEO faces ‘contempt of court’ charges over destruction of homes
KAA BOSS FACES CONTEMPT OF COURT CHARGES Institutional arrogance and contempt for the people whose lives dreams he helped destroy two weeks ago when demolition teams wrecked hundreds of homes worth hundreds of millions of Kenya Shillings, are likely to claim the first victim, as the Managing Director of the Kenya Airports Authority by some […]
The Somalia conflict – Al Shabab, a killer of people but also a killer of the environment
AL SHABAB, KILLERS OF PEOPLE AND KILLERS OF THE ENVIRONMENT When Kenyan troops entered Somalia in hot pursuit of Al Shabab operatives, who had staged several abductions of foreign nationals from Kenyan territory and constantly engaged in cross border raids into refugee camps or against Kenyan military and security outposts, they found moon-like landscapes, bare […]
East African Community Summit expected to turn down Khartoum’s membership application
KHARTOUM TO BE KEPT OUT OF EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY The spat earlier this week between the regime in Khartoum and the government in Nairobi, which blew up when the High Court in Nairobi issued instructions for an arrest warrant against North Sudans regime leader, wanted by the International Criminal Court, alongside several of his henchmen, […]
Uganda aviation breaking news – JET A 1 fuel runs out again at Entebbe
ENTEBBE RUNS OUT OF JET A1 FUEL, AGAIN In another stunning development has Entebbe International Airport once again run out of jet fuel, causing airlines to implement emergency planning measures to find fuel enroute to or from Uganda. Tomorrows South African Airways flight has already been scheduled to fly home to Johannesburg via Nairobi, to […]
Seychelles aviation news update – Helicopter Seychelles, back in the skies and there to stay
HELICOPTER SEYCHELLES RETURN WAS MUCH NEEDED The recent return to the skies over the Seychelles archipelago by Helicopter Seychelles has according to the companys CEO Capt. Shaun Tinkler-Rose already made a difference through medical evacuation flights at night, which the airlines Agusta helicopter is capable of performing. In a communication received through a regular source […]
Seychelles tourism news – Abu Dhabi embassy launch and inaugural Etihad flight to Mahe make front page news
ABU DHABIS THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS SEYCHELLES The start of flights between Abu Dhabi and the Seychelles by national airline Etihad, combined with the official opening of a new embassy by the archipelago for the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi, a few days ago prompted one of the Gulfs leading newspapers to publish an […]
