Kenya news – Abductions of MSF doctors from refugee camp casts fresh doubts on Kenya’s ability to stop cross border raids
ABDUCTION OF AID WORKERS FROM REFUGEE CAMP CASTS FRESH DOUBTS News broke yesterday of several aid workers in the main refugee camp at the border with Somalia getting abducted including two foreigners working with MSF Medicines Sans Frontiers in another daring raid by suspected Al Shabab militants into Kenya. It prompted immediate doubts on Kenyas […]
Kenya aviation news – Cargo flight announcement by BA not a threat to Kenya Airways’ own plans
BRITISH AIRWAYS RAINS ON KENYA AIRWAYSS PARADE As Kenya Airways is putting final touches on the preparations for todays annual general meeting, where shareholders are expected to sign off on plans for a new shares issue as proposed by the Board of Directors, and only days after the airline announced the acquisition on a long […]
Uganda news update – Bujagali hydro electric plant enters test phase
BUJAGALI ENTERES TEST PHASE The Bujagali hydroelectric power plant has reportedly commenced the testing phase with the first installed 50 MW turbine, due to go into production in November, according to reliable sources. The plant, worth over 860 million US Dollars, was initiated by the IPS Kenya, itself part of the Aga Khan Fund for […]
Uganda aviation news – AVGAS cost goes through the roof after another price rise by Shell
SHELL ACCUSED OF DAYLIGHT ROBBERY OVER NEW AVGAS PRICES Shell Uganda is fast becoming a byword for all things negative and bad for those in the aviation fraternity using traditional piston engined aircraft, when news emerged that the cost for AVGAS has just again been raised inexplicably by the company. A large number of aircraft […]
Kenya aviation breaking news – Two more B777-300ER to join Kenya Airways growing fleet
KENYA AIRWAYS SIGNS UP WITH GECAS FOR TWO MORE B777-300ER Kenya Airways has yesterday late afternoon confirmed that they have signed a long term lease agreement with leading aircraft leasing company GECAS for the delivery of two more very long haul B777-300ER, at a press conference held at the InterContinental Hotel in Nairobi. The two […]
Uganda aviation news – Qatar Airways chief to be in Uganda at launch of flights
QATAR AIRWAYS CEO AKBAR AL BAKR EXPECTED IN UGANDA FOR INAUGURAL FLIGHT It was confirmed yesterday that the outspoken CEO of Qatar Airways will be present at the launch of flights between Doha and Entebbe on the 02nd November, when the inaugural flight will come to Uganda. Also published was the schedule for the new […]
Kenya conservation news – Nakuru latest scene of rhino poaching in Kenya
DOUBLE LOSS AS RHINO CUB DIES AFTER MOTHER WAS KILLED The Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenyas first official rhino sanctuary established some decades ago, was the scene of a double whammy, when first the remains of a female rhino were found with her horn cut off and then news emerged that her cub, only a […]
East Africa news – Currencies keep sliding to ever new lows
EAST AFRICAN CURRENCIES KEEP SLIDING The three main East African currencies, the Kenya Shilling, the Tanzania Shilling and the Uganda Shilling are all trading in record low territory now to the dismay of the business community and local consumers but the delight of foreign visitors, who get substantially more for their Dollars, Euros and Pounds […]
Rwanda tourism news – PWC chosen to evaluate the value of the Umubano Hotel
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS CHOSEN TO EVALUATE FORMER LAICO HOTEL IN KIGALI Next week will see the start of an estimated one month long evaluation audit of the former Laico Umumbano Hotel in Kigali, which the government has repossessed in the face of sanctions against the Gadaffi regime. The official position is that the 60 percent share of […]
Tanzania conservation news – Plans for Uranium mining continue to cause controversy
URANIUM MINING IN THE SELOUS GAME RESERVE ON GOVERNMENT FAST TRACK AGENDA Russias ROSATOM, the State Nuclear Energy Corporation, is in the cross hairs of environmentalists and the conservation fraternity over plans to mine Uranium in the Selous Game Reserve, which would according to conservation sources irreversibly alter the environment and possibly poison the immediate […]
Seychelles tourism news – The MAIA ‘tops them all’
THE MAIA LUXURY RESORT AND SPA TOPS THEM ALL (Yachts moored below the MAIA at the Anse Louis / South West coast of Mahe, the Seychelles main island) The research carried out by www.luxury-hotels.com, to find the worlds most expensive hotel or resort, based on their average rates charged over the months under review, revealed […]
Kenya aviation news – KQ appoints Busi Motlhasedi as new PR and Marketing Manager for Southern Africa
KENYA AIRWAYS STRENGTHENS SOUTHERN AFRICAN PRESENCE WITH NEW APPOINTMENT Information was received yesterday that KQ has appointed Ms. Busi Motlhasedi as their new PR and Marketing Manager for the Southern African markets, based in Johannesburg. Busi brings 6 years of experience in the PR sector with her and will now coordinate and steer the airlines […]
Uganda news update – Sheraton to host annual Oktoberfest once again
SHERATON TO HOLD OKTOBER FEST FROM 27TH TO 29TH Kampalas annual Oktoberfest will as usual be held at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel in the heart of the city, where the German and international community will be joined by Ugandans keen to sample German beer, German food and German umptata music. The Oktoberfest is an annual […]
Virunga conservation news – Greater Transboundary Regional Forum meets in Kampala today
GREATER VIRUNGA TRANSBOUNDARY REGIONAL FORUM MEETS IN KAMPALA TODAY The Kampala Protea Hotel is the venue today for the tripartite meeting of experts from Uganda, Rwanda and the Congo DR, discussing transboundary cooperation and collaborative management of the ecosystems, not just limited to the Virunga mountain range where the rare mountain gorillas are found in […]
Kenya conservation news – Moratorium for Mara and Amboseli after all?
MORATORIUM AFTER ALL FOR THE MARA AND AMBOSELI? Announcements made by Kenyas tourism minister Najib Balala a few days ago have heartened the conservation fraternity and given them hope that once the long overdue management plan for the Masai Mara Game Reserve has been launched, due to be gazetted very soon and then becoming law, […]
Mauritius tourism news – Starwood’s Grand Mauritius Resort and Spa damaged by fire
FIRE PARTLY BURNS DOWN STARWOOD’S GRAND MAURITIUS A fire swept through parts of the Grand Mauritius Resort & Spa hotel in the Balaclava area of Mauritius yesterday, prompting the transfer of all guests to a sister hotel on the island and other properties with available space to accommodate them. The fire reportedly broke out in […]
Tanzania tourism news – Welcome to the UN-WTO Executive Council
UNWTO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WELCOMES TANZANIA AS A NEW MEMBER Tanzania was elected to the UNs World Tourism Organizations Executive Council it was announced at the General Assembly currently underway in South Korea with a term of membership until 2015. The Executive Council meets normally twice a year, most recently in Mombasa / Kenya the first […]
Weekly roundup of news from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean region, Second edition October 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 […]
Rwanda tourism news – JATA 2011 in Tokyo rated a success by participants
JAPAN TARGETTED BY RWANDA TOURISM FOR MORE VISITORS The recently concluded JATA 2011, Japans if not South East Asias leading travel show, was once again attended by a delegation from Rwandas tourism fraternity, ever keen to open new markets and attract visitors from that part of the world to come and see the attractions of […]
Uganda conservation news – IGG gives green light for the appointment of a new NFA boss
IGG CLEARS WAY FOR APPOINTMENT OF NEW NATIONAL FOREST AUTHORITY BOSS The spat between the Inspector General of Government and the Ministry overseeing the NFA has yesterday come to an end when the IGG had to concede that it was within the Ministers powers to reject candidates proposed to her by the Board, a development […]
Rwanda tourism breaking news – Coming to you shortly: The Congo Nile Trail
RWANDA TOURISM LAUNCHING CONGO NILE TRAIL In another remarkable show of innovative spirit has the Rwanda Development Board Tourism and Conservation in recent months developed a new trail, which will take visitors to the continental watershed, from where Africas two most important rivers, the Nile and the Congo are being fed. A ten day trail, […]
Seychelles aviation news – Ethiopian Airlines to start Mahe flights in mid November
ETHIOPIAN TO COMMENCE SEYCHELLES FLIGHTS From the middle of November onwards will Ethiopian Airlines begin flights from Addis Ababa to Mahe, the Seychelles international airport outside the capital Victoria. It is understood that a B737-800 aircraft will be used for the service, which initially will connect the two countries three times a week. The new […]
Tanzania tourism news – National College of Tourism formally opened
NATIONAL COLLEGE OF TOURISM FORMALLY OPENED The Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism last week officially opened the country first National College for Tourism, a long awaited institution to teach relevant hospitality and tourism courses to provide skills to young Tanzanians wishing to join the sector. This development augments the existing private vocational training institutions […]
Tanzania conservation news – Lake Natron Soda Ash Project – let’s see who prevails
STATEMENT BY SENIOR OFFICIAL PITS HIM AGAINST PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE Information came to light over the weekend that the Director of Environment in the office of the Vice President has for all practical purposes declared the Lake Natron Soda Ash Project as dead in the water in the absence of clearance by NEMC, Tanzanias National Environmental […]
Uganda tourism news – RainForest Lodge Mabira to stage Jazz night
RAINFOREST LODGE MABIRA SET FOR A NIGHT OF JAZZ, RYTHM AND BLUES Raising awareness and drumming up support for the survival of Mabira Forest comes in many different forms and key stakeholder, GeoLodges Africas RainForest Lodge will be breaking new ground when they hold a night of music at the lodge deep in the forest. […]
Seychelles news update – Anti piracy fight gains added momentum with a new joint police unit being established with the UK
SEYCHELLES TO HOST NEW ANTI PIRACY UNIT The authorities in the Seychelles, already at the forefront of the fight against the ocean terrorists from Somalia, have reportedly agreed to jointly set up and host a new anti piracy unit with British Metropolitan police specialists from the Serious and Organized Crime division. The newly constituted team […]
Uganda conservation news – Mweya Safari Lodge partners with USAID’s STAR Project and UCOTA
MWEYA SAFARI LODGE PARTNERS WITH USAID TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CONSERVATION Information was provided over the weekend to this correspondent that the USAID funded STAR project has partnered with the Mweya Safari Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park and UCOTA, the Uganda Community Tourism Association to raise funds towards conservation education in schools neighbouring the […]
Uganda news update – UMEME goes on social networks, launches dedicated ‘Incident Room’
UMEME LAUNCHES INCIDENT ROOM Ugandas embattled electricity distributor UMEME, stung by criticism from the public, the business community and parliamentarians, has in recent days moved to start a public counter offensive, aimed to bring accurate information faster into the public domain. Their call centre, in the past notorious for giving often as many different accounts […]
Kenya tourism news – Narok to Sekenani Gate road blocked by demonstrators
TOURISTS STUCK AS LOCALS PROTEST STATE OF MARA ROAD Dozens of tourists were reportedly blocked for some time yesterday (Saturday) enroute to the Masai Mara Game Reserve as incensed locals demonstrated against the continued failure by the contractor to repair the crucial access road between Narok and the Sekenani entrance gate. Emotions over the road […]
Tanzania aviation news – One last stumbling stone for Precision Air IPO
MORE OFFICIAL PROBLEMS AT LAUNCH OF PRECISION AIR IPO Official Tanzania has apparently tried to throw one last spanner in the works of the ongoing IPO sale of shares by the countrys leading airline, when vital documents from the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange were delivered late to several leading banks participating in the launch. […]
