Uganda news update – Thursday a public holiday at ‘the Pearl of Africa’
THURSDAY TO BE PUBLIC HOLIDAY IN UGANDA The swearing in ceremony set for Thursday, 12th May, when President Museveni will take the oath of office for another term following his resounding election victory at the end of February, will give Ugandans from all walks of life the opportunity to celebrate the day too, being off […]
Ethiopia conservation breaking news – Gambela National Park under imminent threat
GAMBELA NATIONAL PARK – MUST CONSERVATION MAKE WAY FOR PROFITS (Posted 09th May 2011) In a remote corner of Ethiopia, not far from the border with the soon independent South Sudan, the little known Gambela National Park is found, visited by a very few adventure tourists who, going by blog reports found on the […]
Aviation news update – Emirates ambushes other airlines by ending fuel surcharges
EMIRATES MOVE LEAVES OTHER AIRLINES TO SCRATCH THEIR HEADS Ugandan travelers, but also those flying abroad from Nairobi and Dar es Salaam have reason to flock to Emirates in even greater numbers, when it became known that the airline had with immediate effect scrapped all fuel supplements introduced in recent weeks. The swift reaction by […]
Tanzania conservation news – Serengeti villagers accuse government to ‘put words in our mouths’
VILLAGE LEADERS ACCUSE GOVERNMENT OF SPREADING FALSEHOODS It was learned over the weekend that political leaders at village grass root levels near the Serengeti National Park have protested claims that they had allegedly advocated for the removal of the Serengeti as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as has been peddled in the local media by […]
Uganda conservation news update – Chinese ivory smuggler due in court today
CHINESE TO APPEAR IN COURT TODAY An alleged ivory smuggler from China, who was nabbed late last week at Entebbe International Airport with ivory carvings while trying to fly out of the country, will appear in an Entebbe court today to answer a variety of charges. According to added reports now available he will appear […]
Rwanda news update – World Economic Forum on Africa heaps praise on Rwanda
RWANDA WINS RECOGNITION AT WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM IN CAPE TOWN The just concluded World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town / South Africa saw Rwanda singled out by a leading World Bank executive for their tireless efforts on conservation and to promote tourism as an engine of sustainable economic growth. When launching the ‘Africa […]
Uganda conservation news update – Chinese nabbed at Entebbe with blood ivory
CHINESE NABBED AT ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WITH IVORY East African airports are getting seemingly ‘too hot’ for ivory smugglers, as another Chinese citizen attempting to leave from Entebbe for his home country had to find out to his lasting regret. Bungles and chop sticks made of ivory, weighing a total of 1 KG, little in […]
Breaking conservation news – Blood ivory seized in Vietnam
TANZANIAN IVORY SEIZED IN VIETNAM Only hours after news broke from Nairobi, that over 100 tusks were found at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, did yet more bad news emerge for the conservation fraternity, this time from Vietnam. Customs and security officials discovered 600 kilograms of blood ivory, concealed in a rubber container originating from […]
Kenya conservation breaking news – More blood ivory nabbed in Nairobi
INTERCEPTED BLOOD IVORY COST 50 ELEPHANT LIVES Last night did surveillance of customs and other security officers at the cargo area of Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport again prove their worth, and their courage, when they seized a suspicious shipment, allegedly from an embassy in Nairobi – providing the Foreign Ministry in Nairobi with a […]
East Africa aviation news update – When, not if, will Fly Dubai spread further into East Africa
EAST AFRICA HOPING FOR FLY DUBAI INTEREST The announcement earlier this week, that Dubai’s own low cost airline ‘Fly Dubai’ is eyeing over 40 destinations by the end of 2011, has raised hope and interest in Eastern African aviation circles, that after the recent opening of the route between Dubai to Addis Ababa other destinations […]
Rwanda news update – RTUC starts building new campus
RWANDA’S TOURISM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE TO GET NEW CAMPUS Information was received overnight that the RTUC has finally been given the green light to commence the construction of a new purpose build campus. Operating until now, and since its inception, from rented premises has created issues over the full licensing as a tertiary institution of higher […]
Rwanda breaking news update – Dubai World’s Gorilla Nest Lodge partially destroyed by fire
DUBAI WORLD’S ‘GORILLA NEST LODGE’ SUFFERS FIRE DAMAGE Information reached late yesterday that a fire has yesterday partially destroyed the luxurious ‘Gorilla Nest Lodge’, which is owned by Dubai World and strategically located just outside the Volcanoes National Park, home to the prized mountain gorillas. Information received was sketchy and efforts to get more details […]
Tanzania aviation news update – Precision Air launches e-payments
PRECISION AIR EXPANDS WEB BASED SERVICES Tanzania’s leading privately owned airline, Precision Air, has now formally launched their web based payment engine, which allows clients to settle their ticket cost by using the leading credit and debit cards. Plans for this were advancing well and when all technical requirements about transaction security had been met […]
East African conservation news update – EALA starts regionwide consultations on new Ecosystems Bill
CONSULTATIONS COMMENCE ON EAST AFRICAN ECO SYSTEMS BILL Members of the East African Legislative Assembly have started their region wide public consultations ahead of hearings by the full assembly about the pending Trans Boundary Ecosystems Bill. The East African Community member states share a range of ecosystems across the common borders, including several national parks […]
Uganda news update – Madhvani Foundation offers 550 Mio UShs for 2011/12 academic year
MADHVANI FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE WORTH 550 MILLION SHILLINGS ‘Gifted, hardworking and financially challenged Ugandan students’, to quote the Madhvani Foundation in regard to its target group, will once again benefit from available scholarships worth the equivalent of nearly 250.000 US Dollars, or 550 million Uganda Shillings. Courses are not just limited to the traditional science […]
Kenya hospitality news update – Madhvani Group going places
MADHVANI GROUP’S HOSPITALITY INTERESTS IN KENYA ‘SET TO GROW’ The acquisition two years ago of the Mara Leisure Camp by the Ugandan based Madhvani Group was the first such cross border investment coming from Uganda into Kenya, with previously only the reverse direction being the case, as Kenyan tourism companies invested in Uganda. Top management […]
Uganda aviation breaking news – Qatar Airways set for Entebbe
QATAR AIRWAYS SET FOR ENTEBBE While available information remains sketchy and has in recent days come in bits and pieces, it seems clear however that Qatar Airways, the self proclaimed ‘5 Star Airline’, is set to commence daily flights between Doha and Entebbe from early November this year. A regular source within the Civil Aviation […]
Sudan news update – Reactions to Bin Laden death expose ‘terror links’
KHARTOUM REACTION ON BIN LADEN DEATH ‘EXPOSES TERROR FRIENDS’ The news from Khartoum, that senior officials and members of parliament of the ruling NCP described Osama Bin Laden as a ‘martyr’ and a ‘holy fighter’ brought about instant condemnation by a wide section of the Southern Sudanese leadership. The soon to be independent South Sudan […]
Kenya news update – Petrol shortage bites deep and hard
CRIPPLING FUEL SHORTAGE ATTRIBUTED TO HORDING AND PROFITEERING A major fuel crisis has once again made life in Kenya even more difficult, as besides record prizes motorists now have to drive from station to station to find the precious liquid and then often queue for hours before eventually reaching the pumps. Nairobi was particularly hard […]
Kenya conservation news update – Poachers now target collared elephant
ELEPHANT POACHERS TARGET ‘COLLARED’ ANIMALS Shocking news have emerged overnight from Kenya, where – as in many other African countries – poaching is again on the increase. In the dense forests of Mt. Kenya National Park, but even outside the official park boundaries, elephant have for times immemorial migrated through established ‘corridors’ to follow available […]
East African air travel update – Turkey eases Visa requirements
TURKISH AIRLINES CAUSE CHANGE IN VISA POLICY The Turkish national airline has reportedly prevailed upon their immigration service in changing Visa rules for African citizens, flying with Turkish from the airline’s growing network across the African continent, connecting in Istanbul for their final destination. A source close to the airline in Kampala confirmed, while discussing […]
Seychelles breaking news – Emirates Holidays crowns STB as ‘their champion’
EMIRATES HOLIDAYS CROWNS SEYCHELLES TOURIST BOARD Awards for the Seychelles seem to chase each other these days, in recognition of the outstanding value and appeal the destination now commands around the world. In India the Seychelles were given ‘Best promising destination’ as more and more passengers connect with Emirates from their Indian gateways via Dubai […]
Uganda news update – All roads lead to the Sheraton for a Turkish Food Festival
ALL ROADS LEAD TO SHERATON FOR ‘TURKISH FESTIVAL’ When the culinary mind strays to the subject of food festivals, especially here in Kampala, Oktoberfest would probably be first on the list of options, but again the Sheraton Kampala took the lead by organizing an authentic Turkish Food Week, coming up between May 16th to 21st. […]
Weekly roundup of news from the Eastern African and Indian Ocean region, First edition May 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 via Twitter @whthome or on my blog: www.wolfganghthome.wordpress.com First edition May 2011 Africa News SOMBRE MOOD IN NAIROBI AND DAR ON NEWS […]
East Africa news update – Osama death news received in sombre atmosphere
SOMBRE MOOD IN NAIROBI AND DAR ON NEWS OF OSAMA DEMISE Hundreds of families and thousands of friends of those who perished in the 1998 bombings of the US Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, as well as those of victims of other Al Qaida inspired terrorist acts in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, showed relief on […]
Seychelles news update – Royals on a Creole paradise honeymoon?
SEYCHELLES’ BEST KEPT SECRET? Information is starting to appear that the recently married royal couple of Prince William, now Duke of Cambridge and his wife Catherine, will after all enjoy their honeymoon in the tropical Creole island paradise of the Seychelles. It is understood, though not independently confirmed at this stage – even the best […]
Uganda news update – HTTI graduates nearly 600 students
HTTI STUDENTS GRADUATED – FINALLY Last week saw the graduation of several hundred students at the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute in Jinja, based at the Crested Crane Hotel. Presiding over the function was the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry Ambassador Onen who stood in for his minister. HTTI was […]
Uganda news update – Parliament clears new Entebbe road highway financing
OUTGOING PARLIAMENT APPROVES FUNDING FOR NEW ENTEBBE HIGHWAY The parliamentary session in Kampala yesterday of the soon to be retired outgoing house – when it makes way for the newly elected members – made a landmark decision to approve the proposed funding for the Entebbe highway. Government is now able to conclude a loan agreement […]
Kenya tourism news update – New Tourism Bill passes final hurdle
KENYAN PARLIAMENT PASSES NEW TOURISM BILL Last weekend news reached that the parliament in Nairobi has finally voted for the new tourism bill, which will bring long overdue new regulatory bodies and a new organizational structure for the public sector of the tourism industry into place. Now only awaiting the anticipated presidential assent to make […]
East Africa news update – Inflation still rising
INFLATION KEEPS RISING The latest data released by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics makes grim reading, given another rise of month on month inflation for April to now 14.1 percent, three percent up from March and well more than double compared to even February this year. Drought related food prices, combined with the escalating cost […]
