Kenya news update – UK Metropolitan Police and Special Forces join hunt for abducted woman
UK SPECIAL FORCES AND DETECTIVES JOIN HUNT FOR ABDUCTED WOMAN Lamu and Kiwayu Island have been swarmed by the international media since the killing of a British citizen and the abduction of his wife a few days ago. In the very first release here speculation was already raised, at a time when official Kenya still […]
Kenya conservation news – KWS to celebrate World Rhino Day with cycling race in Nakuru
KWS MARKS WORLD RHINO DAY WITH CYCLING RACE IN NAKURU NP The increasing threat towards the very survival of the rhinos on the African continent will be highlighted when World Rhino Day is celebrated, drawing attention to the need to boost anti poaching measures, give greater protection to the species and make it abundantly clear […]
Seychelles tourism news update – Tourism industry to celebrate World Tourism Day with ‘Seychelles Ball’
ANNUAL TOURISM BALL BECOMES PART OF CALENDER OF EVENTS True to form has the Seychelles Tourism Board and the tourism industry across the archipelago raised their game again and will hold Seychelles Ball 2011 to commemorate the UN World Tourism Organizations World Tourism Day in style. Saturday the 24th of September will see the Seychelles […]
Weekly roundup of news from the Eastern African and Indian Ocean regions, Second edition September 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 stories are also […]
Kenya aviation news – New terminal construction for JKIA attracts interest from around the world
NEW AIRPORT TERMINAL ATTRACTS INTEREST FROM ACROSS THE WORLD Information received overnight from Nairobi talks of over 100 international and regional construction companies expressing interests in the tender documents available from the Kenya Airports Authority for the re-development of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport into a first class international airport with the capacity to handle an […]
EAC news update – Spats over jurisdiction for Serengeti Highway go to EAC Summit
CROSS BORDER SENTIMENTS TO COME TO A HEAD IN NOVEMBER EAC SUMMIT Disturbing news have reached from Arusha that the debate on the Transboundary Ecosystems Management Bill which was introduced in 2010 to the East African Community Legislative Assembly, has upon substantial pressure by the Tanzanian government been postponed to allow the forthcoming Head of […]
Uganda conservation news – UWA and NFA jointly offer free entrance to promote ‘bird watching’
BIRD WATCHING BONANZA FOR WORLD TOURISM DAY CELEBRATIONS Ugandans will once more have the opportunity to get into the countrys national parks and forest reserves free of charge at the end of the month, when the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the National Forest Authority have combined forces to promote bird watching. Coinciding with the World […]
Kenya aviation breaking news – KQ takes delivery of another E190
KENYA AIRWAYS RECEIVES EIGHTH EMBRAER, CONTINUES EXPANSION Another Embraer E190 joined the growing KQ fleet overnight, when the latest bird arrived in Nairobi and was taxied to the Embakasi base of The Pride of Africa. Registered as 5Y KYR the new aircraft will shortly be deployed across the East and Southern African skies, soon to […]
Kenya breaking news – Major fire outbreak at Kenya Pipeline depot kills scores in Nairobi
TRAGEDY STRIKES NAIROBI A major fire near or at a Kenya Pipeline Company depot in the industrial area on the outskirts of Nairobi has claimed dozens of lives according to breaking news from Kenyas capital. As the fire brigade is deploying in full force to control the fire and prevent it from spreading to other […]
Kenya tourism news – Gamewatchers / Porini offer ‘mobility’
GAMEWATCHERS / PORINI OFFER MOBILITY IN THEIR CONSERVANCIES Gamewatcher Safaris and Porini Safari Camps have launched a mobile tented operation, which is available during certain times of the year, currently between July and October. Comprising 6 dome tents, which sleep up to two guests at a time, they are located on their Selenkay Conservancy outside […]
More News about Africa – check this out
E-NEWS FROM THE REGION Many readers of my regular weekly roundup or even those following me on Twitter or are connected via LinkedIn or Facebook where all my blog articles are cross loaded to reach more and more people interested in Eastern Africa and Indian Ocean events, keep asking for :where can we read more. […]
Zanzibar ferry accident update – Now government denies knowledge of ferry owners
ZANZIBAR GOVERNMENT DENIES KNOWLEDGE OF OWNERS OF SUNKEN FERRY In an extraordinary, though not unprecedented turn of events has the government of Zanzibar reportedly denied to have any knowledge of the registered owners of the MV Spice Islander. Registration and licensing of ocean going vessels however has been confirmed to be a function of government […]
Breaking News – British tourist killed, wife abducted from remote beach camp 30 miles North of Lamu
ATTACK ON REMOTE BEACH RESORT LEAVES ONE BRIT DEAD AND ONE ABDUCTED A small resort on the Indian Ocean beaches some 30 miles north of Lamu was attacked earlier today, according to reports emerging from reliable sources in Nairobi. Information is sketchy right now but it appears that the British High Commission has confirmed the […]
Seychelles hospitality news – STA opens Spa, offers relevant courses to students
SEYCHELLES TOURISM ACADEMY OPENS TRAINING SPA The Seychelles Tourism Academy at La Misere opened their new Spa facility in the presence of Principal Flavien Joubert and Seychelles Tourism Boards Deputy CEO Elsia Grandcourt. All the leading resorts across the archipelago presently operate Spas and wellness centres and students at the STA can now acquire appropriate […]
EAC news update – Bureaucrats and lawyers find way out of Khartoum’s membership application
EAC FINDS FACE SAVING WAY OUT OF KHARTOUMS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION When the application by the Bashir regime in Khartoum to join the East Africa Community became public knowledge, it put the political leaderships in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Kigali and Bujumbura into a dilemma of sorts. Bashirs cunning plan, to apply ahead of the […]
9 / 11 – Ten years on
9/11 TEN YEARS ON It was a just past 4 in the afternoon when I got a call, being on the outskirts of Kampala enroute back from the airport in Entebbe, that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Centre in New York, prompting me to abort my drive to where I was heading […]
Tanzania breaking news – Ferry with 600 on board sinks between Zanzibar and Pemba
ZANZIBAR STRUCK BY FERRY DISASTER New broke earlier today but took a while to confirm and fully ascertain, that a ferry with reportedly over 600 people on board between Unguja, commonly referred to as Zanzibar and Pemba sunk after capsizing, leaving scores of passengers dead in the water and others struggling to survive by clinging […]
Tanzania conservation news – Maige’s remarks about Kenya’s ivory burning may be true after all
TOURISM MINSTERS ALLEGED DEROGATORY REMARKS ABOUT KENYA TRUE AFTER ALL? When Kenya burnt a cargo of seized ivory a few weeks ago at the KWS training school in Tsavo, dignitaries from across the region had been invited to witness this act of defiance and declared opposition to poaching and the growing trade in blood ivory, […]
South Sudan news update – Major investment conference planned for October
MAJOR INVESTMENT CONFERENCE PLANNED Juba will host the first post independence South Sudan Investment Conference and Trade Fair in October, according to a regular source in Juba. We will be showing potential investors what great range of projects they can apply for, can make a sales pitch for. We need foreign investments in the entire […]
Tanzania news update – Wikileaks blows lid off alleged bribery scandal
WIKILEAKS DOCUMENTS PROMPT ANGRY RESPONSES IN DAR ES SALAAM A leaked cable from the then US Ambassador to Tanzania Michael Retzer to the State Department has produced angry reactions in Tanzania with denial chasing denial. The cables alleged a bribery scandal involving none other than President Kikwete and the owners of what used to be […]
Rwanda news update – Airtel gets ‘vacant’ telecom license
RWANDA AWARDS VACANT TELECOMS LICENSE TO AIRTEL The third license to operate mobile telecom services, withdrawn from a Libyan owned company a few months ago over regulatory offenses, was finally awarded to Airtel Africa earlier this week, bringing the number of mobile operators back to three. Airtel of India had taken over the Zain network […]
Kenya tourism news – New police post planned for Masai Mara Game Reserve
POLICE POST IN MASAI MARA TO IMPROVE SECURITY AND STEM POACHING News were confirmed today that the Kenya Police will establish a new police outpost in the Masai Mara Game Reserve, from where officers will work hand in hand with game rangers and wardens to improve overall security in Kenya key park. Attacks or robberies […]
Madagascar aviation news update – B777-200ER now on lease to do Paris flights
AIR MADAGASCAR LEASES B777 TO CIRCUMVENT EU BLACKLISTING Following the blacklisting over safety concerns by the European Union earlier this year, reported here when it happened, Air Madagascar has substituted a wetleased B767-300ER from Air Italy with a leased B 777-200ER from another European registered airline. The airline operates three flights a week between Antananarivo […]
Tanzania aviation news – ATCL gets new ‘interim’ boss
AIR TANZANIA GETS NEW ACTING CEO Paul Chizi has recently been appointed interim or acting CEO of ATCL by the Minister for Transport Hon. Omari Nundu, to take over at ATCL with immediate effect. Paul was previously with Air Tanzania, which he joined in 1979 according to information from Dar es Salaam, before leaving in […]
Uganda aviation news – Weather radar ‘not a priority’
ENTEBBES WEATHER RADAR NOT A PRIORITY Members of the parliamentary committee on natural resources were shocked, as were aviation observers when the news filtered into the public domain this morning that Entebbe International Airport was lacking a functioning weather radar system. Considering how regular thunderstorms are in Uganda, along the departure and approach paths of […]
Uganda aviation news update – Change at the helm of Fly 540 Uganda
CHANGE AT FLY 540 UGANDA A public notice in the Daily Nation of Kenya and the Daily Monitor in Kampala has tipped off this correspondent and confirmed earlier rumours that Jackie Arkle, the soul and good spirit of Fly 540 in Uganda, has left the airline under unclear circumstances. Jackie arrived in Uganda after two […]
Mauritius news update – 12 foot waves expected at southern beaches
HIGH WAVES WARNING FOR BEACHES IN SOUTH OF MAURITIUS Forecasts are predicting waves on the southern and western beaches of Mauritius to rise up to 4 metres high this weekend as a result of both strong winds and sea swells combining to bring about this unusual phenomenon outside an actual cyclone storm. Beach resorts appear […]
Seychelles hospitality news – The MAIA Luxury Resort and Spa turns 5
THE MAIA TURNS 5 It has been a fast 5 years for the Maia Luxury Resort and Spa on Mahe, since it opened its doors for the first time in September 2006 and it has been a good 5 years by the signs of it. On Tuesday this week, while yours truly was checking out […]
Tanzania conservation news – Government to appeal EACJ ruling, said to be seething with anger
TANZANIA GOVERNMENT TO APPEAL EAST AFRICAN COURT OF JUSTICE RULING The anger by the Tanzanian government could hardly be concealed over the ruling against their ill fated plans to build a highway across the Serengeti, when the announcement was made earlier in the week that the matter would be appealed at the EACJ in Arusha. […]
Rwanda aviation news – ‘WB’ got options on 2 B787 to go intercontinental by 2015/6
RWANDAIR SIGNS OPTION DEAL FOR 2 B787 Following the announcement by the airlines CEO John Mirenge on the occasion of the delivery in Kigali of RwandAirs first B737-800 Sky Interior about the vision for Rwandas national airline, it was established that an option agreement for 2 Dreamliners has been signed. Deliveries are likely to fall […]
