Kenya aviation news – KQ’s half year briefing on results and investors prospects
KENYA AIRWAYS ANNOUNCED HALF YEAR RESULTS GIVES PREVIEW OF FUTURE PLANS The Pride of Africa was in the news again yesterday when presenting the half year financial results and giving a broad investors preview and review over the months coming and past. Data given showed significant advances in most areas though words of caution over […]
Rwanda conservation and tourism news – Launch of new Congo – Nile Trail now set for 25th November
NEW CONGO NILE TRAIL OPEN FOR BUSINESS As of today, 04th November has Rwandas latest tourism product has been officially announced to the travelling public through media releases and the anticipated formal launch of the Congo Nile Trail is by the Rwanda Development Board will be on 25th November, with bookings already being accepted by […]
Tanzania conservation news – USAID supports community ‘owned’ wildlife management areas
USAID GIVES 6 MILLION US DOLLARS TO CONSERVATION The US government, through its international development agency USAID, has committed 6 million US Dollars to support a programme aimed to expand the concept of Wildlife Management Areas for communities living next to national parks and game reserves across the country. The move is hoped to provide […]
Uganda aviation news – Roger Wamara leaves SN to join Qatar Airways
ROGER WAMARA JOINS QATAR AIRWAYS Long serving Brussels Airlines Sales Manager Uganda, Mr. Roger Wamara, yesterday gave the green light to a secret kept for a little while already to be finally made public, that he is going to leave Brussels Airlines by the end of the month to join Qatar Airways, now flying daily […]
Uganda aviation news – Emirates announces more flights to Singapore
EMIRATES GETS ANOTHER A 380, ANNOUNCES INCREASE OF SINGAPORE FLIGHTS Information was passed to this correspondent yesterday by a regular source at the Emirates Kampala office that after taking delivery of yet another A380 recently the airline is now increasing its flights between Dubai and Singapore from 21 per week, i.e. three times a day, […]
Kenya aviation and tourism news – First charter from Moscow due to land in Mombasa this Friday
MORE CHARTERS FOR MOMBASA WITH INAUGURAL FLIGHT FROM MOSCOW The tourism fraternity in Kenya and especially at the Kenyan coast has taken fresh hope during this period of uncertainty when it was reconfirmed that the first of a series of weekly charter flights from Moscow / Russia would be landing at the Moi International Airport […]
Kenya aviation news – Royal Jordanian heading to Nairobi
ROYAL JORDANIAN HEADING TO NAIROBI Information was received overnight that Kenya will soon see another airline making regular visits to Nairobi. Starting on 16th December will Royal Jordanian commence flights to the Kenyan capital Nairobi, initially 4 times a week every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with the respective return flights taking off from JKIA […]
Kenya aviation and travel news – KQ sticks to domestic dollar fares as opposition begins to emerge
KQ STICKS TO ITS GUNS AS SOME HOTELIERS COMPLAIN ABOUT DOLLAR FARES Rumbles from within the tourism industry are slowly emerging over Kenya Airways recent introduction of US Dollar based domestic fares, which however, as on breaking the news immediately said here, can be paid with the equivalent of Kenya Shillings at the exchange rate […]
Tanzania news update – TShs on the slide again …
SHILLLING DROPS AGAIN, CAUSES FEAR FOR CURRENCY VALUES ACROSS THE REGION After a rally on the currency markets, induced by concerted central bank action last week, when the Tanzania shilling reached into the mid 1.600 hundred territory albeit briefly, has the slide and rot returned with a vengeance. Earlier in the week did the Tanzania […]
Kenya aviation news – ATC go slow and strike action impacts on flights across Kenya
WILD CAT STRIKE BY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CONTINUES TO IMPACT ON FLIGHTS The unauthorized slow go and wild cat strikes by members of the Kenyan air traffic control has led to a series of flight delays impacting on thousands of passengers. This country is at war with Al Shabab and air traffic control and surveillance […]
Uganda news update – Former Energy Minister makes sweeping allegations over Bujagali
FORMER ENERGY MINISTER ACCUSES HIS TOP STAFF AND BUJAGALI PROMOTERS OF LYING In another astonishing outburst has embattled Internal Affairs Minister Hillary Onek whose resignation parliament demanded over allegation of involvement in bribery told members of parliament that for all purposes did the Permanent Secretary in the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development mislead the […]
Rwanda aviation news – ICAO conducts aviation safety workshop
ICAO TRAINS RWANDAS AVIATION PERSONNEL Staff of the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority but also from private airlines last week commenced a two week training course, organized by ICAO, to update information and bring personnel the latest news and skills they need in todays aviation world. Earlier ICAO country audits had reportedly established deficits in some […]
Uganda aviation breaking news – Qatar Airways inaugural flight lands in Entebbe
QATAR AIRWAYS HITS THE TARMAC WITH BOTH FEET RUNNING When QR 536, an Airbus A320 in a two class configuration with the latest inflight entertainment equipment and OnAir internet connectivity on board, landed at Entebbe International Airport for the first time on a scheduled flight a few minutes ago, there was the traditional water arc […]
Seychelles aviation news – ‘Amirantes’ returns to ILFC’s holding base
AMIRANTES NOW GONE BACK TOO TO ILFC Air Seychelles has confirmed that their second B767-200, named Amirantes, has now also been flown back to the United States where it has now arrived at a designated airfield where the International Lease Finance Corporation keeps their planes. The lease, initially running until 2014, was upon mutual agreement […]
East Africa aviation news update – Economic trends and performance likely to impact on airline share sales
ECONOMIC WOES IN EAST AFRICA LIKELY TO IMPACT ON AIRLINE SHARE OFFERS Honestly this could not have come at a worse time, Central Banks pushing interest rates up, liquidity getting tighter, credit more expensive and now both Precision and KQ are in the market for floating shares said a regular aviation pundit from Nairobi to […]
East Africa news – As Al Shabab manages to fly in new supplies, calls for total embargo grow
CONSENSUS BUILDS ON TOTAL EMBARGO ON SOMALIA AND NO FLY ZONE The news that two plane loads of weaponry and ammunition being offloaded yesterday at the airport of Baidoa in Al Shabab controlled parts of Somalia has sent a further message to the powers involved in the fight against terrorism and militancy in this largely […]
Kenya aviation and tourism news update – Amadeus teams up with Kenya Airways, Iberia and GTTP
AMADEUS TEAM UP WITH KENYA AIRWAYS, IBERIA AND GTTP TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS In a remarkable partnership did Amadeus East Africa join hands with Kenya Airways, Iberia and the Global Travel and Tourism Partnership to bring 100 computers to 18 secondary schools and village polytechnics. This initiative is aimed to support the roll out of GTTPs […]
South Sudan news – Contract for planning of new capital in Ramciel given to China
PLANNING FOR NEW CAPITAL AWARDED TO CHINESE COMPANY The newly independent Republic of South Sudan soon after Independence Day announced that the central government would shift to Ramciel, a location presently in the middle of nowhere and just over 100 kilometres north of Juba, the present location of GoSS but also state capital of Central […]
Tanzania aviation news – Precision Air’s IPO expanded for a week to sell in Kenya
PRECISION AIRS IPO EXPANDED BY A WEEK In what some financial analysts called a stunning development overnight has it been learned that Precision Airs IPO, which by all accounts had ended last Friday with results due out by November 11th and trading to commence on December 08th, has been extended by another week. The news […]
Weekly roundup of news from the Eastern African and Indian Ocean region, First edition November 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 articles then also […]
Uganda news – Inflation now tops 30 percent according to Bank of Uganda figures just released
PREDICTIONS COME THROUGH AS INFLATION HITS 30+ PERCENT Ugandans will wake up to the stark reality that inflation has now gone above 30+ percent, the highest level since January 1993, when it had reached 34+ percent. With prices escalating literally by the day now, life is getting harder every month and incomes erode with no […]
Kenya news – Kenya Airways commits 290 Million Shillings to Rugby Seven team in record breaking deal
KENYA AIRWAYS SIGNS MAJOR SPONSORSHIP DEAL WITH KENYA RUGBY 7 Information was received late yesterday that Kenyas national airline has signed a 2 year record sponsorship deal worth 290 million Kenya Shillings for the Kenyan Rugby Seven national side. 18 players and four coaches and staff will under the new and much improved deal get […]
East Africa news – The unseen enemy from above is now hunting Al Shabab on the ground
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY IS NOW HUNTING AL SHABAB FROM THE SKIES In what must have been one of the worst kept secrets, probably not meant to be kept at all, has it finally been made official last weekend by US army sources that a number of UAVs are now operating from Ethiopian territory, deployed against […]
Seychelles aviation news – New Air Seychelles livery shown off over Mahe
AIR SEYCHELLES THE CREOLE SPIRIT DISPLAYS NEW LIVERY The first of three B767-300 aircraft has now come back from the paint shop and is for the first time flying in its new livery, a change recently announced with much fanfare and as part of rebranding the Seychelles national airline. The plane, christened The Creole Spirit […]
Tanzania news – Tourism Minister tells operators not to cheat the tax man
DONT CHEAT THE TAXMAN, MINISTER ADVISES TOUR OPERATORS Tanzanias minister for natural resources and tourism Ezekiel Maige attended a meeting last weekend of the Kilimanjaro Tour Operators Association in Moshi to interact with the private sector and get first hand information on grievances voiced by members. Notably did association members denounce non-member companies, which they […]
Tanzania aviation breaking news – Air Tanzania to get airborne again on Tuesday
AIR TANZANIA TO GET AIRBORNE AGAIN ON TUESDAY The Tanzanian national airline, if that attribute at all can apply these days considering that the carrier was grounded for months at end and has a single turboprop plane, is due to return to the skies over Tanzania on Tuesday this week. After a massive bailout from […]
Rwanda tourism updates – New destination image and brand overhaul set for 2012
RWANDA TOURISM TO REBRAND IN 2012 While in Kigali recently it could be established that the Rwanda Development Board Tourism and Conservation, was preparing for a complete rebranding of its image abroad, aimed to attract more visitors and offer a greater range of innovative products for tourists, alongside its most visible tourists activity gorilla tracking. […]
Tanzania conservation news – Plastic bags to be banned, finally
GOOD NEWS FOR TANZANIAS ENVIRONMENT, AT LAST A total ban for the manufacture and use of plastic bags is in the offing in Tanzania, as government is fine-tuning legislative and regulatory drafts, which in due course are to be submitted to parliament for debate and endorsement. Previous control measures, introduced in 2006, proved to be […]
Kenya aviation news – Nyaribo airstrip near Nyeri gets new paved 1.3 KM runway
NYARIBO AIRSTRIP GETS UPGRADE AND EXPANSION The Kenya Airports Authority has during the week inspected the 180 million Kenya Shillings input in modernizing and expanding this airfield in Nyeri county, assuring the aviation and business fraternity present during the occasion of continued infrastructural improvements for the industry. The runway expansion and addition of brand new […]
East Africa news update – Common currency talks set for Entebbe
FINANCIAL MARKET INSTABILITY PROMPTS ADDED TALKS ON CURRENCY UNION Recent wild swings in the values of the three core currencies and record devaluations within the East African Community, the Kenya Tanzania Uganda Shillings, has resulted in Central Bank chiefs, apparently with the blessing of their political masters, to advance the schedule of talks towards a […]
