Uganda tourism news – Two more gorilla families habituated for tourism
MORE HABITUATED GORILLA GROUPS EASE PRESSURE FOR PERMITS The Uganda Wildlife Authority has confirmed the coming on line of two newly habituated gorilla groups for tourism activities this November in Bwindi National Park. Both new gorilla families, named Oruzogo and Kahungye will be located in the Southern part of the park, bringing the total number […]
Rwanda aviation news – Where next for RwandAir?
WHERE NEXT RWANDAIR? As the airlines second B737-800 is due to go on the production line very soon and will come to Rwanda during the second half of October, speculation is growing over the next routes RwandAir will introduce, now that their fleet is growing. While destination Kinshasa is dogged by a number of issues […]
Tanzania news update – Prosecution charges 4 over sinking of ferry
FOUR IN COURT AS MANHUNT FOR CAPTAIN OF STRICKEN FERRY CONTINUES Four people were charged in a Zanzibar court on Saturday for being responsible for the death of over 200 passengers when a ferry sunk enroute from Unguja to Pemba. Those charged include a reported shareholder, the first officer on duty at the time the […]
Seychelles aviation breaking news – Air Seychelles gets new board of directors
NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR AIR SECYHELLES (Picture courtesy of STB, showing the Minister for Transport, the Hon. Noel Morgan making the formal announcement, flanked by Bram Steller, CEO, Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, Chairman and the other members of the board of directors) Following the breaking news announcement here about the appointment of Bram Steller as the […]
Rwanda news – RDB opens liaison office in Istanbul to promote investment, trade and tourism
RWANDA OPENS CONSULATE AND RDB LIAISON OFFICE IN ISTANBUL Diplomatic and business ties between Turkey and Rwanda are bound to benefit from the opening of a Consulate in Istanbul earlier in the week. This was followed by the establishment of a liaison office by the Rwanda Development Board, aimed to promote investment and trade, but […]
East Africa news – Current economic outlook may speed up common currency
CURRENCY DEVALUATION AND FLUCTUATIONS MAY FAST TRACK COMMON CURRENCY The present slide in the currency values of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, though notably not in the more austere Rwanda, has given rise to hope that Central Bank chiefs and economists may be able to persuade their political masters that the time is ripe to make […]
East African Community news – Is it ‘English or Else’ for EAC members?
ITS ENGLISH OR ELSE Information was obtained from Arusha that the Council of Ministers had finally discussed the application by Burundi to have French made an official language of the East African Community, and reportedly rejected the suggestion. Official were however swift, when the news broke, to play down the snub as it is perceived […]
Fly Dubai’s deafening silence – My Blog as a Platform for an unanswered complaint
FLY DUBAI SILENCE IS DEAFENING A PLATFORM FOR A COMPLAINT While in Dubai recently on a flying visit I had contact with some friends but as the events played out we did not meet due to the packed programme. However, knowing what I do and what I mainly write about the friend used the opportunity […]
Seychelles tourism news – Annual Calendar of Events for 2012 now out
SEYCHELLES CALENDAR OF EVENTS JUST KEEPS GROWING The annual calendar of major events in the Seychelles just keeps growing as the archipelagos tourism industry is moving towards having one big thing every month in the future. 2012s calendar is now out and available and the year will kick off with the Eco Healing Marathon in […]
Kenya aviation breaking news – Jeddah announced as next KQ destination from 18th October
JAMBO JEDDAH SAYS KENYA AIRWAYS Effective 18th of October will Kenya Airways commence twice weekly flights between Nairobi and Jeddah, the commercial capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The aircraft on the route will be a B737-800 which the airline can now re-deploy after the most recent arrival of yet another Embraer E190. Saudi […]
Mauritius aviation news – Airports Mauritius attempts a second time to find a developer for new cargo and freeport development
NEW CARGO AND FREEPORT PLANNED FOR PT. LOUIS INTERNATIONAL The Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolan International Airport in Mauritius will see a second effort to create an expanded Cargo and Freeport zone after the first invitation for bids did not generate the expected interest from developers. While much of Mauritius trade comes and goes by ocean going […]
Kenya coast news – Likoni ferry gives commuters a major scare
LIKONI FERRY GIVES COMMUTERS A MAJOR SCARE Only a week after the sinking of the MV Spice Islander ferry enroute between Zanzibar and Pemba, when over 200 lives were lost and others are still said to be missing, did the Likoni Ferry in Mombasa give passengers a similar scare yesterday. Coming from the mainland and […]
Kenya aviation news – Kisumu’s new airport facilities now open
KISUMU OPENS NEW TERMINAL AND FACILITIES The long awaited day has dawned that the new buildings and facilities at Kisumu Airport were finally handed over and opened their doors to airlines, service providers and passengers. The new terminal, able to handle 500 passengers an hour with ease, has state of the art facilities, shops and […]
Africa news – AU as deluded as ever over Gadaffi role in the new Libya
AFRICAN UNION STILL DEMANDS GADAFFI ROLE The African Union has of late not exactly excelled in its role, not over Darfur, not over the continued aggression by the regime in Khartoum against their newest member the Republic of South Sudan, not over Somalia where dillydallying is the order of the day and for sure not […]
East African aviation news – The Battle for the Skies turns into The Battle for the Pilots
THE BATTLE FOR THE SKIES TURNS INTO THE BATTLE FOR PILOTS The arrival earlier in the week of another Embraer E190 jet at Kenya Airways base in Embakasi, the prospect of two more such aircraft coming to join the fleet very shortly and the apparent review of terms and conditions by the Kenya Civil Aviation […]
Uganda conservation news – Rafting for Rhinos with Nile River Explorers
UGANDA IS RAFTING FOR RHINOS AGAIN The Rhino Fund Uganda / Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary has sent out a timely reminder that on the 24th September the annual Raft for Rhinos race will be taking place on the River Nile. Organized with one of Ugandas leading adventure travel companies, Nile River Explorers, the raft race will […]
Rwanda aviation news – Special fares promote RwandAir’s ‘new bird’
RWANDAIR PROMOTES NEW AIRCRAFT WITH SPECIAL FARES Information was received from Kigali overnight that RwandAir, the countrys national airline, has used the arrival of their first B737-800 and the imminent going into production of their second B737-800 to promote the destinations where the new bird is being deployed with extra special fares. The new aircraft […]
Uganda aviation news – Changes at Brussels Airlines as Pierre Declerck leaves for Nairobi
CHANGE AT BRUSSELS AIRLINES UGANDA OFFICE After nearly 7 years at the helm of Brussels Airlines is Pierre Declerck leaving Kampala to move an hours flight away to Nairobi while Benjamin Puissant is taking over from him. A new title too is on his calling card as Country Manager Uganda and South Sudan, giving indication […]
Kenya conservation news – 32 tusks seized at Mombasa port, destined for China
VIGILANT CUSTOMS STAFF IMPOUNDS 32 TUSKS AT MOMBASA PORT China was the destination of a container, which upon closer inspection by customs and enforcement staff was found to contain 32 elephant tusks, when a gut feeling prompted officers last night to open the shipment only to discover blood ivory. A shipping agent was subsequently arrested […]
Kenya tourism news – TLB stands accused of conducting ‘insensitive vehicle checks’ on tourist vehicles
STOP HARASSING OUR DRIVERS, SAFARI OPERATORS TELL TRANSPORT BOARD The Chairman of the Mombasa and Coast Tourist Association Mohamed Hersi has made sweeping accusations against a reported crackdown by the countrys Transport Licensing Boards personnel engaged in road blocks and vehicle checks in the area around Voi, a popular cross road from Mombasa into Tsavo […]
Uganda news update – Museum to stay says new Minister for Tourism
MUSEUM TO STAY SAYS NEW MINISTER Ahead in wisdom and intellectual capacity over his predecessor by miles has the new Minister for Tourism, Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu finally said in public what was an open secret in the corridors of the tourism ministry: The Museum will stay. The previous minister, notorious for a range of shoot […]
Seychelles aviation breaking news – Air Seychelles gets new CEO
AIR SEYCHELLES GETS NEW CEO Bram Steller is according to reliable sources going to join HM as new Chief Executive Officer, taking over from Mr. Maurice Loustau-Lalanne who has served as stand in Executive Chairman for almost six months, since Capt. David Savy retired from the airline following the departure of the former CEO. Bram […]
Tanzania news update – TAZARA turns 35
TAZARA TURNS 35 The obligatory birthday celebration took place in Dar es Salaam yesterday for the Tanzania Zambia Railway, build in the early 1970s by China to link Zambia with a safe port in Tanzania while the then apartheid regime in South Africa all but blocked imports and exports to and from Zambia for supporting […]
Tanzania aviation news – Transport Minister defends throwing more money at ATCL
TRANSPORT MINISTER DEFENDS FUNDING FOR AILING AIR TANZANIA At the launch of the Transport Week on Wednesday this week, part of the ongoing preparations and celebrations of Tanzanias 50th independence anniversary, has the Minister for Transport Mr. Omar Nundu defended the 16 billion Tanzanian Shillings the government has poured into the financially and operationally stricken […]
Uganda tourism news update – Minister laments lack of funding and budget allocations
TOURISM MINISTER LAMENTS LOW FUNDING FOR HIS MINISTRY Our sector contributes 9.2 percent to the GDP of Uganda and yet we are only getting 0.14 percent in budget allocation from the overall annual budget said the Minister for Tourism Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu earlier in the week when addressing tourism stakeholders in Kampala. He asked his […]
East African aviation news – Stakeholders denounce CASSOA as greedy
AVIATION STAKEHOLDERS DENOUNCE CASSOA AS GREEDY Emotions were once again running high between aviation stakeholders and the regional Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency, when the latter announced the introduction of yet another fee to finance operations. These bureaucrats never learn. They also never listen. They are the main obstacle to make flying in […]
Uganda news update – Flooded Muzizi river disrupts key road link between parks
FLOODED RIVER MUZIZI CUTS DIRECT ROUTE BETWEEN PARKS The most direct connection for travel by road between Murchisons Falls National Park and the Queen Elizabeth National Park, with Kibale, Rwenzori and the Semliki Game Reserve also enroute, has been cut yesterday when the Muzizi river burst its banks following prolonged heavy rains lashing the catchment […]
Kenya conservation news – KWS to relocate up to 200 elephant into Masai Mara
KWS TO SHIFT DOZENS OF ELEPHANT FROM FARMING AREAS INTO THE MASAI MARA Information was given overnight that the Kenya Wildlife Service will embark next week to relocate as many as 200 elephant roaming the farmlands in the wider vicinity of the reserve and surrounding conservancies into the Masai Mara, following persistent complaints by farmers […]
East Africa news – Economic worries persist amid uncertain outlook for the future
BLEAK OUTLOOK FOR EAST AFRICAN ECONOMIES Record inflation and sliding currency values are now combining with higher interest rates, posing further challenges to the economies of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania in coming months. Consumer confidence, from the little research available in the region, is nearing record lows and in particular rising food prices, partly as […]
Indian Ocean news update – Vanilla Islands step up surveillance amid security reviews
SEYCHELLES ASSURES VISITOR SAFETY AMIDST SECURITY REVIEW The events in Kenya in recent days, when a remote beach resort half way between Lamu and the Somali border was attacked, a British tourist killed and his wife abducted but suspected Somali intruders, has reverberated across the Vanilla Islands, triggering an immediate review of their own respective […]
