Uganda news update – UWA commission of enquiry in new doldrums
UWA COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY IN DOLDRUMS The chairman of the ongoing Commission of Enquiry into the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s World Bank funded PAMSU programme has reportedly ‘halted’ any further work of the commission, citing a ‘break in and evidence tampering’ as the reason for his decision. According to reliable sources from the Ministry of Tourism retired […]
African aviation news update – AFRAA continues to oppose EU blacklist
AFRAA CONTINUES TO OPPOSE EU’S BLACKLIST Information was received from aviation sources in Nairobi that the African Airline Association has stepped up their opposition against the EU’s aviation blacklist, which they claim now covers over a quarter of all African countries and airlines. AFRAA in particular cited the safety record of LAM Mozambique, which has since […]
Uganda news update – Opposition MP’s ‘walk FROM work’
OPPOSITION MP’s ‘WALK FROM WORK’ The shameful behaviour of sections of the opposition continued yesterday when they staged a ‘walk FROM work’ protests as they left the chambers during President Museveni’s State of the Nation address. This unprecedented behaviour, reminding this correspondent of recent events in the Seychelles where the losing opposition vowed to stay away […]
Uganda breaking conservation news – New rhino baby girl born at Ziwa
BREAKING NEWS / STOP PRESS NEW RHINO BORN AT ZIWA Information was received in the early hours of today by the Executive Director of the Rhino Fund Uganda that overnight a fourth Southern White rhino was born and the good news went better when it was established that the little baby is actually a female, […]
Weekly roundup of news from the Eastern African and Indian Ocean region, First edition June 2011
My dear readers, the original version of this post contains many pictures which when using the copy/paste mode to transfer my Word documents on to the blog disappear as WordPress has seemingly still not caught on to making life easy. Posting the pictures individually again is cumbersome and takes hours I do not have, so […]
Kenya tourism breaking news – More funding for tourism marketing on the cards
KENYA TOURISM SET TO GET RECORD FUNDING FOR 2011/12 Information obtained through leading tourism sources in Nairobi speaks of a substantial increase in funding for tourism marketing up to 1.4 billion Kenya Shillings for the next financial year, news which were greeted with delight by the industry. While 2010 ended as the ‘best year ever’ […]
Uganda news update – State of the Nation address by President Museveni due today, budget reading for Thursday
IT IS ‘STATE OF THE NATION’ ADDRESS TODAY President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will today address the nation as he delivers his ‘State of the Nation’ speech to parliament, now that his government has been sworn in and commenced work. This will be followed on Thursday by the reading of the national budget by the new Minister for […]
In memoriam Stephane Frantz di Rippel
IN MEMORIAM STEPHANE FRANTZ DI RIPPEL Ivorian security authorities, now under a new and legitimate government, have yesterday confirmed that the remains of the General Manager of the Novotel in Abidjan have been found, bringing an anxious period of several weeks of waiting by his family, friends, colleagues and staff to a gruesome end. Stephane was abducted by […]
Rwanda aviation news update – RwandAir completes financing for NG 737’s
RWANDAIR GETS LOAN NOD FROM EX-IM BANK IN US News from Kigali overnight confirm that RwandAir has secured a financing approval for their two brand new B737-800’s which are due for delivery in a few months time, through the American Ex-Im Bank, with fund disbursal to take effect via the PTA Bank, also known as the […]
Tanzania aviation news update – British Airways offers 44 USD fare to London
ITS USD 44 FROM DAR TO LONDON When readers will set their incredulous eyes on this article the special introductory offer by British Airways for a limited number of seats from Dar es Salaam to London will have passed, as it is only valid from June 06th until June 09th inclusive, end of business day. […]
Uganda tourism budget news – Same Old, Same Old
WILL THE NEW BUDGET CHANGE THINGS FOR UGANDA TOURISM Tourism stakeholders are not holding their breath and neither does the Uganda Tourist Board, when asked about the forthcoming annual budget speech soon expected to be read to the newly constituted parliament. Ministers are being sworn in today at State House Entebbe, making the appointments by […]
Kenya aviation breaking news – Government to ‘defend’ their KQ shareholding
KENYA GOVERNMENT TO ‘DEFEND’ THEIR STAKE IN KENYA AIRWAYS Information was received from usually well informed circles in Nairobi that the government will during the upcoming additional share issue by Kenya’s national airline be defending their 23 percent shareholding in the publicly listed and traded company and underwrite their share options in full. Kenya Airways was privatized […]
Tanzania aviation news update – Is Kenya Airways set for Kilimanjaro flights?
KENYA AIRWAYS SET FOR KILIMANJARO FLIGHTS? Aviation circles in Tanzania are speculating intensely over Kenya Airways’ plans to include direct flights between their Nairobi hub and Kilimanjaro International between Moshi and Arusha, a route so far served exclusively by KQ’s Tanzanian partner airline Precision Air with ATR aircraft. These flights are operated under a full code […]
Kenya breaking news – Petrol station explosion ‘very likely an accident’
CAUSE FOR NAIROBI EXPLOSION UNKNOWN AS YET BUT ACCIDENT STRONGLY SUSPECTED Update It was overnight confirmed that the explosion at a Nairobi fuel station was indeed an accident, putting any other speculations remaining to a firm rest. Official sources, while still tight lipped, point to a fuel leak of fuel fumes which might have been […]
Seychelles news update – New currency notes due out this week
NEW BANK NOTES FOR SEYCHELLES This week will see the formal launch in Victoria by the Central Bank of Seychelles of new banknotes in the denomination of 50, 100 and 500 Rupees. The new notes will incorporate the very latest state of the art security features which can be partly seen with the ‘naked eye’ […]
Kenya conservation news – More fences for more parks
MORE FENCES FOR MORE PARKS Kenya Wildlife Services has recently announced that they have raised and secured enough funds to commence the fencing of the Mt. Kenya National Park, due to start later in the year. The cost for the project is estimated to be over 12 million US Dollars, with a tendency to rise […]
Tanzania aviation news update – Safari Plus takes to the skies
TANZANIA’S CAMP DAVID? GET REAL! Last Saturday saw finally the formal launch of the latest kid on the aviation block, Safari Plus in Dar es Salaam, a company associated with Kempinski Hotels in Tanzania, belonging to the same holding company ASB Developments as the hotels which are managed by Kempinski. The airline has acquired two Beechcraft King Air […]
Seychelles UK marketing office changes announced
NEW POSH LOCATION FOR SEYCHELLES TOURIST OFFICE IN LONDON The Seychelles Tourist Board offices have since the beginning of June relocated to Regent Street where the UK’s dream destination is assured of higher visibility and closer contact with key tourism trade partners. European Director of Marketing, Bernadette Willemin, who is based in Paris, was personally […]
Seychelles Regatta final results – And the winner is … Seychellois skipper Jeremie Beyou
SEYCHELLES REGATTA RESULTS Following a series of messages and enquiries about the final results of the Seychelles Regatta which ended last weekend at the marina of Eden Island I am reposting the final results, courtesy of main sponsors the Seychelles Tourist Board, although eTN (www.eturbonews.com) had published the particulars while I had gone ‘bush’ in […]
Kenya safari breaking news – Cheli & Peacock to honour and remember the Adamsons this summer
BACK IN HISTORY SAFARI HONOURS JOY AND GEORGE ADAMSON Cheli and Peacock Safaris will this summer offer a dedicated tour to two of their Northern Kenyan camps in commemoration of the famous Joy Adamson – of Born Free fame – when they will welcome one of her former assistants, Martin Clarke. Martin will visit ‘Joy’s Camp’ […]
Kenya tourism breaking news – UNWTO Secretary General to attend Kenya Tourism Award Ceremony
KENYA TOURISM FEDERATION TO ‘CELEBRATE WINNERS’ The famous Carnivore Restaurant’s Simba Saloon will provide a fitting setting and backdrop to the first ever Kenya Tourism Awards, due to be held on the evening of Thursday 23rd of June. The Kenya Tourism Federation, the private sector apex body for the tourism, hospitality and aviation industry, has joined […]
Kenya travel story – 80 and counting, a return to Lake Naivasha
80 AND COUNTING – A RETURN TO LAKE NAIVASHA (The new enlarged entrance to the Lake Naivasha Country Club, welcoming as ever) The calls of the fish eagles echoed across the extensive manicured grounds in the early hour of the day as the first rays of light crept across the horizon, just as […]
Kenya aviation news update – KQ going places staying green
KENYA AIRWAYS GOING PLACES, STAYING GREEN AT HOME The Kenya Airways sponsored tree planting project at the Ngong Hills outside Nairobi continues with now about 750.000 trees already planted of an intermediate target of 1.000.000 trees before assessing the success of the ‘Trees for Future’ engagement and launching fresh initiatives. KQ now also gives all […]
Rwanda conservation breaking news – Another twin birth at ‘Susa Group’
ANOTHER SET OF GORILLA TWINS BORN Births of gorilla babies in Rwanda are always a cause for celebrations, by conservationists and the tourism fraternity alike. Yet, when a gorilla gives birth to twins this really sets all the bells ringing and excites the media too. Overnight did confirmation arrive of a pending and until just […]
Seychelles tourism news update – STB team makes waves around the globe
ST. ANGE AND TEAM DO IT SEYCHELLES STYLE www.lekirroyal.com www.seychelles.travel A recent weeklong visit to the archipelago gave this correspondent plenty of opportunity to sample the island’s hospitality and interact with the who is who, including shaking the re-elected President’s hand upon his swearing in ceremony and wishing him well. While on the roads around […]
Seychelles news update – Abu Dhabi gifts three desalination units to Seychelles
SEYCHELLES GETS THREE FREE DESALINATION UNITS FROM ABU DHABI The current drought condition across the archipelago has caused water supplies to dwindle in recent weeks and before the emerging crisis got worse did the Ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan dispatch three complete water desalination plants to the […]
Seychelles yachting update – ‘Sealegs’ makes an immediate impact
SEALEGS – A NOVEL WAY TO KEEP THE GUEST’S FEET DRY The MAIA Luxury Resort and Spa recently introduced an innovation to the archipelago, allowing their guests to keep their feet dry and their shoes on when either returning from their yachts moored off the resort’s beach or else leaving for a day […]
Rwanda conservation news update – Prime Minister at Tropical Rain Forest Summit
RWANDA ATTENDS GLOBAL MEETING ON TROPICAL FORESTS The Prime Minister of Rwanda, together with the Minister for Environment and Natural Resources is in Brazzaville this week to attend the head of state and government summit on cooperation for the world’s most important tropical forest systems which include the extensive rain forests of the Congo basin […]
Uganda news update – Inflation at new highs
INFLATION HITS 17 YEAR HIGH The high cost of fuel in recent months has driven inflation across East Africa to new heights and in Uganda the figures have now reached 16 percent, the 7th straight rise in the consumer price index prepared by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics in conjunction with the Bank of Uganda and […]
Seychelles resort review – Le Meridien, One Island Two Stories
LE MERIDIEN – ONE ISLAND, TWO STORIES Starwood Hotels, one of the world’s foremost international hotel groups, operates two resorts on the island of Mahe / Seychelles, under their Le Meridien brand. During a recent visit to the archipelago I had the privilege to stay in both, located on the opposite sides of the main island, and […]
