East Africa tourism report

BILL GATES BACK IN KENYA

BILL GATES BACK IN KENYA
It was reported last weekend that Bill Gates of Microsoft fame, was back in Kenya for a combined safari holiday and to visit some of the projects his foundation has been sponsoring. The visit was reportedly arranged either as very low key or with all possible discretion, with only the few people coming face to face with him. Kenya Tourism will undoubtedly have been happy to see this high-profile visitor back on the safari circuit as a repeat guest, while the many beneficiaries of his and his wifeโ€™s foundation will be equally happy to see the direct interest their principal is showing in their endeavors.

AFRICA AVIATION MAGAZINE PUBLISHER TO BECOME NEW AFRAA SECRETARY GENERAL
Nick Fadugba, best known in African aviation circles as the publisher and editor of the African Aviation Magazine and as a tireless advocate for African airlines in its struggle against both short-sighted policies, as well as restrictive regulatory regimes, has been elected at the recent Maputo annual conference as the successor to Christian Folly-Kossi, who served in this capacity for the past 10 years. AFRAA brings together the African airline members of IATA to represent the continentโ€™s aviation sector on the continental and global stage and is planning a major strategic rethink in coming months to decide on ways and means to stem the onslaught of global airline giants trying to carve out larger slices of passenger and cargo traffic at the expense of the smaller airlines in Africa. Africa Civil Aviation Commission (the Africa Unionโ€™s aviation policy platform) president, Kenyan Charles Wako, made an impassioned appeal to the AFRAA annual general meeting participants to open the African skies for African airlines by fully applying the Yamoussoukro Declaration and other relevant agreements like the COMESA aviation rules as a key measure to defend African market share and help the smaller national airlines survive in todayโ€™s competitive environment, where not only private airlines but also the offspring of global players is taking its toll on home-grown companies. However, going by the defensive stonewalling even within the east African community, where some member states are still rooted in an aviation stone-age mindset when it comes to treating their EAC neighbors as foreign and preventing them from flying across the (diminishing) national borders to game parks and secondary aerodromes, global competition may well overtake whatever little measures national regulators may eventually agree on with their pondering, dithering, and fiefdom protection coming back to haunt them in coming years. Meanwhile it is a hearty congrats to Nick and all the best in the new appointment.

JACKIE ARKLE-OKUTOI TO TAKE OVER AS FLY 540 COUNTRY MANAGER
Fly 540โ€™s current group sales and marketing manager, Jackie Arkle-Okutoi, appears set to move from Nairobi to Kampala to take over as new country manager in the New Year, serving notice to the competition that Fly 540 is serious in further expanding its traffic base from Entebbe. It is understood that the airline, which already has aircraft based in Uganda, is seeking to add additional aircraft to increase market share, add new routes, and bring a hue of orange into the skies over Uganda.

PRESIDENT FLIES HOME IN ECONOMY CLASS
While returning from the Commonwealth Summit in Trinidad and a subsequent state visit to Cuba, Ugandan President Yoweri K. Museveni reportedly took a commercial flight home with his entourage in economy class. The unusual mode of travel for a head of state was thought to serve the political motive back home to prepare the ground for further austerity measures, which may, according to media speculation, soon lead to reduced travel privileges for government officials and ministers and a cut of other benefits, like large capacity 4x4s. Depending on the individual officialโ€™s status and standing, air travel can take place in First Class, Business Class or Economy. This, however, may soon be a thing of the past, as government is seeking to reign in expenditure and shifts focus on developmental areas rather than consumptive expenses. In Kenya for instance, government ministers recently had to hand in their Mercedes limousines and are now driving Volkswagen Passat vehicles with a 1.8 liter engine capacity, and across the east African region, similar savings measures are being considered to lower the public expenditure and have more funds available to finance poverty eradication programs and support job creation. Uganda owns a state-of-the-art Gulfstream jet available to the President and other select officials on duty travel, making the statement of flying in Y-class even more remarkable. A bouquet of kudos for our President for his remarkable decision and major barbs for the NGO Transparency International, which portrayed this action as a cheap publicity stunt, and more barbs for the local newspaper, which tried to make political capital out of it.

EMIRATES TO GO HEAD ON WITH KLM AND KENYA AIRWAYS ON AMSTERDAM ROUTE
Information has been received that Emirates, the award-winning airline of Dubai, is set to commence daily flights to Amsterdam, using B777 equipment on the route. Flights from east Africa to Amsterdam, the main European hub of Kenya Airways, for their joint KLM/KQ flights, have been a backbone for KQโ€™s long-haul European traffic. The added competition serves the two Sky Team member airlines with notice of intent by Emirates that it will aggressively pursue a greater traffic share out of eastern Africa, where it serves Nairobi, Entebbe, Addis Ababa, and Dar es Salaam on a daily basis already. Come May 1 next year, they will undoubtedly offer attractive rates on the Amsterdam route via Dubai, which is becoming a truly global hub for air traffic, including from and to Africa.

KIDEPO FLY CAMP OPEN OVER FESTIVE SEASON
An 8-tent temporary fly camp in the wilderness of the Kidepo Valley National Park will be open between December 24 and January 7, and a number of nights still appear to have space at a cost of US$ 200 for each tent, large enough for two clients sharing, on full board. (December 27-31 are taken up already.) However, game drives, park entrance fees, and transport to and from the park will be an added expense. The best (and really strongly recommended) way to reach this remote park is by air, and the Kajjansi air operators KAFTC and Ndege Juu will be happy to avail quotations for charters if so required. As it is in the nature of such fly camps, the tents are not self contained, but 4 bush showers and two long drops will be available. Water for the showers is, of course, heated to the temperature preference of the clients and chain-regulated shower heads of the traditional kind then disburse the water from an overhead canvas container. The camp will be located at one of the regular public campsites available inside the park. The company in question is called Alternative Adventures and can be reached for details via this contact email: [email protected] or www.thefarhorizons.com . Those in search of some added accommodation can also use the rest camp operated by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and visitors with a taste for the extraordinary must, of course, stay at the Apoka Safari Lodge, which provides top of the range accommodation, airstrip transfers, game drives, bush walks, and superb cuisine, as in the past experienced by this correspondent. Visit www.wildplacesafrica.com for more details.

COAST PACKAGES AT THE MOST AFFORDABLE
Air Uganda last week launched beach holiday packages with the 5-star Leopard Beach Resort and Spa at Mombasaโ€™s famous Diani Beach (south coast), for a 2-night, half-board stay, inclusive of tickets, all taxes and surcharges and airport transfers in Mombasa from US$ 424.50 per person, staying in a twin. A full weekโ€™s stay is on the market for US$674.50, again per person, staying in a twin. These are some of the best deals available from Uganda to one of the Kenyan coastโ€™s leading resorts and prices are valid until December 20 inclusive. If you do not travel now, you never will.

LIVING DANGEROUSLY WHEN USING BUSSES
Another major accident involving a long-distance passenger bus last weekend in Eldoret/western Kenya cost the lives of at least 8 Ugandans traveling on the vehicle, which was enroute from Kampala to Nairobi. Many other travelers were injured. Busses at this time of the year are packed as people living across the region aim to either travel home for the holidays, and before fares are raised a few days prior to Christmas, or else conduct some last-minute business or doing some shopping for their extended families. The bus was, according to sources, speeding – a menace long criticized, but the regional governments have largely given in to the economic interests of bus owners rather than enforcing laws, which would install speed governors, limiting the race to 80 km per hour. As a result of several bus accidents in recent weeks, the Ugandan police have also started to crack down again on unroadworthy vehicles, set up speed traps, grounded overloaded vehicles, and demanded that bus drivers must now leave photocopies of their driving permits at checkpoints to ascertain their identity in case of an accident.

KIDS TRAVEL TO FRANCE TO LEARN AND PROMOTE UGANDA
A group of children from the Children for Sustainable Livelihood Project were invited to France by the French Embassy and flown there by Brussels Airlines, to participate in a series of events, some of which are also connected to the UN Year of the Gorilla 2009 campaign, which they aim to promote while in Europe. A valuable learning experience for young Ugandans, undoubtedly.

THE EYE UGANDA YEAR-END EDITION NOW ON THE WEB
The December/January end-of-year edition, always much awaited by Ugandan residents, is now available again on the web, and in print, of course, giving valuable advice of where to go and what to do over the festive season. Visit www.theeye.co.ug for the web edition and read all about what is new and what to do while on visit to Uganda over the next few weeks. One word of caution though, the word luxury is probably much over-used, if not misused, and often overstates in articles and copywriting for ads in Uganda the true picture and should, therefore, always be taken with a degree of caution, in particular by those readers well acquainted with proper luxury.

GLOBAL MEDIA STAND UNITED AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
The Ugandan New Vision, available around the world via www.newvision.co.ug , joined many of their more illustrious colleagues around the world to highlight the impact of climate change as already widely evident for instance in eastern Africa. Some 55 newspapers offered a common editorial for their readers as they united to speak with one voice ahead of the climate summit in Copenhagen, which started this week. This column commends this remarkable effort and will continue to highlight the impact of ongoing climate change in eastern Africa, where it has sped up the melting of the equatorial ice caps on Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Kenya, and the Rwenzori Mountains and has quickened the cycles of drought and floods and aided desertification into previously productive semi-arid areas. Records at hand show that 11 of the past 14 years were among the hottest on record, causing the biggest negative fallout among the developing countries of Africa and prompting calls by African governments on the developed nations to not only commit a very substantial carbon emission reduction in Copenhagen but also avail compensation for the African continent now made to suffer by the sins of the past, when these countries industrialized and developed, leaving the dirt and fallout for Africa to deal with. The US, Europe, China, Russia, India, Brazil ,and others will be judged by our generation and the next generation on how they behave and act in Copenhagen, and they frankly owe it to the future of our planet to once and for all stand up and be counted.

EAST AFRICA CLASSIC SAFARI RALLY ENDS WITH KENYAN WIN IN MOMBASA
The Kenya Airways sponsored East African Classic Safari Rally ended last weekend with an impressive win by the Kenyan rallying team of Ian Duncan and Amaar Slatch, driving a classic Ford Mustang. Ian had in his heydays, of course, already won the Safari Rally and this time took the Classic title from former world champion Bjorn Waldegaard, who had won the last edition of the Classic edition. Ian led the pack from the start in Mombasa back to the finishing line at the Sarova Whitesands Resort, after traversing challenging territory in Kenya and Tanzania, reminiscent of the good old safari rally days when participants had to regularly cover between 4 to 5,000 kilometers from start to end. Kenya Airways contributed some US$150,000 to the rally organization and has already committed to also sponsoring the next edition, which brings rally enthusiasts from around the world to Kenya, promoting the country as both a sporting nation as well as a tourism destination. Congrats to Ian and his navigator and all who made it to the finishing line.

CHRISTMAS SEASON AT KENYA COAST BACK TO AS IT WAS
The forthcoming high season for the Kenya coast has been described by hoteliers and tour operators as back to as it was before the sharp downturn in early 2008, and all resorts do expect to be fully booked for the Christmas and New Year period. Domestic tourism, which threw a lifeline to the countryโ€™s tourism industry during the global economic downturn, continues to play an important role, while international arrivals have edged back to the pre-crisis levels once again and are expected to establish new records next year. The concerted activities of the Kenya Tourist Board, Kenya Airways, and the private sector at large have managed to make headway in new and emerging markets while restoring consumer confidence in the existing source markets for tourists. This development must be the best Christmas present for the Kenyan tourism industry and is undoubtedly well deserved.

KENYA PROMOTION KICKS OFF IN DUBAI
A week-long Kenya promotion is underway in Dubai, the first such initiative featuring the east African nation to this important source market for tourist and business visitors. Both the Foreign and Tourism Ministers from Nairobi came to Dubai to underscore the seriousness of the promotion as a series of workshops and seminars kicked off earlier in the week to present Kenya as a desirable tourism and investment destination. A food festival, supported by the Utalii College executive chef, is also taking place alongside the activities at the Le Meridien Hotel in Dubai, availing potential visitors the chance to sample some authentic Kenyan meals with fresh ingredients, flown in daily. Kenya Airways and Emirates operate daily nonstop services between Nairobi and Dubai while Air Arabia flies to neighboring Sharjah, providing enough seats and cargo capacity to cater for the present demand.

FORMER TOURISM CHIEF BLAMES HIS WOES ON ABSENCE OF BOARD
While speaking in his defense during his court proceedings, former KTB CEO Dr. Ongonga Achieng, stands trial together with the former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism โ€“ he attempted to apportion blame for his action on the absence of a substantive board of directors, to whom he claims he could have addressed his plans to pay a former KTB director nearly 9 million Kenya Shillings. His opponents, however, were swift to point out to this correspondent that it was, in fact, the absence of the board, which gave the former CEO the room to maneuver the deal through the standing orders and regulations for payments, denouncing the attempted hand washing as a blatant and visible effort to shift blame for what he had done. That was based on the fact that the moment the new board was finally appointed, it immediately started to investigate the rumors over the deal, which had swept the tourism industry, eventually suspending Dr. Achieng, then firing him, and ultimately taking him to court. The hearing continues in the Nairobi High Court where Dr. Achieng, Ms. Nabutola, and Mr. Muriuki are being tried on 11 counts of criminal indictments, including conspiracy to defraud and abuse of office.

SAFARI NEWSLETTER ANYONE?
This correspondent is never getting enough information on the goings on and the latest updates from the east African safari circuits, and the more information comes through the better. Many readers, in fact, keep asking for more information still in this column, and in particular more specific happenings about new lodges, camps, and tourism-related developments, but space is not nearly enough to publish it all here, nor is all such information availed for publication.
However, safari aficionados and those with hunger for more information about Kenya and the wider region can write to Concorde Safaris to be put on its mailing list for its regular Bushmail via: [email protected] โ€“ it gives the right appetite to get out into the bush and enjoy the many new and well-matured and very familiar old places.

KENYA GOVERNMENT FORMALLY GAZETTES TOURISM CRISIS COMMITTEE
The national tourism crisis management committee at last has some formal and more important legal standing in Kenya, after the composition of the team was last week gazetted in a legal notice. Chairperson of the committee, formed initially in 2007, will rest with the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism Ms. Eunice Miima, while the Chairperson of the Kenya Tourist Board Mr. Jake Grieves-Cook has been made deputy chair. In total, the crisis team will comprise 20 persons drawn from the public and private sector and will substantially deal with any crisis affecting tourism and tourists in the country as a one stop center. The Kenyan tourism private sector was, however, still somewhat cautious in commenting, but those asked acknowledged that this development would concentrate the sectorโ€™s crisis and emergency response under one roof, strengthening Kenyaโ€™s reputation abroad as a country willing and keen to do all possible to ensure the safety and protection of foreign visitors.

SITA TO UPGRADE PASSENGER PROCESSING AT NAIROBIโ€™S JKIA
The Kenya Airports Authority recently unveiled plans to upgrade the processing of passengers under a contract signed with SITA, the global airline communications and technology giant. Travelers using JKIA can expect to even find automated check-in terminals, similar to the ones used already in many parts to the world, from mid 2010, but a long-term, 10-year development program entails much more than just that. Common check-in terminals will be introduced over time, which permit airlines to link directly to its own systems without the need to purchase and deploy its own dedicated terminals, making operations for airlines cheaper and smoother without interruption to its flow of check-in data. The roll-out will initially start in Nairobi and extend to Mombasa before other airports with international status like Malindi, Kisumu, and Eldoret will be considered.

KENYA UTALII TO OFFER DEGREES โ€“ AT LAST
The world-renowned Kenyan tourism and hospitality training institution, Utalii College, is now at last set to offer degree courses, initially in hospitality management, as well as travel and tourism, starting with the new academic year in 2010. Presently, these courses will be offered in cooperation with the University of Nairobi, while the institution is being transformed into a specialized university for the hospitality, travel, and tourism sector. Utalii, originally built and managed by the Swiss in the early 1970s, was soon afterwards handed over to the Kenyan government as a gift from Switzerland and has since grown into the best-reputed, sectoral training institution arguably on the whole African continent. It is recognized by the East African Community as a center of regional excellence and has regularly taken the lead by reshaping course contents and introducing relevant additional courses related to the new technologies. Utalii is also a member of AHSSA, the Association of Hotelschools in Sub-Saharan Africa, and has chaired it on several occasions. Sadly though, back at home in Uganda, the integration of the national Hotel and Tourism Training Institute in Jinja into the new public university in eastern Uganda, Busitema, has so far faltered in spite of having been on the drawing board, and preparations had largely been completed by HTTIโ€™s management and board while still under the Ministry of Education and Sports. The holdup under the Ministry of Tourism, Trade, and Industry is attributed to lack of funding and arguably the lack of expertise and understanding in governmental circles now responsible for the institution, after it was excised from the Ministry of Education and Sports two years ago. This deserves some of the rare barbs dished out by this column for letting our neighbors run away with our ideas and implementing them while our bureaucrats are sitting on their hands.

FLY 540 TO ADD BUJUMBURA
Following the arrival of more CRJ 200 aircraft, Fly 540 will add Bujumbura/Burundi to its regional network beginning January 7, 2010, initially offering 3 flights a week to be operated on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and leaving Nairobi at 1040 hours local time and returning by 1520 hours local time. Stand by for more breaking news announcements about new routes and additional frequencies in the coming weeks and months.

KENYA AIRWAYS AND ETHIOPIAN TAKE FRESH HOPE ON B787
Latest reports from regular Boeing observers give a ray of hope to the east African customers for the new B787, now delayed by about 3 years. It appears that Boeing is currently looking at December 22 for the first test flight, which indeed would be an unexpected Christmas present for the long-suffering clients waiting more or less patiently for the new aircraft. It was, however, also swiftly pointed out to this column that a first test flight, while a milestone, would not necessarily spill over into success at the production line, where other problems may still unfold, considering the wiring issues emerging for the A380, when production went on line. In fact, only recently did Airbus admit that the rate of production for the giant airline is again being reviewed and slowed down to ensure the highest quality. In a related development, the equally-delayed B747-8F is apparently also due to be flown for the first time on the same day. This progress may be associated with the Boeing Commercial Airplane president recently bringing together a group of former senior employees under a loosely-structured advisory group, tasked with assessing the shortcomings of recent years and devising solutions and strategies to overcome the problems.

LAKE MANYARA SURVIVAL UNDER THREAT
Researchers in Tanzania rang the alarm bells when they recently presented a report on the long-term survival chances of Lake Manyara, which was only last week in this column for the commendable effort by the Tanzanian government to double the national park area to include the entire lake in the future. The scientists involved in the research have pointed to silting as a major cause of concern and apportioned major blame on the poor farming methods in the vicinity of the park, which they claim contribute to top soil being washed off during the rainy season and carried into the lake, making it ever shallower. In the report, it was also pointed out that during the dry season, in particular when drought conditions prevail for longer periods, more than three quarters of the lake dries, and some put this figure above 90 percent. This leaves a relatively small patch of water for the hippos, birds, and other animals found in the national park as a source for drinking water. Lake Manyara National Park, located below one of the escarpments of the African Rift Valley near Mto Wa Mbu, is a major stopping point on the northern safari circuit, which also includes Tarangire, Ngorongoro, and the Serengeti, and one of few places in eastern Africa, besides Ishasha (QENP) and Kidepo, where tree-climbing lions can regularly be observed. Also in the report is the detail that the lake dried up completely for the last time in 1923, but with increased population and the tourism industry depending heavily on the lake staying as it is, there is much more at stake now than there was then.

TOURISM CONFEDERATION DECRIES SECTORAL PERFORMANCE
The Tourism Confederation of Tanzania last week bemoaned the fact that the sector is not performing to its fullest potential, a fact also stated by President Kikwete who made the remarks while visiting Jamaica ahead of the Commonwealth Summit in Trinidad. The TCT, the national apex body of sectoral associations, made it plain that changes are needed in policy, legislation, and regulations.

TANAPA BLOCKS HIGHWAY PROJECT THROUGH SERENGETI
Angry residents of areas adjoining the world famous Serengeti National Park have complained that the Tanzania Wildlife Authority has blocked the construction of a highway through the park, denying them access to the rest of the country. Environmental studies, however, show that a major highway running through the park, would cause severe disruption of the migration pattern of game, endanger wildlife, and in its proposed routing and format, pose a major threat to the fragile ecosystems it is supposed to pass through. Road access to the rest of the country is possible, but via a detour, something the district managers apparently find unacceptable and prompting them, according to usually reliable sources, to wind up residents and incite them to protests. TANAPA has not publicly commented on the rabble rousing, but it is considered most unlikely that a highway would be approved through the park, which is one of Tanzaniaโ€™s tourism highlights and, therefore, most unlikely to be ultimately sanctioned. Transit traffic from Arusha into the western Tanzanian areas along Lake Victoria is possible at present from Arusha via Mto Wa Mbu, Karatu, Ngorongoro, and the Serengeti on partly tarmacked and otherwise murram roads, but other roads lead around the protected areas to the same destinations.

TANZANIA AIR OPERATORS COMPLAIN ABOUT HIGH COST OF FUEL
Information was received from Dar es Salaam that several air operators have complained to governmental authorities, including the Energy and Water Utility Regulatory Authority, about the recent rise in aviation fuel prices, now reportedly even dearer than at the land-locked Entebbe International Airport. Fuel companies were guarded in their response and the two respondents requested anonymity, before pointing towards the rise in global crude oil prices ahead of the European and North American winter season, currency fluctuations, and the risen cost of transporting fuel from the source markets due to the Somalia piracy problem affecting shipping all over the eastern African seaboard and beyond. The delays for vessels having to use longer routes, the rise in insurance premiums, and the added costly security measures now seem to hit home through the pockets, while the โ€œproblem from hellโ€ persists.

RWANDAIR TO LAUNCH INFLIGHT MAGAZINE
A quarterly in-flight magazine will be launched soon by RwandAir, coinciding with the arrival of its recently-purchased CRJ aircraft, which marks another milestone for the national airline of Rwanda. Called Inzozi, the reading material will be available for all RwandAir passengers and will promote tourism and business visits to Rwanda, showcasing the countryโ€™s culture and also periodically feature highlights of all the destinations RwandAir is flying to. Visit www.rwandair.com for more information on the airline and its latest innovation.

250 HOSPITALITY STAFF GET FURTHER TRAINING
Staff already employed in the hotels, safari lodges, and restaurants in Musanze and Rubavu districts have last week completed training courses arranged by the Workforce Development Agency on behalf of the Rwanda Development Board/Conservation & Tourism, as part of its long-term strategy to improve the skill levels in the hospitality sector and match the service levels of Kenya and Tanzania. The focus of the training courses was on customer care, aimed to improve knowledge and presentation by staff already employed. A range of such training activities is presently going on across Rwanda benefitting not just staff but also the owners and managers of hospitality establishments by providing better skills and knowledge required in the workplace.

GOVERNMENT AND RDB MEAN BUSINESS
Announcements in the recent past by the Rwanda Development Board – Tourism and Conservation to the effect that hospitality standards must be improved or else, have now shown teeth when authorities began to close down restaurants and several local hotels over hygiene and neglect in Rusizi district. The culprits were also fined and can only reopen once they have made the required improvements and started to operate according to the RDBโ€™s guidelines related to the hospitality industry. It was pointed out that no tourism-rated facilities were affected by the crackdown.

RAILWAY MEETING IN KIGALI DECIDES COURSE OF ACTION
The ministers responsible for their national railways from Tanzania, Burundi, and Rwanda will once again meet to discuss and monitor progress of their plans to link the Tanzanian railway head of Isaka with Kigali and Bujumbura. On the agenda is a review of the consultants plans and proposals and a feasibility study, which no one doubts, however, will be positive. The so called central corridor will link the Indian Ocean harbor of Dar es Salaam with the inland nations and may, in fact, extend to eastern Congo as well, should the regime in Kinshasa show interest to pay for its portion of the railway link, something which cannot be taken for granted considering its record on infrastructural developments in the east of the country over the past decades. It is hoped that a formal tendering process for the workscope can go underway next year, so that after the selection of a contractor, work can commence and the envisaged deadline of a 2014 completion be kept realistic. Meanwhile, similar bilateral and multilateral meetings with a similar agenda are scheduled in the region to progress the new railway plans in Kenya and Uganda as well.

EASTAFRICAN ACCUSES CERTAIN KENYAN AIRLINE OF COMPLICITY IN CONGO PLUNDER
In a front-page, headline article, the regionโ€™s leading weekly newspaper, The EastAfrican, has lambasted the ongoing plunder of resources from the eastern Congo, accusing officials from the region of conniving to smuggle gold and other precious items from the country and shipping it onwards to recipients far abroad, quoting a UN internal report. Much of the plunder and associated crimes are laid at the doorstep of the FDLR, the former Rwandan killer militias never contained since the 1994 genocide, whose leaders appear to live a life of luxury on the back of peasants and forced labor in mines across the area under their control. According to the UN report, much of the smuggled loot finds its way to the UAE, Thailand, and Malaysia through conduits across the eastern African region, where well-connected businessmen and politicians are alleged to be part of the ring. It should be mentioned that investigative reports in the past by BBC undercover reporters have also pointed fingers at the UN troops as being involved in certain aspects of exploiting the regionโ€™s rich mineral resources, something discreetly omitted from the UNโ€™s current report. Visit www.theeastafrican.co.ke for more information and to read the article in question.

ETHIOPIAN BAGS AIRLINE OF THE YEAR AWARD FROM AFRAA
Some of the rather rare information received from ET sources confirmed that AFRAA, the African Airline Association, has bestowed its top award this year to Ethiopian Airlines during its annual meeting at the end of November in Maputo/Mozambique. This was apparently done in recognition of ETโ€™s contribution to African aviation while maintaining standards, safety, and schedules in times of global economic downturn, during which the airline still managed to turn a sizeable profit. If only now its PR and publicity department could shed the yesteryear mindset and become more proactive in telling the world what is happening at Ethiopian.

FIRST A350 STRUCTURE COMPLETED
Ethiopian Airlines, which recently placed an order for the A350 in a radical departure from former practice when they were only buying Boeing jets, will have been relieved when learning that Airbus completed its first mono-bloc structure of a center wing box panel last weekend. The new jet is made from more than half of carbon-fiber material, the composite structures of which the new jet will be largely constructed. The A350 is expected to substantially lower the weight of the aircraft and reduce fuel burn way below present levels. Airbus already has over 500 orders for the revolutionary new aircraft on the books, and with physical progress towards the first test aircraft now being made, it is expected that this number will rise substantially in coming months and years.

FORMER SEYCHELLES CIVIL SERVANTS TURN TO TOURISM
Over twenty former civil servants who left government service last year under a voluntary retrenchment scheme, have completed a course at the Seychelles Tourism Academy in hospitality security operations. The success of the course graduates was hailed by both the STA and the management of the tourism board on behalf of the private sector, while handing over certificates to them. A number of the graduates have already secured employment in hotels and resorts and all of the former students are expected to be absorbed into employment soon.

FRENCH AGENTS TOUR SEYCHELLES
Under an ongoing educational program by the Seychelles Tourist Board,10 French travel agents visited the archipelago last week and got firsthand knowledge about hotels, resorts, and tourism attractions in Mahe, Praslin, La Digue, and St. Anne as guests of the tourist board and private sector. The agents also underwent additional training, which saw them graduate at the end of their induction under the Seychelles Smart Program as official sales agents for the islands in France, accreditation and all being part of it. The Seychelles Tourist Board director of marketing, Mr. Alain St. Ange, presented the official certificates to them during their farewell dinner at the Beachcomber Resort on St. Anne in the presence of other tourism board staff, representatives of Air Seychelles, and invited guests from the participating resorts and hotels. DMC on this occasion was Creole Travel Services, a leading agency handling incoming business across the islands.

NEW STRATEGY FOR AIR SEYCHELLES
The international conference center in the Seychellois capital of Victoria was the venue last week for the long-awaited strategy presentation, following a series of audits and reviews of the airlineโ€™s operation over the past few months. Present were the board, management, and selected staff of the airline, senior government ministers, and Civil Aviation Authority managers, all of whom attentively listened to the companyโ€™s executive chairman and CEO David Savy, who presented the new outlook. This development followed hot on the heels of weeks of speculation and rumors over the financial status of the airline, after opposition members of parliament had alleged the airline was broke, while, in fact, the government provided a loan guarantee for recently ordered and delivered aircraft. One of the measures to be taken will be an enhanced premium-class configuration where new seats will be fitted in the Pearl Class on all B767-300 used by Air Seychelles. The airline maintains an international network to key regional and international target markets and also offers the all-important, trans-islands domestic flights linking the outer islands with Mahe and providing links for tourists, locals, and speedy cargo deliveries.

East Africa tourism report

BRUSSELS AIRLINES PREPARES FOR STAR ALLIANCE CELEBRATIONS

BRUSSELS AIRLINES PREPARES FOR STAR ALLIANCE CELEBRATIONS
The Kampala office of Brussels Airlines is in high gear to prepare for the formal joining of the airline of Star Alliance, the global industry leader of airline alliances. Initially started by Lufthansa and United Airlines, the group grew swiftly, and when Brussels Airlines joins on December 9, the value of membership by frequent travelers under the Miles and More program will yield rich benefits for the various categories of membership. Options of even wider network connections, use of more airport lounges for the airlineโ€™s Business Class travelers or those with enough miles to their credit, priority check in, choice of seats, preference for stand-by bookings on full flights, and a lot more will ensure customer loyalty more than ever, leave alone the enhanced options to earn and burn miles under the frequent offers sent to card holders by email. Brussels Airlines in Kampala apparently plans a major PR, sales, and marketing offensive around the time of the formal entry of SN into Star to brief travel agencies, corporate accounts, the diplomatic corps, the business community, and last but not the least the all important travelers on whatโ€™s new when flying with SN to Brussels and beyond. Meanwhile, the airline also reiterated its code share arrangements with RwandAir on the route to Kigali and with Air Uganda, which permits passengers from Juba to join SN flights, while passengers from Entebbe can travel with Brussels Airlines via U7โ€™s Nairobi evening flights on those days when SN does not serve Entebbe directly. The airline presently flies 4 times a week between Brussels and Entebbe, but under the code share arrangement with Germanyโ€™s Lufthansa on this route, there is expectation and hope that SN will add more flights in the coming seasons.

AIR UGANDA MOMBASA FLIGHTS UPDATE
As Air Uganda turns 2 this week โ€“ Happy Birthday on this occasion โ€“ it has been ascertained that the U7 flights from Entebbe to Mombasa starting on December 1 are going to be nonstop and will operate with CRJ aircraft every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday afternoon. This will allow passengers from Uganda to avoid changing flights at the crowded Nairobi airport and fly straight in and out of the Moi International Airport in Mombasa, where customs and immigration procedures are taking place for travelers to and from the Kenyan coast. The special start-up promotion will offer a ticket at US$299 per person return, plus regulatory taxes and related charges of US$130, making it a total of US$429 overall. A companion fare is available for the time being, where a spouse booked at the same time and on the same flights only pays the regulatory taxes and related charges of US$130 for the return trip, i.e., a couple traveling together will then only pay US$279.50 per person, which constitutes quit an extraordinary value and makes holidays to the coast rather more attractive than they have been. It is understood that Air Uganda will work together with Serena Hotels to offer package deals for the Mombasa Serena Resort and Spa, but other probably even more eye-catching offers from a large number of resorts and hotels along the Kenyan coast will undoubtedly now open new options and generate fresh interest in visiting the white sandy beaches along the Indian Ocean shores. What remains to be done in this direction is to drop visa requirements for duly-registered expatriates in Uganda and other EAC member states wishing to spend holiday time in Kenya, to more effectively compete on the overall package cost and related expenditure with other destinations like South Africa or the Gulf, where most of this target group requires no visa at all.

ENTEBBE RUNWAYS AND TAXIWAYS SET FOR REPAIRS
The Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority, which also manages the Entebbe International Airport, advertised late last week for bids to be submitted to carry out spot repairs on runways 17-35 and 12-30, while at the same time also repairing taxiways B, C, and D. For more information, write to [email protected] . Bidders must attend a mandatory pre-bid meeting in person or by authorized representative on December 10, 2009 โ€“ note that no time was given in the public notice โ€“ while final bids must be submitted to the CAA not later than December 22 with a bid security of 5 million Uganda Shillings. The public bid opening is set for December 22 at 10:35 am at the CAA head office board room, and biddersโ€™ representatives may attend.

NEW US DRAFT BILL WARMLY WELCOMED
There was overwhelming support across Ugandaโ€™s [and southern Sudanโ€™s] political circles late last week, when news emerged from Washington that the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has agreed to the new LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009, which will permit the Obama administration to engage more directly in supporting the Ugandan government and its allies in its fight against the rebel terror group. In recent years, the LRA has been decisively defeated in northern Uganda and progressively been pushed first into the Congo and then the Central African Republic, but the terrorists continues to pose a threat to populations there and in southern Sudan, requiring a final military push to root them out and afford them a final chance to either lay down their arms and surrender or risk being killed on the battlefield, where in recent weeks several commanders met this fate after hot pursuit by Ugandan special forces. The US is already active in northern Uganda with a range of programs and project activities undertaken by USAID, and once the bill is passed by both houses and signed into law by President Obama, humanitarian and other assistance, including sharing of intelligence reports and military cooperation, can then be formally availed not just to Uganda but also the southern Sudan, the Congo DR, and the Central African Republic. Recently, the USโ€™s Africa Command met in Kampala while a comprehensive military war game was being executed in northern Uganda by selected contingents of the 5 armies of the East African Community.

EAST AFRICAN COMMON MARKET PROTOCOL SIGNED
Last weekend, the heads of state of the five East African Community member states signed the long-awaited protocol for a common market into effect, providing the legal basis for the free movement of labor, goods, and services between Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Effective January 2010 the internal customs tariffs will reduce to zero, and from July 2010 onwards, the provisions of the newly-signed protocol will become effective, ringing in major changes for the eastern African people. Beginning in mid 2010, four of the member states will permit the use of ID cards for citizens when crossing borders, except Tanzania, which has asked for more time to get ready. The East African Community, now 10 years old, is expected to develop into a major regional trading block with a common currency and also hopes to develop a stronger voice on the international diplomatic scene, while the emerging domestic market of over 120 million people across eastern Africa is already showing results in largely increased trading volumes between the five countries, keeping prosperity in the region at the expense of lesser growth of imports from further abroad. During the summit in Arusha, President Kikwete of Tanzania also assumed the annually rotating chairmanship of the EAC, taking over from President Kagame of Rwanda.

UGANDA CAA SCUTTLES STUDENT TRAINING
ATO’s (Flight Training Schools) in Uganda have just been told that for any student to log flight time they first must be in possession of a student pilotโ€™s license (SPL). The issuance of this SPL certificate can take weeks and months with the loss of applications, the need for a separate security check, and the obvious miscommunication and loss of document possibilities between CAA and the security body. The new Uganda Civil Aviation Regulations apparently require this, and the CAA is now enforcing it and disallowing any flight time done by students during their interminable wait for the SPL. This means that before an ATO can start flying with a student, if he wants to log that time, there will be a delay of unknown duration while the application is processed. This basically kills off flight training in Uganda for all but the very patient. It certainly takes away any attraction of a trial lesson in that the student can no longer log this 30-minute flight, and when all fired up and excited from the trial lesson, they will now have to wait weeks and months to begin training. This will effectively reduce the number of people wanting to start training. Flight training schools are now struggling for survival in Uganda, despite the fact that there is demand, and the airlines are crying out for new Ugandan pilots. Willing students (who can afford it) will now have to go elsewhere in the world, get their licenses, and then come back home for a validation. Of course, with no students, the flight school back in Uganda will be shut so they will have no planes to fly when they get back. It is not clear where the Ugandan CAA thinks Ugandan pilots will come from. Adds this correspondent, sadly this seems another case of regulatory incompetence and lack of understanding regarding how the industry functions, leading to a stifling of initiative. The report predictably attracted the acid comments of leading members of the aviation fraternity in Kajjansi: โ€œIf our CAA keeps going that way, they will in the end destroy general aviation and have nothing left to regulate โ€“ nada, nothing, nix,โ€ and, โ€œWe [would] like to know what they are up to and why no one in government seems to bother to supervise those supervisors; they will regulate general aviation to its death bed.โ€ (Story from the newsletter of the Aero Club of East Africa, courtesy of Harro Trempenau)

โ€œONE MINUTE SOUTHโ€ SET FOR EARLY 2010 OPENING
The Bulago Island private villa, which offers 7 self-contained bedrooms for a getaway from Kampala, will likely open early next year, probably within the month of January, according to owner Alison Porteous. The cost for the entire villa, room only, is US$350 per day, and catering can be arranged on request. Located at the edge of the island on a high cliff, the views across the lake from the main terrace can be enchanting and only add to the charm of the property. Contact [email protected] for more information and bookings. Arrival on the island is either by air from the Kajjansi airfield โ€“ a single engine flight takes less than 10 minutes including taxiing – or by boat which, depending on the pickup point, takes anywhere between 45 minutes and one hour. The later than anticipated opening, caused by the apparent need to resolve legal issues with the new management company of Bulago Island Lodge, was partly also caused by some work delays, and the new property will miss the all-important festive season bookings. After a sneak preview, this columnist can assure readers that the wait will be well worth it, as this little gem will offer guests whatever it is they come to the island for – a romantic wedding, a honeymoon, a birthday or anniversary celebration, a family reunion, or simply to leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind for a couple of days.

WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DO OVER THE FESTIVE SEASON
The annual game of where to go and what to do during and over the festive season is once again on, and judging by the number of emails this correspondent received in recent days, it seems that the global economic and financial crisis has truly sizzled out. For general information, ideas, and inspiration, visit www.kenyabuzz.com , www.theeye.co.ug , and www.theeye.co.rw where readers can find all the special events listed over the next few weeks and can get contacts and addresses of the better- and lesser-known places at the Kenya coast, upcountry, Uganda, and Rwanda. Air Uganda has also confirmed that its fares will not be raised over the festive season, so east Africans have all the means at hand to celebrate Christmas or the New Year at an exotic place in the region with their friends and relatives. And, up to the immediate run-up of the peak period, i.e., December 20 until January 4, extraordinary deals are available from coastal resorts and in lodges and safari camps, just waiting to be taken advantage of and yet leaving enough money in the purse to put thoughtful and generous gifts under the Christmas tree.

TELECOM FIRMS SWEEP THE โ€œMOST RESPECTED AWARDSโ€
Across eastern Africa it was the telecommunication companies, taking first position as โ€œmost respected company,โ€ but Kenya Airways โ€“ looking back at a year of challenges dealt with well โ€“ came a remarkable second in Kenya, serving notice to its competitors, the business community, and the stock market of its intention to make 2010 once again a financially successful year. The annual event is supported by PriceWaterHouseCoopers and the Nation Media Group, which seeks to establish, every year, the most respected companies after sampling the opinions of chief executives of major regional companies and business associations. The award ceremony was held last weekend at the Nairobi Intercontinental Hotel.

A STORY OF ANGER AND FRUSTRATION
Several intending participants of the recently-ended World Travel Market in London fell afoul of obstinate British consular officials when their visa applications, now dealt with through Nairobi, were rejected and no time was left to appeal unless at extra cost. It is not the first time that such fate has befallen Ugandans, with the most ridiculous case known to this correspondent having been the denial of a visa for the owner of a major lodge and safari business for reasons of not having sufficient funds and lacking family and business ties [the rejection came on a pre-printed template letter]. The fact that the family owns a major business concern in Uganda and that two family members hold honorary consulships for reputable countries apparently did not matter and neither did the fact that the individual had studied in the UK and had a previous visa without infringing any of the terms and conditions. The belated apology by the High Commission did little to appease the tourism fraternity at the time, but as these cases keep happening, in spite of the Uganda Tourism Board reportedly sending participants details in good time to the High Commission, only confirms suspicions that the British visa system is allegedly at least partly based on quotas and rejecting bona fide applicants is almost a must to meet those alleged quotas. Meanwhile, those denied a visa have blamed the UK authorities for their loss of potential business, having made appointments with clients in advance and called upon WTM organizers to either assure bona fide participants to be granted a visa or else risk losing patronage in favor of other travel trade fairs in countries with a less aggressive attitude towards applicants for a visa and the ability to deal with applications in Kampala and not through arbitrary and distant administration structures perceived simply to put the benchmark for applicants even higher.

SKALโ€™S ANNUAL DINNER SET FOR DECEMBER 5
The Kampala Skal Chapter 611 has confirmed that its annual year end fellowship will take place on Saturday, December 5, 2009 at the Kampala Serena Hotel. Visiting Skalleagues are welcome but should inform the club in advance to make arrangements for them and reserve a table or seat, due to limited space being available for this high-profile event. It is advisable to send an email to [email protected] or [email protected] to book participation in advance. Special hotel accommodation rates and airport transfers can be arranged by Skal Kampala for visiting members from other clubs on request. The cost for the dinner is Uganda Shillings 50,000 per person, equivalent to about US$27.50 at current rates.

UGANDA THROUGH THE LENS OF THE LATE DAVID PLUTH
The Emin Pasha Hotel will this week commence a photo exhibition, showing some of the outstanding work done by the late David Pluth, who traveled eastern Africa, and Uganda frequently and documented his sightings in a series of remarkable pictures. David passed away earlier in the year while on assignment at the Nyungwe National Park, a great loss to all his family, friends, acquaintances, and clientele in the entire region. The exhibition is aimed not only to remember David but also to raise funds for the USPCA through the sale of his pictures.

THANK YOU HARRO TREMPENAU
A huge debt of gratitude is owed to the venerable Captain Harro Trempenau, outgoing chairman of the Aero Club of East Africa and president of IAOPA Kenya, for a decade of dedicated service at the helm of the Aero Club, his advocacy, and his enthusiasm when battling often ignorant and at times outright incompetent regulators on behalf of the entire aviation fraternity. Harro had been on the managing committee of the Aero Club from 1994 before being elected to the chair. At the forthcoming AGM of the Aero Club, Harro will make good on his promise from last year to retire and can take a proud bow when undoubtedly those present will give him a standing ovation for a job not just well done but a job he excelled in. Harroโ€™s frequent bulletins, a source of detailed information about aviation issues in Kenya and the region and also inspiration to many and in particular to this correspondent, will continue and will also be written by his successor in the future. Most notably, Harro will concentrate in the coming months and years to further promote and develop the Orly Airpark on the Athi plains, where he intends to spend more time flying and skydiving while enjoying retirement. Stay well and stay in touch Harro; there is still so much more to do and the young upcoming aviators need a role model of your stature. Happy landings, wherever you go.

LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT ENTHUSIASTS PRESENT PROPOSALS FOR SELF-REGULATION TO KCAA
There are over 50 light sport aircraft, non-type certified aircraft, microlights, home-builts, and gyrocopters flying in Kenya, and these recreational aircraft are not clearly understood by the KCAA. On the whole, they are regarded the same as “normal” fixed wing aircraft and subject to intense scrutiny by KCAA inspectors. In most other countries, these recreational aircraft are either self-regulating or subject to a different (more relaxed) set of rules. Over the past eleven months, as part of the KCAA/Stakeholder Committee on the Domestication of the KCARS, the recreational aircraft pilots have been working on proposals to KCAA to adopt best practices for regulating these aircraft sensibly. Recreational Aircraft Regulations from many other countries were studied by members of the group (Gai Cullen, William Carr-Hartley, Alexis Peltier, and others). The gliding community and balloonists also participated in this exercise under the umbrella of the Aero Club of East Africa. Last week, at a joint KCAA/Stakeholder Meeting, the recreational flyers showed a PowerPoint presentation that highlighted the issues, the complexity of the recreational aircraft types, and some suggested solutions. On the whole, their suggestion is to adopt the “South African Model” where the CAA and the Light Aircraft Groups are now self-regulating under the auspices of the Aero Club of South Africa. The Aero Club of East Africa has expressed an interest in playing an active role and assisting KCAA in the issue of licences and permits for this category of aerial vehicles. The Committee on the Domestication of the KCARS also viewed a presentation by Captain Anthony Scott, who showed that the KCARS in its present form are effectively too complex, grammatically flawed, and should be reformatted in an “outline system” that is in conformity with the regulations in other countries (e.g., Part 61, Part 95, Part 135, etc.). He showed a PowerPoint presentation that contained: an overview of the current KCARS regulations, status of impediments during implementation and missing regulations; example of format used by the New Zealand CAA; possible solutions of above impediments taking the NZ experience; benefits of carrying out a “reformatting” exercise of the KCARS; and proposed timelines. It is hoped by the committee that through a reformatting, the KCARS can be streamlined and made workable and user-friendly. (Story from the Aero Club of East Africa newsletter)

ORLY CLUB HOUSE UPDATE
Orly Airpark is now the most secure airport in the country, entirely surrounded by a 5,600-meter electric fence and guarded by the companyโ€™s own security force. A borehole has been drilled, and seven houses and a dozen 300-square-meter hangars have already been erected. Many challenges were overcome during the implementation, including construction of a 2-kilometer, all-weather access road, a bridge across a river, an internal distributor road, a water distribution network, and staff housing. Most recently, the Aero Club of East Africa, a Shareholder of Orly Airpark, opened its branch Club House there with great fanfare, as Minister for Security, the Hon. Dr. George Saitoti, cut the ribbon. All members of the club can now use this facility and spend time in an aviation-friendly environment, flying microlights, homebuilts, gyrocopters, and model aircraft, or pursuing skydiving. Members must bring their Aero Club membership cards along. They can sign in a maximum of four visitors at any one visit. It is recommended that members punch the following phone numbers into their handsets and that they pre-announce their arrival at Orly to Enoch or Daniel (Enoch: +254723774712, Daniel: +254735604199). Please note that the Aero Club’s Club House at Orly is only open to members, initially only on a self-catering basis. Please bring your own drinks and food if you wish to hold a picnic there, inside, or on the veranda. Soon they will introduce barbecue facilities, charcoal, and drinks. Much remains to be done. Several projects and improvements are on-going at Orly and plans for the future include additional houses, โ€œBamburiblockingโ€ of runway 10/28, hangars, an airport lounge, a second runway, a โ€œmainsโ€ electricity connection, aircraft maintenance facilities, and much more. A major flying school is also in the works as Orly will absorb a significant amount of flight training traffic from Wilson Airport, where the students now find significant challenges in their learning curves. (Story courtesy of Harroโ€™s Aero Club of East Africa newsletter)

KENYA AND MOROCCO SIGN TOURISM PACT
The two African countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding between each other last weekend towards a closer cooperation in tourism development matters. The agreement was signed for the two governments by the Moroccan Tourism Minister Mohamed Boussaid and the Kenyan Tourism Minister Najib Balala in Nairobi. In the more recent past, Kenya has also signed similar agreements with South Africa and the Seychelles with the aim to promote two center holidays.

GLIDER COURSE IN PROGRESS IN KENYA
It was learned earlier in the week that gliding courses are presently underway in Kenya at the Congrieve airstrip near the Soysambu Conservancy next to Lake Elementaita in the Rift Valley. A two-seater glider is available for those wanting to try their hand on engineless silent flying, and experienced instructors are at hand for those wanting to have a taste as well as for those doing the complete course. Accommodation is available both on site and nearby, and interested parties can contact Alan Binks at [email protected] or Christian Strebel at [email protected] for details and bookings of available slots. The training courses run up to December 6 and started last weekend.

MORE AERODROMES SET FOR UPGRADES
Under the East African Community initiative to promote domestic and regional air services, the Tanzanian CAA has confirmed that funds have been secured and set aside to begin work in 2010 on the existing Mpanda and Sumbawanga airfields. The work, once completed, will provide better facilities for air operators and passengers and can offer the right incentive to smaller airlines to commence regular flights to and from those parts of Tanzania. This would benefit tourism, as well as domestic trade and commerce-related travel. Mpandaโ€™s strip will reportedly be upgraded from murram to tarmac to make it an all-weather field, will get a terminal building, and will be fenced. Sumbawanga should see major maintenance work as well in the next financial year, although tarmacking the strip will probably only be done in 2011 due to lack of sufficient funds next year. The EAC initiative to improve publicly-owned aviation facilities specifically excludes private projects, like the proposed but harshly-criticised new international airport in the Serengeti district. When inquiries were made, it was established that the TCAA was rather more keen to see existing airports like Mwanza or the Arusha municipal aerodrome upgraded and where necessary, expanded, which one regulatory source said would be โ€œsufficient for growth of tourism- and commercial-based aviation.โ€

RWANDA JOINS COMMONWEALTH
Information received from sources attending the Commonwealth Head of State/Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobagoโ€™s capital Port of Spain have given the clearest indication yet that the assembly will formally accept Rwandaโ€™s pending application to join the international group as a full member. Three other east African nations – Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania – have historical ties with Britain and have given their backing to Rwanda. The โ€œland of a thousand hills,โ€ as the country is affectionately known, amongst the friends of this tiny nation has, in recent years, switched from French largely to English as the main language of transaction and teaching in schools and other teaching institutions, although Kinyarwanda, the local language, continues to play an important role as the means of communications between Rwandaโ€™s people and is also an official language. Once a member, Rwanda can benefit from not only the networking of Commonwealth nations but also take advantage of joint development initiatives. The last CHOGM was held two years ago in Kampala, Uganda and President Museveni is expected to pass on the chairmanship to the Trinidad and Tobago head of state during the forthcoming summit, opening on November 27 in Port of Spain.

KIGALI INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION ADDS TOURISM MASTERS DEGREE COURSE
The KIE has announced that they will add 5 masters degree courses to its present degree program, most notably one related to the tourism sector. Starting in January 2010, the institute, in conjunction with the Indira Gandhi National Open University, will offer an MA degree in Tourism Management, aimed to further support the growing sector in Rwanda and create added skilled manpower at a higher level, capable of effectively managing the tourism industry in coming years. Supported by the Indian government, the Indira Gandhi National Open University is partnering with African universities to promote tertiary education and cooperation and presently supervises some 1.5 million students in affiliated programs abroad.

KIGALI HOTEL GETS DEMOLITION ORDER
Yet another hotel, reportedly under expansion but without all the prerequisite licenses and permits, has received an order from the Kigali City Council to raze the present added construction. Of late, there have been several reported such cases across Rwanda, making one wonder what investors are doing by starting work on site before receiving all required permits, and what authorities in turn are doing to ensuring that investments in the sector are all sanctioned, licensed, and safe from belated demolition orders. Rwanda is aiming to substantially increase hotel room capacity in coming years, but such reports are not helpful to attract more international investors and achieve this objective.

TORRENTIAL RAINS WASH OUT MUGANZE-CYANIKA ROAD
Torrential rains over the Virunga Mountains have resulted in the main road from Ruhengeri to the Cyanika border post being washed away, after first submerging the wider area. Eventually, the road bed partly gave way, leaving only a section of the highway standing, which is now closed to traffic until the waters have receded. Added reports from the region also speak of greater challenges for tourist visitors tracking the prized gorillas, as rains have made walking and trekking rather more difficult, a situation well known to this correspondent who tracked twice this year and had to struggle with wet conditions. The present el Nino induced extra heavy rains are expected to peak in December but will continue until at least February, according to the latest reports from the Meteorological Department in Entebbe released earlier in the week. Parts of the east African region have been badly affected, suffering from cut roads, collapsed culverts, and broken bridges, while several communities have suffered landslides or seen their crops washed away by flash floods.

ANOTHER NEAR DISASTER IN CONGO AVIATION
Information received last Thursday afternoon from Goma indicates that an MD80 aircraft owned and operated by locally-incorporated airline CAA and apparently coming from the Congolese capital Kinshasa, overshot the available runway and ended up in a section of lava, which buried part of the airport several years ago in the aftermath of a volcanic eruption nearby. Since the 2002 eruption, sections of the runway and airport are unserviceable and remain buried under 10 and more feet of volcanic rock but all efforts by pilots to have the debris cleared and the full runway restored have been in vain. European funding has at least helped to clear about 400 feet of runway space, as requested by the UN operation at the airport, but without that extra space, this could have been another deadly episode in Congolese aviation. The nearly 120 passengers on board of the MD80 mostly escaped with a major scare although some 20 passengers are reported to have been injured, either when the plane hit the volcanic rocks or while evacuating the aircraft. Congo DR has an atrocious air safety record and has suffered major crashes in recent years, including one in Goma last year when a plane taking off crashed into a crowded market adjoining the airport. Pilots and other airline personnel this column has spoken to in Entebbe, who frequently fly to Goma, have confirmed that the runway is simply too short for larger planes, especially when they come in heavy. All Congolese airlines presently appear on the EU blacklist, which prohibits them from flying into and across European airspace.

East Africa tourism report

PIRACY RANSOM DISTORTING PROPERTY MARKET IN NAIROBI

PIRACY RANSOM DISTORTING PROPERTY MARKET IN NAIROBI
Allegations were made today in the Kenyan media that ransom money extorted by sea terrorists from hijacked vessels is now also making its way into the Somali community in Kenya and allegedly is the cause for fast-rising property prices, as those benefitting from the cash flow now appear to buy houses and residential properties as an investment for the future when their bloody handiwork will eventually be halted. One newspaper suggested that some property prices have gone up by some 500 percent as the buyers are ready to pay almost any price asked, while the sellers are making the best of such opportunities and do not ask many questions about where the cash comes from. Somali has been in a state of anarchy since the early 1990s and is now ruled in part by Islamist militant fundamentalist savages who, according to media reports earlier this week, stoned a young woman to death for adultery. Meanwhile the sea terrorists have claimed another victim when the captain of a vessel was mortally injured when the ship was stormed, prompting yet more calls on the naval coalition and the governments behind it to โ€œbecome serious.โ€ While US military sources were quoted earlier in the week proclaiming that drones stationed in the Seychelles would not be armed, this was seen as another step in the wrong direction. Until and unless the naval coalition can operate under substantially more robust rules of engagement, allowing them not just a more aggressive pursuit of the pirates at sea but also permitting action to deny the pirates land-based resources and safe havens, the pirates will continue to operate with impunity and, if and when caught, will hide behind a small but vocal chorus of human rights defenders who are more than willing to overlook the damage the sea terrorists have already caused to lives and property of others out of greed to make a quick buck. In the same tenor, the drones need to be armed to be effective and have to be used to engage pirate motherships and skiffs when detected, sending a clear and unambiguous message to the savages that it will from then on be a reverse hunt for them.

KAMPALA AERO CLUB KEEPS EXPANDING
The Kampala Aero Club and Flight Training Centre in Kajjansi are once again on the expansion trail, after completing its new offices behind the leisure area and swimming pool. The old offices, still partly used, have just been expanded towards the direction of the main gate and will provide lounge space for passengers and their escorts before and after flights. Cold drinks and hot beverages are available, including well-chilled beers and snacks that are prepared by the kitchen at a momentโ€™s notice. The Aero Club has become a popular weekend destination for Kampaleans wanting to see light aircraft take off and land at the nearby strip, and the pool and bar have given this little outing added value as all the picnicking stuff can be bought at very reasonable prices on site instead of lugging cooling boxes around. Garden chairs and tables are also available in the leisure area. Visit www.flyuganda.com for more information and details of available flying lessons or the cost of sightseeing flights over the nearby Lake Victoria or to other parts of the country. During a recent visit to the Kajjansi field, it was also learned that the companyโ€™s first helicopter will finally arrive in early December, ready for operations before the festive season for business and leisure charters.

BRUSSELS AIRLINES: LCC MODEL NOT FOR US ON AFRICAN NETWORK
Probably related to information earlier in the week that Lufthansa, the parent company of Brussels Airlines, was considering a move towards the LCC model of other airlines on some routes, a reliable source within SN pointed out that its long-haul African network was to remain on a full service scale as demanded in the west and east African market places for intercontinental air services. Lufthansaโ€™s other acquisition, SWISS, is also thought to remain a full service premium airline, while no information was received at this stage about the plans for LHโ€™s latest addition to its family, namely Austrian Airlines. Lufthansa may well consider select routes, where LCC competitors have made gains in terms of passenger numbers, to offer reduced service levels and add more seats on aircraft deployed on these sectors, while Brussels Airlinesโ€™ European network already adopted a cost-saving model for the back of the cabin, but full-fare passengers and those with flexible fares on the same aircraft enjoy greater service and comfort levels in the front sections of the aircraft. SN is joining the Lufthansa-led Star Alliance in early December as a full member, and the event will be celebrated both in Brussels, as well as in the various Brussels Airlines destinations across Africa.

LIGHT AIRCRAFT HAS HARD LANDING
A single engine plane reportedly owned by the Uganda Wildlife Authority failed to take off on Tuesday afternoon from an apparently overgrown bush airstrip near Adjumani in northern Uganda. The pilot, who was injured in the failed attempt to take off, was quoted as saying that the overgrown grass and bushes reached up to the wings causing the plane to swerve and fail to reach take-off speed. The incident is now being investigated by the Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority and the plane, which suffered damage to the undercarriage and the propeller, is likely to be transported back to Kampala by road for further assessment. Why the pilot decided to try and take off in such conditions without first clearing the obstacles will undoubtedly become public during the inquiry now underway. It will be determined at that stage why the flight used this dilapidated strip instead of the main Adjumani field, which while further away, would have been the safe option to take. The airstrip is owned by the Adjumani district but appeared ill maintained according to reports received, a pressing reminder that publicly-owned airstrips must be regularly inspected, licensed, and kept in operational order or else be closed for traffic to avoid future, and likely worse, incidents. The Civil Aviation Authority maintains a proper airfield in Adjumani, which includes a tarmacked airstrip, terminal building, and radio communications with Air Traffic Control in Entebbe. Notably, UWA executive director Moses Mapesa appears to have been on board the plane, having gone to Adjumani for a site meeting with a concessionaire intent to take over the management of the East Madi Wildlife Reserve under a public-private partnership arrangement. In a related development, the very next day after the incident, the CAA advertised an open position for a senior aerodromes inspector (civil engineering) probably to strengthen the oversight, inspection, and enforcement regime in line with existing air service regulations related to aerodromes.

CHRISTMAS โ€œGIFT FAREโ€ FROM KENYA AIRWAYS TO UGANDANS
Travelers on a budget can now book a KQ flight from Entebbe via Nairobi to London, leaving Uganda between December 23 and 26 and returning within a month, but only after January 4, for a mere US$349, plus taxes, fees, and other surcharges, which are said to be substantial, leaving the question hanging in the air – why not advertise the final ticket cost instead of an eye-catching and incomplete price. Nevertheless, this initiative is of importance when considering that BA, which floated a similar offer two weeks ago, may be hit with a Christmas strike and strand passengers.

AIR UGANDA TO BEGIN MOMBASA FLIGHTS
It was confirmed earlier in the week, albeit through third parties and not the airline directly, that Air Uganda will commence direct flights to Mombasa at the beginning of December, to be operated three times a week. It is speculated that this is aimed at capturing a share of the festive season leisure traffic to the Kenyan coast from Uganda. However, there was no confirmation if the flights would remain on this schedule all year round or only operate during the peak holiday season. The airline presently flies from Entebbe to Juba, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, and Zanzibar, with Mombasa to be its fifth destination. The airline only recently re-introduced its Zanzibar flights and a second flight to Nairobi, after shelving them for a period of time over losses incurred on these routes while using aged aircraft both too large and too expensive to fly to make profits for them. The acquisition of CRJ aircraft, however, changed these equations and now permits Air Uganda to re-engage in competing with other carriers on these routes like Precision Air and Kenya Airways, a fact also acknowledged by the companyโ€™s CEO in a statement related to the new destination.

LAKE VICTORIA TO GET NEW NAVIGATION MAPS
The East African Community has announced that the Lake Victoria management program will prepare new maps for lake traffic, replacing the present set of navigational charts, which date back into the colonial days prior to independence. New charts for the main lake harbors of Port Bell, Kampala; Kisumu; and Mwanza have already been completed, and the remaining charts for lake traffic to other ports will be ready sometime in 2010. Meanwhile, it was also announced that the three lake countries of Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania will implement joint measures from 2010 onwards to protect the fish stocks in Lake Victoria and impose common rules and supervision to eliminate the use of illegal, small-sized fishing nets in order to permit the Nile Perch a period of recovery after stocks have dwindled in recent years and exports of the prized commodity have shrunk substantially.

TOURISM PS DECRIES POOR FUNDING
Predictably, lamentation set in over the funding of the tourism sector, when information was received from the World Travel Market tourism exhibition and trade show that Ugandaโ€™s stand was the smallest of the participating East African Community member states, and regrets and maybe a little envy ensued when Rwanda, once again, walked away from WTM with a winnerโ€™s trophy for best stand โ€“ the only African country to achieve this recognition. While admittedly the Ministry of Finance this financial year allocated about 2 billion Uganda Shillings or US$1 million in funding for tourism activities, compared to US$600 million in previous years, there is no guarantee that this money will in fact all be availed should budgetary cuts become necessary โ€“ since tourism is still not a priority sector whose budget is protected in spite of more than a decade of verbal assurances by governmentโ€™s movers and shakers. Kenya, Tanzania โ€“ incidentally featuring the biggest stand in London โ€“ and Rwanda all spend comparably very much more money to promote tourism, and the most glaringly positive example in the wider region, the Seychelles, has not only partly privatized its tourism board but also initiated a meaningful and competent private -public partnership, which has permitted the country to effectively counter the fallout of the economic crisis and has drawn global attention to the archipelago and its innovative marketing campaigns. But then, as the saying goes, there is always hope. For comparison, this correspondent, while still holding the presidency of the Uganda Tourism Association, already pegged the required level of funds several years ago at a minimum annual allocation of US$1 million, in addition to which the proposed but never implemented tourism development trust fund levy was to yield extra funding, but alas, government never put its money where its mouth was even then nor made the levy operational, thus denying the sector urgently-needed funding for a range of activities aimed at promoting the country abroad in existing, new, and emerging markets.

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE BRINGS IN CID
The public accounts committee of parliament, investigating the various allegations over the expenditure of the Commonwealth Summit in 2007, has directed the Criminal Investigations Department to delve into the claims made and findings presented so far, in particular over an alleged payment of more than US$1 million to a hotel along Entebbe road, not on the list of approved and graded CHOGM hotels, not earmarked for any activities or meetings, and allegedly not accommodating a single CHOGM delegate, with the money given to them only days before the summit kicked off. Advertising firm Saatchi and Saatchi Uganda was also in the cross hairs of the investigators, as allegations were made that sponsorship funds solicited by the firm were not remitted to government. Meanwhile, the Mercedes Benz franchise in Uganda has served notice to sue the government over the car contract initially awarded to them, but subsequently cancelled and handed to a company which, according to the suit, had no valid trade license at the time. The BMW vehicles supplied to government have been subject to hot arguments and wide-ranging allegations and the upcoming court case may well reveal yet more unsavory details of how the deals were struck and who participated and profiteered. Read details on the parliamentary committee proceedings and debate on an almost daily basis via www.newvision.co.ug or www.monitor.co.ug. In fact, the latest report links from both newspapers are shown here for ease of access: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/701613 http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Shs9b_spent_on_absentee_Chogm_delegates_94789.shtml

KENYA AIRWAYS LEASES ANOTHER B767
As a result of the ongoing delay of the delivery of the airlineโ€™s B787 order, KQ has decided to lease another B767-300ER to keep abreast with network expansion plans in place. An older B767 had been returned to the lessor earlier in the year and the fresh arrival is expected to help close the gap left since then in the overall fleet size. The aircraft arrived late last week in Nairobi from a nonstop ferry flight originating in Miami and is configured with 20 seats in business class, offering a 55-inch pitch and 215 in economy class with a 32-inch seat pitch. KQโ€™s fleet now comprises 4 B777-200ER, 6 B767-300ER, 5 B737-800, 4 B737-700, 4 B737-300, and 3 Embraer 170LR, totalling 26 aircraft overall. The Embraers operate in a single class, all-economy version and are used on domestic and short regional routes. The new aircraft will be used for the longer routes on the African continent, in particular where palletized cargo needs to be transported, but may also appear on flights to the Middle East or even Europe once in a while.

KENYATTA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE SEEKS CEO
An ad was placed in the East African by the KICC indicating they are seeking to employ a new managing director, some months after the previous CEO Philip Kisia has moved to the Nairobi City Council as town clerk. Applications from suitable candidates are invited by post [no option for email applications have been mentioned in the ad nor was any email contact given] to: The Chairperson; Kenyatta International Conference Centre; P.O. Box 30746-00100; Nairobi, Kenya and must be received no later than the November 27, 2009, giving the reference: KICC/MD/2/2009. Good luck to all intending applicants.

FERRY AT LIKONI CAUSES MORE ANXIOUS MOMENTS
The ferry operation linking the Mombasa island with the southern mainland has again suffered a blow earlier this week, when at the start of the morning rush hour traffic, one of them stalled in mid-channel and drifted off towards the ocean with hundreds of commuters and vehicles on board. Eventually another ferry managed to secure the ferry and tow it back to port where it managed to discharge passengers and vehicles before being taken in for repairs. This column has, in the past, reported on several ferry mishaps and allegations of financial improprieties over the purchase of new ferries from a German shipyard. The new ferries are now expected in Kenya by sometime early next year, but in the meantime, efforts continue to have government commit to building a new road to the south coast, linking Mombasaโ€™s international airport and the main road from Nairobi via a land route and making traffic and commutes less reliant on the ferries. Increased traffic has driven passenger numbers to reportedly as many as 200,000 per day, while some 3,000 cars, buses, and lorries cross the channel every day. Whenever one of the ferries breaks down, tourists run the imminent risk of missing their flights, while workers and students often arrive hours late at work or in school or college, causing further economic fallout for those affected.

SAUTI ZA BUSARA FESTIVAL UPDATE
Zanzibarโ€™s best-known festival, Sauti za Busara, taking place between February 11-16 next year, gave a further update earlier in the week on the preparations and participation in the event. It was also stressed by the organizers that east Africans entering the festival venues before 5:00 pm every day can do so for free in order to stimulate attendance and attract east African citizens to share in the many activities and presentations available each day. Visit www.busaramusic.org or write to [email protected] to get the full list of artists and musical performers already signed up and learn about the range of peripheral activities also planned for next yearโ€™s festival. Intending visitors are strongly urged to book flights and hotels as quickly as possible, as over the past few years, accommodation on the island was literally sold out in the run up to and during the festival โ€“ and Zanzibar is worth visiting any time anyway, but even more so during the Sauti za Busara period.

TCAA LICENSES MORE HANDLING FIRMS, CAUSES CRIES OF FOUL
Precision Air, Tanzaniaโ€™s leading private airline โ€“ having stepped into the void created by the lack of sufficient flights by Air Tanzania โ€“ has cried foul over what has been described an โ€œarbitrary decision aimed to preserve monopolistic tendenciesโ€ by the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority, when considering its license application for handling services. Precision was keen to attain handling status to be able to offer handling contracts to other airlines but was denied this opportunity when the TCAA only granted them a license for the lesser airports and excluded, against all rational consideration, the main international airports of Dar es Salaam; Kilimanjaro International, Arusha; Mwanza; and Zanzibar. Many airport users have decried the near monopoly situation enjoyed by Swissport and accused the company of charging extortionate rates when comparing its prices with, for instance, Nairobi, where the competitive environment has brought handling charges down and kept them low. Another company, African Ground Handling, was given a similar license also confining them to the lesser airports, but they would not be drawn into the debate at this stage, likely considering an appeal as also intimated by Precision. The TCAA will undoubtedly come under scrutiny to establish the motives for its decision, while affected companies may even take matters to court should their appeals fail. There is speculation that this decision may have been influenced by the fact that Kenya Airways holds 49 percent of the Precision Air shares, the maximum allowed under national legislation to remain a Tanzanian airline, so as to avoid Precision becoming even more powerful and able to support its own and Kenya Airwaysโ€™ operations with its own handling unit. Efforts to get feedback from TCAA were futile.

RWANDA TO REDRAW AKAGERA PARK BOUNDARIES
The Rwandan cabinet approved plans last week to re-demarcate and fence sections of the Akagera National Park. Neighboring communities have for a while now suffered from wildlife incursions into its farms, causing loss of crops, loss of property, and in worst cases, injuries and deaths to people living in these parts. The park presently occupies just under 1,100 square kilometers, but it could not be established if or which sections will be de-gazetted, which other areas may be added, or if wildlife migration corridors will simply be fenced off. What is clear though is that government is presently conducting a sourcing exercise to identify suitable companies able to erect a strong electrified fence to separate the park from the human population in critical areas.

IFC SUPPORTS TOURISM TRAINING
It was reported from Kigali that the International Finance Corporation, the private sector lending arm of the World Bank, is supporting small and medium enterprises in the tourism industry with dedicated training sessions on business management and the drafting of sound business plans and feasibility studies. A week-long workshop and training session ended last weekend with participants drawn from the sector complimenting the efforts and applauding the IFC and other participating partners for their generosity.

RAILWAY MEETING SET FOR KIGALI
The three stakeholder countries of Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania will hold a series of meetings in Kigali in early December to review the present plans and proposals drawn up by a panel of experts for the intended expansion of the rail link from Dar es Salaam via Isaka to Kigali and Bujumbura. Ministers, railway experts, and other stakeholders will discuss budgets, time frames, and related issues, including the financing of the mega project. Once completed, the railway will serve western Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern Congo and bring relief to these countries from the crowded alternate route from Mombasa via Uganda, where Rift Valley Railways continues to struggle to offer speedy and competitively-priced rail services for cargo destined to the African hinterland nations.

RWANDAIR SCHEDULE CHANGES
While the use of the Jetlink leased CRJs remains suspended until the cause of the sudden acceleration of the stricken plane on the apron is resolved through the ongoing air accident investigation, the airline presently operates a rump schedule using its Bombardier built Dash 8 aircraft. Passengers are presently being rebooked on to other airlines to reach their regional destinations like Nairobi and Johannesburg. Entebbe will be served twice a day by Rwandair from Kigali, Kilimanjaro three times a week, Bujumbura daily, and Kamembe also daily. Rwandair also confirmed that the delivery of its two recently-purchased CRJs from Germanyโ€™s flag carrier Lufthansa will, as far as possible, be accelerated to resume full operations again as expeditiously as possible. There is also unconfirmed information that Rwandair will get an additional and slightly larger jet early next week, likely to be a B737, to be used for further network and frequency expansion. It was also ascertained that the Jetlink leases will be retired once the airline takes possession of its own aircraft. For passengers booked on Rwandair flights or intent on booking Rwandair flights, it is recommended that they either check with the airline directly or consult their travel agents as to departure and arrival times and options, should changes be necessary in the short term.

GERMANY ARRESTS TOP RWANDAN FDLR REBEL CHIEF
The German authorities have at last reacted to constant media reports and demands by the Rwandan government to curb the presence and activities of suspected Rwandan supporters of the FDLR, a militia notorious for the 1994 genocide inflicted upon sections of the Rwandan people over their tribal and political backgrounds and since then turned their attention in equally lethal measures to the eastern Congolese population. In spite of frequent representations by the Rwandan diplomatic mission and warrants by the UN Tribunal on the Rwandan Genocide in Arusha, no action was taken until earlier in the week when German police finally caught up with them and arrested Ignace Murwanahshyaka and Straton Musoni. Both were arrested in this correspondentโ€™s home state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, one in Karlsruhe โ€“ a stoneโ€™s throw away from my own home town โ€“ and the other one in the state capital of Stuttgart. Other suspects are still thought to be hiding in a number of western countries and in eastern Africa where their huge assets grabbed prior and during the genocide allow them to buy off security forces and live a life of comfort. Interestingly enough, on a different whim, Germany arrested the Head of Protocol of Rwanda, Mrs. Rose Kabuye, when she landed there last year in an official capacity to prepare for a visit by President Kagame to Germany a few days later, before handing her over to the French authorities where a magistrate with a mission had issued an arrest warrant for her. This, however, has since been resolved but not before denting the German-Rwandan relations for a while, which included recalls of the respective ambassadors. Rose was, of course, since then cleared of all allegations, but the belated arrest of the two alleged masterminds of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes will cast doubts again over Germanyโ€™s policy of permitting these alleged criminals to live there undisturbed and free for years to continue their terrorist activities from afar. It is understood from usually well-informed sources in Kigali, that Rwanda will very soon seek the extradition of the two wanted men to hold a trial at home, nearer to where their alleged crimes were committed, and Germany will be hard pressed to resist this demand, considering its behavior over the Rose Kabuye affair last year.

TOURISM ACADEMY BENEFITS FROM CULINARY FEAST
The Seychelles Tourism Academy received a financial boost last week when the gala dinner and related competition managed to raise some 400,000 Rupees. The benefit auction yielded wide participation and exceeded expectations, while the event was supported by a large cross section of the tourism and hospitality industry and its suppliers. The dual purpose of the function was to raise the standards of cuisine by Seychellois staff and, at the same time, raise funding for the academy to boost better facilities. It was also learned that 15 students of hospitality courses from the academy have been placed in an industrial attachment program with hotels in Mauritius and Dubai, where they will spend up to two months to absorb skills and practical know how, after previously already spending several months on similar attachment with hotels across the Seychelles. The students are now in their third year and several of them are expected to move into the degree-level course, which is available as an add-on in the fourth year.

ICAO TRAINS SEYCHELLES SCAA STAFF
The International Civil Aviation Organization recently held a four-day training course on aviation safety for staff of the Seychelles CAA in Victoria. Air operators also participated in the sessions along with the government-appointed aircraft incident and accident investigator. All participants passed the end-of-course exams and were presented with certificates.

AIR SEYCHELLES SAYS CATEGORICALLY โ€œNO BAILOUTโ€
Information was received from Victoria that Air Seychelles management has denied that the airline was near broke in a move to reassure suppliers and its over 800 staff working in the Seychelles and across the network. It was, however, also said that the airline incurred a loss amounting to about US$6.5 million last year, the first such loss over the past 10 years. The airline also confirmed that, in view of the situation last year, when fuel prices skyrocketed, they renegotiated the aircraft leases, saving some US$4 million for the 2008/9 financial year and across the entire lease period, almost US$16 million, while at the same time operating 2 more aircraft compared to last year. A brand new De Havilland Twin Otter was also purchased at a cost of over US$4 million, while a second such purchase is planned to boost the cross archipelagoโ€™s domestic network. It was for this purchase that government had to provide a loan guarantee, which needed sanctioning by parliament and was not a bailout as earlier information suggested. The airline, according to information availed, presently flies with an average load factor of around 67 percent, but flight occupancies have begun to improve again since a low last year, largely as a result of joint marketing and sales activities with the Seychelles Tourist Board. A recent comprehensive account and operational audit report is presently being discussed and may result in far-reaching decisions over ownership of the company, but this process is still said to be ongoing.

ABYEI BOUNDARIES REMAIN UNRESOLVED
Information from southern Sudanโ€™s capital city of Juba indicates that a solution to agree on a final boundary line for the oil rich state of Abyei continues to remain on the distant horizon. Abyei, presently under Presidential Rule, has been excluded from belonging to the south outright under the 2005 CPA between the regime in Khartoum and the southern leadership, but has the right to decide in a referendum in January 2011 to either remain with the north or join the south, which at the same time will vote on its own independence. However, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague made a ruling a few weeks ago, which Juba now accuses the regime in Khartoum to subvert and renege on. Only four out of a supposed 26 border points have been agreed upon so far, and technical experts from the US have been kept away by Khartoum with the December 10 deadline drawing ever nearer. The south also rejects attempts by Khartoum to have members of a nomad trip, the Misseriya, vote in the referendum and insists that only the population indigenous to the region must be allowed to participate in the decision. With much else under the CPA still stalled and obstructed by the north, it is expected that the southern population will follow the lead of SPLA leader Salva Kiir Mayardit and vote for independence in 2011, rather than remaining second-class citizens in their own country, as the regime has shown little or no effort to win the hearts and minds of the south.

East Africa tourism report

ETHIOPIAN RIFT VALLEY COULD SPLIT

ETHIOPIAN RIFT VALLEY COULD SPLIT
A report launched earlier in the week in Addis Ababa, controversial as it may be in scientific circles, has opened fresh discussions on a potential massive โ€œripโ€ into the present geological structure of the continent, creating a new ocean extension in the process. Since two volcanic eruptions in the area in 2005, a group of researchers has looked into the potential fallout of further eruptions and movement of the underground structures, which in their opinion extends into the present seabed off the coast of Eritrea and the Sudan. Some areas reportedly already show a tear in the ground some 20 feet wide, a source of considerable concern by the scientists. The Afar region, one of the lowest areas on the globe, has also been significant for finds of early mankindโ€™s own ancestors. The hot desert climate has made research and monitoring difficult but nevertheless yielded clues as to areas likely to be affected by further eruptions and the subsequent widening and possible splitting of the present rift, which would in a worst-case scenario permit ocean water from the Red Sea to enter, should the shift be large enough to allow a break through. What sounds like the script of a doomsday film scenario could, however, become reality, going by the reports published during the week, and could have disastrous consequences for the wider region, if indeed a volcanic eruption would then trigger a โ€œripโ€ and cause massive earthquakes in the process besides literally splitting off a section of the African continent.

GERMAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL TAKES OFF IN KAMPALA
From November 7-22 a range of cultural programs will unfold across several venues in Kampala to celebrate German culture and the countryโ€™s links with Uganda. The Goethe Centre in Kampala, in conjunction with the German Embassy, the Uganda German Cultural Society, and corporate sponsors including Lufthansa and Brussels Airlines, launched with a concert last Saturday evening. A film festival will take place at the Multiplex Cinema between November 16-22 showing a total of 7 prize-winning German films while public readings of German literature at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel will offer a deeper insight into the range of poetry and fiction writing Germany has produced of late. Way to go my dear old country.

SHERATON KAMPALA HOTEL HOLDS GERMAN FOOD FESTIVAL
Only weeks after the much-acclaimed Oktoberfest held at the Sheraton, a star-rated German chef was flown into the country to present and celebrate original, typical, and modern German cuisine alongside the German Cultural Festival presently underway in Kampala. On location between November 9-15, chef Dirk Hoenack will present a specially-prepared a la carte menu, which should stimulate the taste buds of the hotelโ€™s patrons. This is only available only for dinner and prior reservations are a must, as the Sheraton is once again the place to be this week.

ANOTHER LITTLE RHINO BOY โ€“ WELCOME TO AUGUSTUS
The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary reported that the gender of the recently-born rhino baby was established, and the little one is another boy. The name Augustus was chosen in recognition of the Augsburg Zooโ€™s and the Augsburg city councilโ€™s donation to the sanctuary of 25,000 euros, which will go a long way to assist the Rhino Fund Uganda to meet the expenses in coming months. It is worth mentioning that a long time former Ugandan resident and acclaimed conservationist, Mr. Wilhelm Moeller, is now curator at the Augsburg Zoo after leaving Uganda a few years ago, and he has been instrumental in making this donation happen. Mr. Moeller was awarded the German Distinguished Service Cross some years ago, while still in Uganda, for his services to wildlife conservation. Thank you, Ille, for continuing to assist wildlife conservation in Uganda! Sources from the sanctuary, while expressing absolute delight about the latest addition to the rhinos, now hope for a girl when the third female is delivering early next year, as more females will be needed to make the breeding program a success. Congratulations, once again, to the sanctuary management and staff for a sterling job well done.

CHOGM HUNT CONTINUES, TURNS TO VEHICLES AND AIRPORT EXPENDITURE
The parliamentary committee investigating the expenditure of the 2007 Commonwealth Summit in Kampala has now turned its spotlight to expenses related to the acquisition of a fleet of vehicles and has also unearthed disturbing details about cost overruns of up to 14 billion Uganda Shillings when modernizing the Entebbe International Airport. Contracts were awarded through restricted bidding and direct procurement, contrary to the provisions of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Act (PPDA). This correspondent, in fact, recalls withdrawing from attending committee sessions and meetings in his then capacity as president of the Uganda Tourism Association, when no iron-clad guarantees could or would be given by the panels that the provisions of the PPDA would be strictly adhered to, in obvious anticipation of a later audit and investigation and recognition that by doing so, his hands would remain clean and his reputation would remain intact. To read the full details, visit www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/700318 about the variety of allegations made over the cost of the airport work contracts.

ATC COMMUNICATION TRANSMITS MORE THAN DESIRED
A recent flight on a fairly new and well-equipped Cessna Grand Caravan permitted this correspondent to sit in the co-pilotโ€™s seat and, wearing the comms headset throughout the flight, listen to radio traffic enroute to the Kajjansi airfield. What was immediately striking was the apparent use of ancient desktop microphones by the controllers, which besides the associated crackling, also allowed the noise of ringing phones, shuffling files, and opening/closing of a door in the background to be heard while receiving transmissions. It is understood that this particular section of the ATC in Entebbe apparently loathes using these state of the art earpieces and mouthpieces common elsewhere in this 21st century. As a result, several questions, incidentally also about issues surely contained in the duly-filed flight plans, had to be repeated, causing undoubtedly added distraction for the pilots concerned.

KAMPALA TO HOST CNN MULTICHOICE AWARDS
Come next May, a major continental award ceremony for the African Journalist of the Year awards, sponsored jointly by CNN and Multichoice Africa, will be held in Kampala. No venue or dates have been announced yet, but the event is bound to bring the CNN top brass, as well as leading media houses, journalists, and writers from the continent and beyond to Uganda. The annual competition, now coming into its 15th year, is open for print, television, Internet, photographic, and radio media.

KAMPALA SKAL PRESIDENT MOVES TO DAR ES SALAAM
It was learned earlier in the week, that Rahul Sood, incumbent Skal Kampala president and former general manager of the Metropole Hotel and then area general manager for the Imperial hotel group in Entebbe, has moved to Dar es Salaam and has accepted an appointment as new general manager of the Holiday Inn. The Kampala Skal chapter is losing an energetic young leader with lots of ideas, but Kampalaโ€™s loss will undoubtedly be Darโ€™s gain. All the best for your future career Rahul! Meanwhile, Skal sources confirmed that for the remainder of the year, the current vice president of Skal Kampala will assume the office of acting president until the next AGM and elections in March 2010.

TOLL ROAD FROM ENTEBBE TO KAMPALA CBD ON THE CARDS
Recent comments made by, amongst others, President Museveni have given hope to the daily victims of traffic jams leading into the central business district of Kampala. Proposals have been floated to build a new road into the city, for which users would have to pay, similar to the concept being used in other parts of the world. Toll roads are thought to decongest traffic as those willing and able to pay on a daily basis, or else buy longer-term passes, would shift a substantial number of vehicles off the congested roads and areas. Traffic into and out of town were separated into one wayโ€™s some years ago, but the growth in population and ever-more vehicles have now voided the gains initially made.

NILE WATER DISAGREEMENT PROMPTS EGYPT VISIT TO KAMPALA
The visiting Egyptian minister for foreign and African affairs earlier this week tried to calm the stormy water dispute over the control of the Nile waters, when telling a news conference that โ€œwe cannot have control over the Nile.โ€ This, however, is at the very core of the ongoing squabbles between the Nile producer countries like Ethiopia โ€“ contributing some 60+ percent of the total flow below Khartoum through the Blue Nile โ€“ and the Eastern African countries of Uganda โ€“ where the Victoria Nile originates โ€“ Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, and Tanzania, where streams and rivers empty either into Lake Victoria or find their way to Lake Albert, and the consumer countries of Sudan and Egypt. Ancient treaties of 1929 and 1959, forced upon the newly-independent Eastern African countries by the British colonial administration, are now considered as oppressive and out of date, not recognizing the rights to water and developments unless Egypt has given formal approval to such projects. Tanzania has already ignored the treaties for some years now, and while other countries are following suit, there is a desire amongst the producer countries of the precious water that a negotiated new treaty is preferable to enhance long-term cooperation and development and avoid a war over water, as intimated in 1970 by then Egyptian minister Boutros Boutros Ghali. However, negotiations have not progressed well as Egypt is faced with a united Eastern African front while the Sudan seems uncertain whether to support the East African position or side with Egypt. The situation may complicate further if the southern Sudan votes for independence in the January 2011 referendum. The southern Sudan is more of a producer country than a consumer country and would most likely side with their Eastern African neighbors and partners, leaving the downstream consumers with an even more difficult task to secure agreement. Initially, this was on the drawing board by late 2008, but it appears that Egypt since then changed its tune and has been engaged in a carrot-and-stick approach to undermine the Eastern African position. Hence, the pressure is on to conclude negotiations and once and for all acknowledge that the producer countries have the right to consider the water as their national resource and agreeing on quotas for downstream consumer countries to ensure their immediate needs are met. However, Egypt and Sudan must make alternative arrangements for future increased use of the precious resource, like desalinating ocean water as growing populations in Eastern Africa will also in future years require more water for agriculture, industrial, and domestic use.

FLIGHT SIMULATOR FOR NAIROBI
Information has been received from usually reliable sources in Nairobi, close to Kenya Airways, that their new flight training center will be equipped with a simulator of the CAE 5000 series for their fleet of B737NGs, due for delivery by mid next year. This will be another first for Kenya Airways and is not only aimed to carry out essential training and refresher courses mandatory for all cockpit crews โ€“ regulations demand two simulator training sessions a year to maintain their licenses โ€“ but will also bring the cost down for the airline, which in the past had to send their pilots abroad for these sessions at great expense. Creating this capacity in the region, undoubtedly available also for other airlines against a fee, will be welcome news to the aviation sector in Eastern Africa and further cement KQโ€™s standing in the region as the premier airline.
It is also understood that the airline is seeking further automation and modernization through investments in the latest technologies, in order to save costs in the coming years, but immediate job cuts have apparently been ruled out at this time. The airline is presently looking at ways and means to mitigate the financial fallout of extortionate wage increases, forced by the union after ignoring a court order prohibiting a strike, but nevertheless going ahead with it anyway in total disregard of the Kenyan legal system.

CROWNE PLAZA NAIROBI UPDATE
Following the column items of last week, the Intercontinental Nairobiโ€™s marketing section was swift to point out that the entire 5th floor with 30 superior rooms will be made available with priority to Crowne Club members, who will in addition enjoy business center service 24/7 and free wireless access through the hotelโ€™s network. While availing this information, the hotel group also announced the opening of an additional hotel in South Africa, The Rosebank, also managed and marketed under the Crowne Plaza brand. This hotel has recently undergone a refurbishment and modernization worth over 300 million South African Rand. IHG also reiterated sentiments expressed in this column last week, that over the next 3-5 years, the global industry giant will add more hotels to its Africa portfolio, reaching at least 30 properties managed under the IHG brands by 2014.

CHINESE GREED FOR AFRICAN IVORY EXPOSED
An article in the Business Daily published in Nairobi has highlighted once again the Chinese hunger for African blood ivory, fueled by high demand amongst rich Chinese craving to possess intricately-carved statues and artifacts without regard to the bloody poaching business threatening the very survival of the elephants in parts of Africa. The increase in commerce and trade between China and African countries in recent years brought many Chinese workers to the continent, and there have been a series of arrests in Eastern Africa when a number of them were caught red handed with ivory tucked away in their luggage or while trying to ship it back home concealed within other cargo consignments. This column has in the past often been on record about this deplorable situation and even criticized the CITES decision to โ€œlegallyโ€ export stockpiled ivory from Southern African states to China and other Far Eastern destinations, as each and every time the total ban on trade in such products was partially lifted, poaching suffered an immediate increase in Eastern Africa, from where the ill-gotten blood ivory was then smuggled regularly down south to be allegedly integrated into their โ€œlegalโ€ stocks. The CITES secretariat, stung by such criticism, has started to employ better detection methods, including using DNA analysis, to determine the real source of traded ivory but could not evade nor deflect the harsh words the global conservation fraternity had for them. The conservationists have criticized the notion that money raised from such one-off sales will assist in anti-poaching activities, as little of those funds has in the past allegedly reached the bodies combating poaching and patrolling the parks, game reserves, and wide open spaces of Africa. The same circles have also taken issue with statements made by the secretariat, that โ€œlegalโ€ trade would extinguish the trade in illegal ivory, as all evidence presently available speaks against such justifications and has pointed to internal Chinese sources monitoring the trade and that more has to be done to regulate and control the use and sale of ivory products. Watch this space and read the article in question via this link: www.businessdailyafrica.com/Company%20Industry/-/539550/684548/-/u5bi1mz/-/index.html

LAMU CULTURAL FESTIVAL SET FOR NEXT WEEK
One of Kenyaโ€™s premier cultural events will kick off next week in Lamu, celebrating the heritage and history of the ancient port city, which hitherto has remained largely untouched by modern developments and, therefore, holds a special attraction for visitors, as well as scientists and researchers. Last year, over 30,000 visitors flocked to Lamu to enjoy musical performances, see art exhibitions, enjoy the traditional Swahili food, and the warm hospitality of the people of Lamu. A regatta for dhows, ancient sailing vessels used along the Indian Ocean trade routes to the Gulf since time immemorial, will also once again be on the calendar for the festival. Organizers are said to be apprehensive over attendance this year as the present heavy rains have partly cut off road access to the island, and the rains and strong winds are not conducive to reaching the town by sea either.

RIFT VALLEY RAILWAYS TRAIN LAUNCH ENDS IN MISERY
Embattled Rift Valley Railways (RVR) had a nightmare return last weekend for their re-launched passenger train services from Nairobi to Kisumu, when the journey back to Nairobi apparently delayed by over a day and a half, kept passengers and invited scribes fuming. Reports in the Kenyan Nation lambasted the company for keeping them stuck in the train station in Kisumu for several hours, leaving for Nairobi eventually at 4:00 am on Monday instead of 7:00 pm on Sunday evening, only to then get stranded again halfway into the journey for several more hours due to a technical failure on the initial engine, before the replacement engine then also started to have further problems, delaying the return to the capital yet more. While those passengers booked in sleepers or first class at least had access to a restaurant wagon, the passengers in second and third class were without such amenities and were reportedly without assistance. Invited journalists, supposed to cover the event for the promotion of domestic tourism, poured scorn over the company, and one in contact with this column also called last weekโ€™s item on the restoration of the train services premature, saying โ€œRVR was not ready and should have done some trial runs instead of promoting the service from day one to the media,โ€ before adding โ€œthis was a disaster; what tourist company can now book passengers on this train?โ€ See the full article by Paul Juma about his experience on this train marathon journey in the Nation via www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/682068/-/uolpky/-/index.html

KING AIR CRASHES AT WILSON AIRPORT
A twin engine Beech 1900 King Air crashed near the perimeter fence while attempting to land at Nairobiโ€™s Wilson Airport. The plane was carrying no passengers, but a cargo of khat or miraa destined for a Somali destination. The flight had reportedly taken off earlier on, but the pilots apparently decided to return to Wilson with a yet unconfirmed technical problem. Both pilots died as a result of the crash. The growing of and transportation to Somalia of the stimulant, still legal in Kenya and other parts of Eastern Africa but on the prohibited substances lists in much of the rest of the world, is big business for Kenyan farmers and smaller airlines, and reportedly dozens of planes leave Wilson Airport every morning at the break of dawn to ferry the drug to their main markets in Somalia, where in particular men chew the drug on a daily basis. Only last month, two crashes were recorded near the airport and earlier in the year another aircraft, on the final approach to Wilson, crashed into a housing estate as reported at the time in this column. Wilsonโ€™s approach paths have been increasing built up in recent years, as have incidentally the approaches and departures of the Eastleigh military airbase in the city, causing concern by aviation experts. An air accident investigation is now underway to determine the exact cause of the crash.

AMBASSADOR CONFIRMS TURKISH AIRLINES PLANS FOR DAR
During the week, the Turkish Ambassador to Tanzania has given rise to expectations that Turkish Airlines may commence flights to Dar es Salaam in due course. The Turkish national airline already serves Nairobi in codeshare with Kenya Airways, which opened the route but eventually had to withdraw the flights when the global economic crisis led to a meltdown in business travel between the two countries. Turkey has progressively become a trading partner of Africa, and the route expansion by Turkish Airlines, now apparently planned, will do much to stimulate not just business traffic but is also expected to bring tourists from a new source market โ€“ Turkey โ€“ to Tanzania.

MORE HONORS FOR RWANDA AT WTM
Rwanda once again excelled in their promotional and marketing activities, when the โ€œland of a thousand hillsโ€ was honored as the ONLY African country, together with 6 other exhibitors from different parts of the world, for their outstanding stand design and presentation, beating hundreds of other exhibitors vying for the honors at WTM to the finish line. Considering that it was just 6 years ago that Rwanda re-launched themselves in London as an extra special tourism destination in Eastern Africa, it is noteworthy that their united marketing approach, their ability to absorb and utilize good advice, and their remarkable PR network has won them repeated global recognition, including three consecutive โ€œbest standโ€ awards at the rival ITB tourism exhibition in Berlin, Germany, while on many other occasions the country was recognized and awarded for their graceful displays, performances of their dance groups, and the competence and friendliness of the participating companies. The more than 100-square-meter-large and newly-designed stand allowed for a user-friendly display of the countryโ€™s latest additions to their tourism attractions, including featuring the new tree-top canopy walk at Nyungwe National Park.

RWANDA IMPLEMENTS CLASSIFICATION AND GRADING GUIDELINES
The EAC common regulations on grading and classification of hospitality businesses have finally come into effect in Rwanda from November5 onwards, and all existing and new hotels, lodges, resorts, safari camps, and even restaurants are now subject to these new rules. Rwanda aims to uplift the hospitality standards across the board and is, following months of workshops, training sessions, and interaction with the private sector, well on course to achieve this.

DID YOU MEET RWANDA AT WTM?
November 11 saw the East African tourist boards host a joint cocktail party, which was attended by delegation heads, attending ministers, and the respective ambassadors, together with the private sector participants on site in London. The Rwandan delegation was the only one which bothered to actually send a press release to this effect, stressing again that the country was fully committed to a joint East African tourism promotion. Rwanda also showcased their latest addition to the tourism sector, a new extended treetop canopy walkway in Nyungwe Forest National Park, said to be the first of its kind in Eastern Africa. This idea was floated by, amongst others, this correspondent years ago, to be created inside the Mabira Forest as an extra attraction for tourists and local visitors alike, but alas, while Uganda is still pondering, Rwanda has picked up the idea and implemented it as part of the RDB-T&Cโ€™s drive towards diversification of its tourism products. The Rwandan commitment towards a joint marketing of the region as โ€œone destination with many attractionsโ€ will surely ring in the ears of some member state officials, as in particular from Tanzania ugly and unsavory sentiments emerged in recent weeks over the issue of the border crossing between the Masai Mara and the Serengeti, with not one official reigning in the hot-headed and foul-mouthed individuals who have tried to hijack that debate. Congrats to Rwanda for their strong and explicit commitment to East African cooperation, and mega barbs for the ones littering the cyberspace with anti-EAC sentiments.

KIGALI SERENA COMPLETES EXTENSION
Earlier in the week, sources in Kigali confirmed that the Kigali Serena Hotel has now opened their new wing comprising some 44 extra rooms, a bonus for the city, which has in the part often struggled to accommodate visitors in quality accommodation during large conferences and regional/continental meetings. It was also confirmed that the new spa and a remodeled leisure area, including a newly-designed pool, are now also open for guests, while the restaurant extension is also complete. It is understood that the old rooms of the hotel will be refurbished in due course to bring them in line with the comforts and standards of the new wing. Until some years ago, the hotel was managed by a South African hospitality group under the Intercontinental brand, but after the Rwandan government terminated the contract, the hotel came under the Serena brand together with the Lake Kivu Hotel, which has also seen upgrades in the recent past.

AIRCRAFT COLLIDES WITH WILD PIGS
An attempt to take off from Harare ended in near disaster when the Chinese-built plane ran into several wild pigs crossing the runway, while the turboprop MA60 aircraft was nearing take off speed. The flight to Bulawayo ended up off the runway with substantial damage to the wings, undercarriage, and propellers, but thankfully no loss of lives was recorded. Some passengers, according to reports received, were slightly injured when scrambling out of the craft after it came to a standstill. No information was received as to why wildlife would be able to enter the main airport and if the perimeter fences were intact and regularly patrolled or had fallen into disrepair through neglect, lack of funds, and human negligence.

SEYCHELLES AERIAL ANTIPIRACY OPERATIONS START
It was learned earlier in the week that operations have commenced out of the Seychelles to provide aerial surveillance and intelligence in the fight against the ever-more-daring pirates, who only recently hijacked a ship further down south and not far from Madagascar. The so-called drones will be able to stay airborne for some 16 hours and can patrol areas not under naval surveillance. Information gathered by the drones will be relayed in real time to the naval command center and the Seychelles Coast Guard. What is of concern is that reportedly the drones are presently unarmed, in spite of being capable of carrying a substantive payload, and can, therefore, not at present engage pirate mother ships and their skiffs. It is hoped that this policy will be reviewed in due course to provide a more aggressive deterrent against the pirates and serve them with notice: enter these waters with criminal intent and you will be a target. The UAVs were provided by the United States government and are being maintained and operated with the assistance of US advisors as part of a wider cooperation between the Seychelles and friendly nations aimed to boost commerce, trade, and security cooperation. In a related development, it was also confirmed that Belgium and the Seychelles have entered into a bilateral agreement to increase their military cooperation, also aimed at combating piracy in the region, as the alliance against the โ€œproblem from hellโ€ caused by lawless Somalis continues to widen and take more roots. At the same time. it was also announced in Victoria that the country had signed a formal agreement with the EU to legally cover the status of stationed personnel used in anti-piracy operations.

AIR SEYCHELLES IN ADMISSION OF LOSSES
The latest statements by the airline, which only recently got a new board of directors while keeping the chairman and CEO in place, indicate that a swift cash bailout will be required from the government to turn the airline around. Apparently, the extent of the financial woes was kept well under wraps until earlier in the week, when parliament had to discuss extending an emergency loan to the national airline. A strategy review for Air Seychelles is currently underway and all measures, including part privatization and intensified partnerships, are apparently on the table for discussion. The combined position of the airlineโ€™s CEO as chairman of the board of directors has also been called into question, but no immediate fallout is expected to take place.

ITS 7 PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN SOUTHERN SUDAN
The government in Juba has decreed that all civil servants and public staff will take 7 days off to assist in the mobilization of the population for the ongoing voter registration across the south. The SPLM and government are keen to see a massive participation towards these goals, as national elections are due to be held in April next year, and crucially, the independence referendum is then set for January 2011. The measure seems to have helped the cause as increased registration figures are now filtering back to Juba. However, it was pointed out upon making inquiries, that crucial services like airport operations, customs, immigration, police, hospitals, emergency, and fire fighting services will all remain on full status, although general government offices will remain largely closed for the week.

East Africa tourism report

UGANDA AND US SIGN OPEN SKIES AGREEMENT

UGANDA AND US SIGN OPEN SKIES AGREEMENT
A new bilateral air services agreement was signed last week, which โ€“ upon meeting other conditionalities โ€“ will permit the start of direct flights between Entebbe and any airport in the United States. One of the remaining prerequisites is the need to attain FAA Category One status, often in the past within reach and ever overtaken by new demands when ICAOโ€™s regulatory regime was amended, likely as a result of the post 9/11 fallout for aviation safety and security. Only a handful of countries in Africa have the highly-valued status, including South Africa, Ethiopia, and Egypt, where the respective national airlines all fly to the US and in turn permit US carriers to fly to its main airport. Kenya was said to be close last year to be granted the Cat 1 status, but the planned flights by Delta Airlines were unceremoniously halted by US authorities on the eve of the inaugural flight, citing unspecified and obscure security concerns and setting back the new route by at least a year.

BRUSSELS AIRLINES SEEKS 5TH A330 TO ADD TO FLEET
It was learned earlier in the week that Brussels Airlines was in the process of procuring a 5th A330-200 aircraft to add to its fleet ahead of a planned network and frequency expansion to the African continent, as the world is coming out of the long global recession, which has impacted on the performance of many airlines. In eastern Africa, SN serves Entebbe, Bujumbura, Kigali, and Nairobi but has no 5th freedom rights for its triangular flights, which always include a waypoint, while in west Africa the respective governments were happy to extend this privilege to the carrier to enhance connectivity between major cities. This columnโ€™s SN contact would, however, not be drawn into discussions regarding whether SN has actively sought 5th freedom rights for flights say between Kigali and Entebbe or between Kigali, Bujumbura, and Entebbe to Nairobi or vice versa, depending on how the flights operate. SNโ€™s partnership with Lufthansa and its code-shared operations to both west and east Africa has also enhanced its traffic base and may be a major factor to add another long haul aircraft to its fleet. The German Week starting this weekend, and organized by the Goethe Zentrum in Kampala, was co-sponsored by both Brussels Airlines and Lufthansa, ensuring high visibility amongst a key consumer group.

BA OFFERS SPECIAL CHRISTMAS FARES
British Airways has now launched its Christmas sales with a fare to London โ€“ no details are available for other European destinations โ€“ of US$ 349 return. However, the often criticized taxes and other charges drive the actual price of the ticket to approximately US$ 875, more than double than what the net cost of the ticket is. Outbound travel can take place on December 23, 25, and 26 while the return journey has to be completed by January 31, 2010. It could not be established if the recent introduction of yet another tax on air travel by the UKโ€™s labor government is responsible for the extraordinarily high element of taxes and other charges on the ticket, which if true, may make the use of other carriers preferable, as they are not subject to the new fees at its home airports across Europe.

RAIL FERRIES TO BE REPAIRED
The Ugandan government, through the Ministry of Works and Transport, has announced that funds have been secured to repair two of the grounded rail ferries, which previously operated between Port Bell, Kampala and Mwanza, Tanzania. The ferries are a crucial element in promoting the alternative rail route from Kampala to Dar es Salaamโ€™s port, creating redundancy to the more popular rail route to Mombasa. However, disruptions โ€“ for a variety of reasons โ€“ and underperformance of the rail operator Rift Valley Railways have strengthened sentiments in Uganda that a credible and viable second route to the ocean must be promoted, probably one of the reasons for now finally embarking on the long overdue repair jobs. The two rail ferries are expected to return to service between late 2010 and mid 2011 and will then once again operate between Port Bell, Uganda and the ports of Kisumu and Mwanza.

UNRA COMPLETES JINJA-BUGIRI HIGHWAY
The long-awaited upgrade of the main highway section from Jinja towards the Kenya border has now been finally completed and the road officially opened, when the last section was handed over by the contractors to the Uganda National Roads Authority. The project was delayed for a long time when the first contractor abandoned work and was then not only formally sacked, but a very heavy penalty imposed by retaining its performance bond deposit. The highway, in sections dual carriage, was primarily funded by the European Union, which committed its support to the full rehabilitation of the โ€œNorthern Corridorโ€ from the port city of Mombasa, via Nairobi and through Uganda into the hinterland countries of Rwanda, Burundi, eastern Congo, and southern Sudan. The new road to eastern Uganda will bring relief to many motorists and in particular the freight companies, which suffered extensive damages to its fleets when the road was potholed, broken up, and often impassable. Tourism to eastern Uganda should take a boost with the new road now open, as access to the national park of Mt. Elgon and game reserves in the region is now possible with ease, cutting driving times and offering increased road safety.

JINJA FOOD AND FUN FESTIVAL SET FOR DECEMBER 9-13
โ€œThe adventure capital of east Africa,โ€ a title well earned through the range of adventure activities offered along the upper Nile valley below the Owens Falls hydro electric dam, is set to organize a major food and events festival in early December. Sporting competitions, including competitive white water rafting, cycling events, quad biking, and horseback riding will intersperse with fashion shows, a tourism exhibition, and food presentations from the leading chefs and restaurants/hotels in Jinja. Visit www.jinjaevents.com or write to [email protected] for more details.

ECOTRUST CELEBRATES 10, NATURE UGANDA CELEBRATES 100
The two conservation organizations are commemorating their respective anniversaries, with the EcoTrust (Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda) now a decade old, while Nature Uganda can look back at 100 years of conservation efforts from 1909 until 2009. Both NGOs are widely respected in the country and the region, as well as by their overseas partners and have contributed much to environmental awareness campaigns and propagating the need to conserve Ugandaโ€™s ecosystems and nature amongst policy makers, the business community, and society at large. Congrats all round for their sterling efforts. It was also announced at the same time that a two day environmental and conservation conference is due to take place in Kampala on November 19 and 20, followed by the Annual General Meeting of Nature Uganda. The venue for both events will be the Uganda Museum. Both organizations are involved in country-wide efforts with advocacy towards conservation and the protection of nature and in particular wetlands, which are under increasing threat by growing populations in search of farming areas, not understanding the crucial importance of such wetlands towards ecological balance and maintaining the bio diversity in such areas.

PRESIDENT ORDERS EVICTION OF FOREST ENCROACHERS
Positive signals came out of the State House late last month, when the Minister for Water and Environment confirmed the instructions to resume evictions of forest encroachers and timber thieves. The ministry, under which the National Forest Authority falls, will now make another concerted effort to evict those who have so far hidden behind vague orders and counter orders, and re-evict others who have crept back after receiving deceptive nods from its political godfathers, hopefully avoiding past violent clashes, which accompanied enforcement in several parts of the country and cost precious lives of forest wardens and enforcement personnel.
Conservation, however, will be better off now that clarity has been achieved, and in particular the Uganda Wildlife Authority will also be happy to have backing from the highest office in the land to continue mopping up the remaining encroachers inside Mt. Elgon National Park. Media reports in Uganda estimate the number of forest encroachers country wide at over 300,000 people, demonstrating the challenges of law enforcement and conservation efforts, when it comes to keeping protected areas intact, restoring encroached areas, and repairing the damages inflicted by indiscriminate felling of trees to established short-lived farming patches.

EL NINO RAINS WREAK HAVOC
Across eastern Africa, the long-awaited rains have started to set in, already causing the predicted chaos and problems with floodings. Parts of Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia are said to have been affected, and military engineers have been dispatched to repair bridges, restore culverts, and make roads passable again after sections of trunk and feeder roads were washed out. The main road between Malindi and Lamu along the Kenyan coast was also disrupted last week when a section was swept away by the torrents. Reports about loss of property and live are gradually beginning to emerge from areas cut off from communications, making a full assessment difficult at best. Many of the areas now hammered by excessive rains have experienced a long drought before, and the baked top soil is not able to absorb rain water in such quantities, often leading to swift flash floods, while fertile soil is also being carried away by the swollen rivers after they burst their banks. Some areas, in fact, received twice the monthly average rainfall in a single day, putting the present reverse weather conditions into perspective. In the more immediate neighborhood of this correspondentโ€™s residence, roads turned into tracks and some now resemble ravines, as murram is being swept away by the rainstorms and carried as silt into the lake. Safaris, however, are presently not affected and all main national park and game reserve destinations can be reached by road and air, although it is recommended to stay in contact with the respective safari operators to get regular weather updates for intending travelers. This information is representative for the entire east African region.

KENYA OOZES CONFIDENCE AHEAD OF WTM
With the Kenyan delegation for the World Travel Market in London, now either on the way already or preparing to leave for the UK, the general tenor of feedback given to this column is overwhelmingly positive, and confidence has been expressed that tourism would match the pre-downturn figures once again over the forthcoming high season. For the first half of the year, it seems that the current arrivals are now only about 10 percent down on the record-breaking year 2007, and if all goes well, the country could in 2010 expect the arrivals to be even better. This is attributed to the determined work of the Kenya Tourist Board, hand in hand with the private sector, to promote the country in new and emerging markets while continuing the marketing efforts in the key producer markets of Europe and North America. Earlier in the year, Kenya Airways had flown some 250 travel agents from across Africa to Nairobi for a mega fam trip, and it is understood that this initiative has handsomely paid off with rising tourist arrivals now also recorded from other African countries. Well done Kenya and all the best in London! Meanwhile the UN WTO has confirmed that travel to Africa has risen by some 4 percent overall in the first half of the year, against the background of decreases of travel to other parts of the world, with eastern African arrivals being a major contributor to this astonishing trend.

PILOT TRAINING AT ORLY NOW MORE THAN 15 PERCENT CHEAPER
After the opening of the Aero Club of East Africa-owned private airfield on the Athi plains outside Nairobi a few weeks ago, some pilot training companies have already started to move its operation there to take advantage of less-congested skies, which was a growing problem at Wilson Airport in the past. It was also learned from Aero Club sources that newer aircraft with better instrumentation and more fuel-efficient engines also contributed to the lower charges, but the main element comes for largely reduced charges for landing, parking, and operations at the Orly airpark. Approximate charges for a PPL (private pilot license) presently stand at about US$10,000 while the next stage, the CPL (commercial pilot license), sets a trainee back by about US$25,000, with the twin engine and instrument rating adding approximately a further US$17,000 to the bill. Thereafter, job prospects are encouraging as commercial airlines constantly scout for younger pilots with a CPL and enough hours to then train on a particular aircraft type and attain the ATPL needed. The Orly airpark is the first of its kind in eastern Africa, but hopefully not the last and was the brainchild of the venerable Harro Trempenau, long-serving chairman of the Aero Club of East Africa and fellow east African compatriot of German origin. Well done indeed Harro and colleagues for supporting grassroots aviation and attracting the next generation of aviators.

KENYA AIRWAYS ADDS BANGUI AND KISANGANI
Last weekend saw the inaugural flight take place by Kenya Airways, linking Nairobi with Bangui/Central African Republic. The twice-weekly flights on Tuesdays and Thursdays will, after the stop in the CAR, then move on to Douala/Cameroon but have been granted fifth freedom rights and can carry passengers and cargo between the two cities, which will be helpful to add loadfactors and achieve extra revenue. The airline also finally publicly confirmed the speculation raised in this column a few weeks ago, that they would commence flights to eastern Congoโ€™s city of Kisangani, due to launch on November 22. Previously, the airline was coy to deny or confirm specific questions on this development until they finally launched its sales drive, confirming the inevitable. This latest addition to the African network keeps KQ in โ€œpole positionโ€ with the most destinations across the African continent, Ethiopian, being a close second after they added Mombasa to its network a week earlier. This route development apparently has priority over adding more destinations in Europe, which airline executives say are well covered by its alliance partners KLM and Air France, while themselves concentrating on its three key routes to Amsterdam, London, and Paris. Other sources from within Kenya Airways confirmed that its intention is to link eventually every major African city to Nairobi, from where passengers can then travel with convenient connections to the Middle East (Dubai) and also India and China, permitting traders to reach their final destinations with ease. Fares are said to be attractive and other terms and conditions, like added baggage allowances, will make KQ arguably the airline of choice for travelers in Africa.

KQ STARTS JOINT FLIGHTS WITH MARTINAIR
An inaugural joint flight between Hollandโ€™s Martinair, a subsidiary of KLM and Kenya Airways, took off earlier this week, connecting Mombasa with Amsterdam direct. The flights operate twice a week, every Sunday and Wednesday, from Mombasa, and the aircraft used will be a B767. This follows hot on the heels of Ethiopian Airlines commencing scheduled flights from Addis Ababa to Mombasa, with Kenya Airways now reacting to the changed market conditions.
It could not be ascertained, however, if the flight is code shared or if KQ is only selling seats on this flight.

KENYA AIRWAYS BACK INTO PROFITS
Following the full financial year losses declared earlier this year, largely because of observing new reporting and accounting practices, the airline has for the first half of this financial year kicked the global trend and returned to profit before taxes. Last yearโ€™s loss was reportedly caused by making provisions for fuel hedge contracts. This yearโ€™s financial performance gives credence to the airlineโ€™s strategy of concentrating on its African network, from where they collect passengers traveling on Kenya Airways flights through Nairobi to its middle and far eastern destinations, while at the same time providing the most extensive African network via Nairobi of any airline on the continent. That said, strike action in August, which resulted in the airline having to pay an extra 20 percent for wages over the next two financial years, is expected to lower the gains made by cheaper fuel, and the over 600 million Kenya Shillings the strike immediately cost the carrier will also carve away some of the financial gains made in recent months. KQโ€™s management is cautiously optimistic that they will return to annual profit at the end of this financial year, which concludes in March 2010. However, the share price continued to linger below 25 Kenya Shillings per share, down from its peak of about 130 Kenya Shillings per share, as the financial markets remain wary over the potential for crude oil price increases, which could once again impact on the bottom line not just of KQ, but all other airlines in the region, too.

NAIROBIโ€™S LATEST HOTEL UNDER INTERCONTINENTAL MANAGEMENT
The new hotel on Nairobiโ€™s upper hill, which is due to open before the end of the year, will be managed by Intercontinental Hotels under the name of Crowne Plaza Nairobi. The new property will feature some 163 rooms and suites and reportedly has created about 200 employment opportunities for Kenyans, a welcome bonus for many trained staff in the sector who suffered from lower occupancies since last year and have been either out of work or have not found employment after leaving college. It was also learned from Karl Hala, group operations director for Africa and general manager of the Nairobi Intercontinental Hotel that the company was intent to widen its presence in the eastern, central, and southern African region by adding at least another 10 or so new hotels to its portfolio.

KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE READY TO DEFEND THE PARK LAND
Following last weekโ€™s report when attempts to excise some 60 acres of land from the Nairobi National Park for development became public knowledge, KWS has strengthened its ranger patrols along the area and reportedly also started to re-fence the boundary. Confusion surrounds the identities of those trying to grab the valuable land, but efforts are underway to bring those involved to book. Official investigations are presently focused on the land office where the irregularities seem to have originated from.

KISUMU PASSENGER TRAIN SERVICES RESUME
Following the completion of repairs on the railway branch line from Nairobi to Kenyaโ€™s lakeside city of Kisumu, train services have resumed early this week. This will apply for both passenger and cargo trains offering another option of traveling through Kenya for locals and visitors alike. The scenic route from Nairobi into the Rift Valley and on to Kisumu will undoubtedly hold attractions for train journey aficionados. It is understood that a dedicated passenger train, which offers sleeper cars and first-class and second-class compartments, leaves Nairobi every Friday evening and returns on Sunday from Kisumu to Nairobi arriving there on Monday early morning.
Kisumu is at the heart of โ€œObamaโ€- inspired travel to western Kenya, where his paternal home is only a few miles away from the city of Kisumu. The added transportation option by train will hopefully inspire more ingenious tour packages and weekend trips offering a glimpse of where President Obamaโ€™s father grew up. Sadly, with the trains running overnight, little of the magnificent scenery enroute, in particular into and through the Rift Valley, can be seen by train users, diminishing the potential of train journeys. The trains are operated by embattled and under-pressure Rift Valley Railways, whose concession with the governments of Kenya and Uganda hangs in the balance.

BLACKOUT HITS KENYA
A rolling blackout hit Kenya last weekend, when on Sunday evening a failure at a switch station on the outskirts of Nairobi started a trigger effect, which eventually extended from the capital Nairobi to the coast and the upcountry areas. Some switch stations were eventually brought back to life during the course of the night, but in many areas, only households and buildings with backup generators and inverters had their lights on overnight. The situation returned gradually to normal on Monday, when power to most areas of the country was restored.

TANZANIAN HERITAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE REAFFIRMS UPWARD TOURISM TREND
Zanzibari tourism officials have taken comfort from the many US attendees of this recently-ended conference, which brought the visitors to both Dar es Salaam and to Zanzibar. The recent disputes over US State Department anti-travel advisories were also calmed when it emerged that American tourists would visit Zanzibar and Pemba anyway, leaving US embassy sources reportedly exasperated over the failure of its harshly-worded commentary to block US visitors from coming to the island. Zanzibari tourism sources also expressed their confidence that for the forthcoming high season, the island would again record high occupancies while the Christmas and New Year festive season was rapidly selling out all available beds.

ELEPHANT TRAMPLES GUIDE
An experienced British safari guide attached to a BBC filming expedition in Tanzania was attacked last week by a stray elephant in the vicinity of the Selous game reserve. The CBBC project โ€“ the BBCโ€™s children program โ€“ was following the footsteps of David Livingstone as part of a series on explorers and had been operating with all relevant licenses it was learned, when the guide was trampled by an elephant. Although efforts were being made to airlift the injured man to a hospital for treatment, he passed away enroute to Dar es Salaam as a result of his severe injuries. Filming was immediately suspended, and the company expressed its deep regret over the loss of life. No further details were available at the time of filing this report.

IS THERE STILL LIFE FOR AIR TANZANIA?
News emerged from Dar es Salaam earlier in the week that the government continues to search for a strategic investor after all previous efforts to attract a Chinese airline to enter a partnership have so far born no fruits. This has resulted in a serious loss of market share, leaving the aviation field to Tanzaniaโ€™s premier private airline, Precision Air, and other smaller companies now flying on routes, which previously were the domain of ATCL. Investors may also be weary over the potential fallout with labor unions, which could cripple a new set-up with early strike action should their demands for terminal benefits not be met before hand. Reportedly, the former Tanzanian flag carrier is now left with only two turboprop aircraft of Bombardier Q 300 make and has ceased operations on many of its previous routes to the disappointment of many of its faithful customers.

REGIONAL AIR PLANS TO OFFSET CARBON FOOTPRINT
The Arusha-based Regional Air, a sister company of Air Kenya in Nairobi, will, from November this year, begin offsetting its carbon emissions through a contract with Carbon Tanzania, following earlier commitments made by the airline towards better environmental practices. This carbon-trading organization has global affiliation and recognition and provides real offsets, unlike some of the charlatan carbon traders offering the proverbial โ€œhot air.โ€ The airline, now operating in Tanzania in its twelfth year, provides scheduled flights from Arusha to the main national park airfields in the northern circuit (Tarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro, and Serengeti) but also operates flights to Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, Pangani, and Saadani. In a related development, the company has also switched its messengers from motor bikes to bicycles when making deliveries of tickets or collecting orders from clients and travel agencies, which produce zero emissions with its pedal power. Congratulation on this remarkable effort!

MORE FLIGHTS FROM DAR TO MAPUTO IN THE OFFING
Sources in Dar es Salaam have confirmed that LAM, the national airline of Mozambique, will step up its frequencies between the two cities in response to growing demand for air travel. A third weekly flight will be introduced shortly. It was also mentioned by the same source that the airline was in the process of retiring its ageing Boeing 737 aircraft and introducing state-of-the-art, Brazilian-built Embraer models.

RWANDAIR EXPANDS ROUTE NETWORK
Effective early December, Rwandaโ€™s national airline will add Goma in the eastern Congo DR and Dar es Salaam to its route network, making good of its promise to have wider choices for its faithful travelers before the year end. The flights to Goma, priced at US$199 return, plus taxes, will commence on December 2, and the flights to Dar, priced at US$399 return, plus taxes, on December 15. The airline presently flies to Johannesburg, Kilimanjaro/Arusha, Nairobi, Bujumbura, and, of course, Entebbe, besides serving some domestic aerodromes. Goma flights will be operated on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, while Dar es Salaam flights will operate on Tuesday and Sunday via Bujumbura, as will incidentally some of the daily Johannesburg flights. ยฌยฌยฌยฌ

KIGALI INTRODUCES ADDITIONAL CCTV CAPACITY
The city of Kigali will enhance security, already considered the best of all the 5 East African Community member states capitals, when camera surveillance is rolled out even further. A few key locations are already covered by CCTV, but presently the project is unfolding in other parts of the city, apart from the business district and key hotel, conference, and governmental locations and key traffic intersections.

RDB INVESTIGATES HOTEL DEMOLITION
As reported recently in this column, part of the Palm Tree Hotel in Rubavu was demolished on orders of the council, a move to which the owner has since mobilized other political and economic platforms in Rwanda. Only a few months earlier, another council had demolished the extension of a hotel on the outskirts of Kigali over allegations that the mayoress had a personal grudge to settle. The latest victim of vindictive actions also claimed to have had Italian investors lined up for further upgrades and expansion, and these plans have now stalled. Rwanda, being keen to attract foreign investment in the tourism and hospitality industry, will have seen such developments with a degree of concern probably causing the Rwanda Development Board to now launch its own investigation.

SEYCHELLES-BRANDED RACING CAR WINS FORMULA 2 CHAMPIONSHIP
In a PR coup of special significance, last weekend the Seychelles-branded race car won the Formula 2 championship in Barcelona, Spain during the last race of the season. The branding was a joint venture between Seychelles businesses and the tourist board and paid off handsomely, as all eyes of the international media and TV broadcasters were, of course, on this particular vehicle. Congrats to the winners, and congrats to the Seychelles for backing a winner throughout the season.

SEYCHELLES TOURIST BOARD READY FOR WTM
Ahead of the 30th anniversary edition of World Travel Market, the STB has dispatched two staff to be seconded to the UKโ€™s new tourism marketing office of the Seychelles. This is in preparation for the participation of STB in the November event and the formal launch of its office in London, besides interacting with key travel agents and tour operators featuring holidays on the archipelago. After WTM, the two staff will then partake in several seminars and workshops organized for the travel trade across the UK before returning home to Victoria later in the year. The formal launch of the new tourist office will reportedly be undertaken by the Seychelles Vice President, who is expected to be present at WTM to boost morale of its delegation and show the commitment of the Seychelles government to the tourism sector. The Seychellois delegation will appear in London with gusto as the latest tourism arrival figures show that the current year downturn is now less than three percent compared to last year, and a strong showing in November and December may reduce those losses even further. For 2010, the archipelagoโ€™s tourism promoters are confident that arrival statistics will once again show sustained growth. It will, however, also mean that the time for special offers will gradually run out, and pricing levels will eventually return to levels, which will permit resorts and hotels to return to better profitability next year without, however, dropping the affordable Seychelles image. Meanwhile, the Seychelles Tourist Board also used the opportunity of taking delivery of a new fuel vessel constructed at a German shipyard, the โ€œSeychelles Paradise,โ€ to promote the country by holding press conferences, briefings for the travel trade, and hosting cocktails on board the new ship. The new โ€œgreenโ€ vessel is a double-hull ship meeting the new stringent requirements effective January 2010 by the International Maritime Organization and will be used to provide fuel supplies from the main storage facility on Mahe to the other islands, in particular Praslin, and can also refuel other ocean-going vessels at sea if needed. The big fanfare when taking delivery of the vessel by STB coincides with extra efforts to use other events related to the Seychelles to latch on to and combine it with destination and tourism promotions. This is reportedly achieved by close liaison with the countryโ€™s diplomatic mission staff and their honorary consuls across the world, whose good offices the STB is now also using to promote the country.

SEYCHELLES JOIN HANDS WITH CAPE TOWN IN SOUTH AMERICA PROMOTION
During a recent marketing mission to South Africa, an agreement was reached between the Seychelles and the city of Cape Town to jointly promote twin center holidays to the city and the surrounding areas and the archipelago in South America, in particular the promising markets of Brazil and Argentina, which are connected by air to South Africa. With more air connections on the drawing board, from South Africa to both Seychelles and also to South America, the joint venture appears a natural combination for tourists wishing to combine a trip to Cape Town and the attractions of the Cape Province with a trip to one of the Indian Oceanโ€™s most fabled holiday islands. The forthcoming FIFA World Cup next year will hopefully bring a visitor boom to South Africa, and STB was quick to jump on the opportunity to tap into some extra source markets.

SEYCHELLES STRUGGLES WITH POACHING, TOO
A different type of poaching seems of late on the increase on the island of Praslin where the fabled Vallee de Mai National Park is located. The park, a world heritage site, is famous around the world for the coco de mer palm trees, whose fruit is uniquely shaped and in great demand, similar to blood ivory, as either a souvenir or else to grow young palms trees in peopleโ€™s back yards. Reports have reached this column that over 60 of the nuts have been stolen in recent months, of which only two dozen were recovered. Security measures have subsequently been increased to protect the rare trees and its nuts better, as the park and its palm trees form the foundation of much of the visitor interest by tourists coming to Praslin on day trips from other islands. Tourism income, therefore, shapes the livelihood of much of the population on the island, and losing its base could have a severe impact on the people of Praslin. The time to mature for these nuts is an estimated 7 years, making reproduction a challenge, and the loss of even a single nut will set conservation efforts back substantially. It is understood that surveillance at the international airport is looking out for illegal smuggling of the nuts by tourists who would face heavy fines if found with them.

SEYCHELLES GOVERNMENT REJECTS UK MEDIA CLAIMS
Reports in some UK newspapers that the Seychelles government has reached an accommodation with pirates and is turning a blind eye to their criminal activities, have been categorically rejected as false and without basis, according to sources well known to this correspondent in Victoria, the archipelagoโ€™s capital. In fact, as reported in this column repeatedly in the past, the Seychelles government has done all in its power in recent weeks to boost its capacity to patrol its own waters, extensive as they are with the 200 nautical miles economic exclusion zone mapped around the archipelagoโ€™s 115 islands. Friendly countries from the naval coalition based in Djibouti have assisted the Seychelles to build naval patrol and survey capacity, and aerial reconnaissance has also been boosted with aircraft operating out of Maheโ€™s International Airport. At the same time, troop contingents were deployed on to outer islands nearest to the pirate-infested waters of the Indian Ocean to deny any possibly chance of landing and resupplying to the pirates. In particular, tourism sources in the Seychelles have denounced the media reports as pure fiction and as manufactured by sensationalists posing as journalists over the recent capture of a British couple, whose yacht was seajacked en route from Mahe to Tanzania, suggesting the said media organizations in the UK have an ulterior motive and hidden agenda.

AIR MAURITIUS RECEIVES NEW AIRBUS A330-200
In a sign of market confidence, Air Mauritius took delivery last week of an additional brand-new two class (C/Y) A330-200 aircraft, the second such jet in its fleet. Sources from the islandโ€™s capital, Port Louis, also confirmed that Air Mauritius is already operating a number of the four engine A340 jets for its long-haul and high-density routes. The island is a major tourism destination in the Indian Ocean and does not permit all-inclusive tour charters and requires visitors to use scheduled airlines to come to Mauritius. For more information visit www.tourism-mauritius.mu, the official tourist board, for details on visits to high-class resorts dotted along the white beaches and the activities on offer for visitors. Mauritius has air links with east Africa via Nairobi, although it is hoped that eventually other key centers like Dar es Salaam and Entebbe Kampala can also be linked with direct flights.

East Africa tourism report

RUAHA NATIONAL PARK SET TO GET BOOST

RUAHA NATIONAL PARK SET TO GET BOOST
The Tanzanian government appears set to extend help to TANAPA and inject funds towards road upgrades and improvements of a nearby aerodrome to permit tourist visitors to reach the park with greater ease. Plans to build an aerodrome inside the park were rejected and environmentally unsound and harmful to the game, a lesson which should be transferred to those intent on building an international airport in the Serengeti district. According to statements availed to this column, it is also understood that other highways, linking the area, were due for upgrades as well, to generally open up the vast area for both tourist visitors but more notably also for business opportunities, permitting agricultural produce to reach markets so far beyond accessibility. The government has also invited private investment for the Ruaha National Park and hopes that new safari camps or lodges and related facilities can be put up to increase the attraction of the park.

BRUSSELS AIRLINES SET TO JOIN STAR ALLIANCE
December 9 was announced by the Kampala office of Brussels Airlines as the date when SN will graduate from applicant status to full-member status in the worldโ€™s leading airline alliance STAR. Initiated originally by Lufthansa and the Americaโ€™s United Airlines, it has since grown in leaps and bounds, offering code-shared operations with partners from around the entire world the use of lounges and a common frequent flier program, among other benefits like seat selection, upgrades, and priority for passengers with โ€œstandingโ€ when it comes to select passengers on standby for a full flight. SN has already converted their own โ€œPrivilegeโ€ program by integrating it into โ€œMiles and Moreโ€ earlier in the year, giving their faithful passengers a greater range of goodies. Meanwhile, it was also learned that the code-shared flights between SN and LH to eastern and western Africa have already yielded positive results, showing that the full acquisition of SN by LH may well be on course. In a related development, Brussels Airlines also confirmed that Continental Airlines of the US has now joined Star Alliance as the 25th member airline. SN already has an existing and mutually-beneficial partnership with Continental, and this is now set to intensify even further with likely more joined connections and code shares from Brussels to destinations in the US beyond the main gateways.

UWA THANKS PARTNERS
Following the successful launch of the www.friendagorilla.org campaign last month, which drew global media attention to the events and celebrations, UWA has now thanked, in a two-page, centerpiece, four-colored ad in Ugandaโ€™s leading newspaper New Vision, some 43 companies and organizations, which contributed money and in-kind towards the launch. Notably, it included such big names like USAID, Emirates, Brussels Airlines, The Uganda Safari Company, Marasa, Pepsi Cola, and also the embassies of Belgium and France, the British High Commission, and banking giant STANBIC, among many others. Well done to all, even those unnamed due to space restrictions, and thanks for supporting UWAโ€™s UN Year of the Gorilla 2009 activities.

FIFA WORLD CUP TROPHY COMES TO EAST AFRICA
As the main draw for the FIFA World Cup next year approaches, now just over a month away, the global football body is displaying the winnerโ€™s trophy in the coming days across eastern Africa to promote the event hosted by South Africa and raise interest and attention levels to the biggest sporting event, besides the Olympics. For the first time, the World Cup will be held in Africa, although the lower age tournaments, most recently the Under 20 World Cup in Egypt and now the Under 17 World Cup in Nigeria, have been organized on the continent before to build capacity and promote equality for the award of such events. Ugandans, being soccer super fans with large groups of supporters for in particular the English clubs, will undoubtedly flock in their tens of thousands to the stadium where the trophy will be displayed and the final countdown launched. Sadly, Uganda has once again not qualified for the World Cup finals but will undoubtedly try again for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

POACHERS SHOT IN MURCHISONS
Anti-poaching patrols of the Uganda Wildlife Authority a few days ago encountered armed poachers inside the park boundaries, and when trying to stop them were engaged in a fire fight resulting in the death of at least two poachers, according to local news sources. The location of the incident was not far off the road towards Pakwach, a township on the river Nile.

IN MEMORIAM: FATHER BYARUHANGA
Earlier in the week, Presidential Assistant in charge of special duties, Catholic Father Albert Byaruhanga, died following a car accident. Father Byaruhanga, an age mate of this correspondent and regular source of information, and inspiring guidance for that matter, stood out through the clarity of his thoughts and his ability to speak candidly when needed, a virtue now much missed. Rest in peace Father Albert until we meet again.

INEPT ELECTRICITY COMPANY TRIES TO COLLECT
Umeme, the national power distribution company โ€“ presently under increasing public and governmental pressure over a range of allegations โ€“ last week advertised some 19,000 defaulters through a public newspaper ad. However, ineptitude manifested itself promptly when it became apparent, that neither were the names in alphabetical order nor were the account numbers given in any form of order, which would permit defaulters to easily identify themselves and make arrangements to sort out their accounts and pay up. Hence, the 56-page supplement was then largely used as wrapping paper and to light fires, as few alleged defaulters took the trouble to meticulously go through 56 pages and 19,000 names. To further demonstrate the mess Umeme is in, this correspondent, paid up in full of course, received his last bill reading ZERO, due to disconnection โ€“ the power is of course ON โ€“ leaving me bewildered and bemused, but predictably all emails to Umeme for immediate clarification remain unanswered to date. Efforts to introduce prepaid meters, already in use in other parts of Africa, have also so far failed, a measure which could assist the company with its cash flow.

KAMPALA SKAL MEMBER FAILS IN BID FOR FIA VICE PRESIDENCY
Jack Wavamunno, Skal member, owner and managing director of a leading travel agency in Kampala โ€“ besides his involvement in the motor sport in Uganda โ€“ last Friday failed in his bid to become FIAโ€™s first African vice president, a position Ari Vatanen had nominated him for. Ari himself came a distant second with reportedly only 49 votes, while favorite Jean Todt, former Ferrari F1 team chief, earned 135 votes and a four-year term as president of FIA. Congratulations anyway to Jack for a sporting effort and the honor to be on the ballot as an African candidate. Well done, even though coming in second this time.

KENYA TOURISM INDUSTRY CONDEMNS MURDER, WELCOMES ARRESTS
Messages sent to this column from Kenya soundly condemned the recent murder of a British couple, saying it was not characteristic or common that tourists would be attacked like this in the country, and the same sources equally rejoiced in the swift arrest of at least three suspects, who have already been produced in court and charged with the murder. It was pointed out to this column that murder offenses in Kenya are dealt with under the Hanging Act, and if convicted, the culprits may face the death penalty, the ultimate price to pay for their vile crime.

MOBILE PHONE PAYMENTS NOW POSSIBLE FOR TICKETS
The latest advance in technology has started to take root on Kenya when payment schemes via mobile phones were accepted by several airlines as a method of purchasing tickets, alongside the use of cash and traditional credit cards. Safaricom, Kenyaโ€™s leading mobile phone company, was the first to introduce the service, and some of the Kenyan airlines have already signed up to this option while others are reportedly still considering their own participation.

ETHIOPIAN COMMENCES MOMBASA FLIGHTS
As mentioned a few weeks ago in this column, when ET was in the final stage of planning their scheduled flights from Addis Ababa to Mombasa, linking the Kenyan Indian Ocean port city with Ethiopianโ€™s global network, this has over the last weekend materialized. The inaugural flight took place last Sunday and received the usual fanfare greetings, with traditional dancers reportedly greeting the passengers, crew, and official airline delegation from Addis. Mombasa has long only seen Kenya Airways and other domestic airlines operate scheduled flights from Nairobi, while inclusive tour charters from predominantly European gateways brought the bulk of the holiday makers to the Kenyan resorts and hotels along the white Indian Ocean beaches. The entry of Ethiopian will now hopefully also turn the attention of other scheduled airlines to the opportunities which direct or nonstop flights to Mombasa may bring to them and serve as a trigger for more such developments. Mombasa would certainly deserve it, and Kenya tourism would undoubtedly get a boost out of it.

PLANS TO USE PARK LAND FOR DEVELOPMENT ARE EXPOSED
Conservationists and leading members of the conservation fraternity are standing shoulder to shoulder in their opposition to clandestine plans to excise a large piece of land from the Nairobi National Park for allocation to individual owners. The plans were unearthed by investigative journalists in Kenya who tracked down inconsistencies in the national park land title and then blew the whistle. Some staff of the Kenya Wildlife Service was reportedly also interviewed by anti-corruption officials, and the investigation is also extending to the land office in Nairobi, according to several sources in Nairobi. A senior manager of KWS is also quoted to have said, the organization would vigorously oppose any plans to carve out any of their park land for either industrial, office, residential, or leisure developments in the disputed area. Much of the park is now fenced, but curiously, the disputed section appears open, where either no fence was ever erected or has been removed by collaborators in the scheme. The national park at the doorstep of Kenyaโ€™s capital city is a huge attraction for foreign visitors and residents alike, being home to a range of different game species. The park only recently received an initial 8 more rhinos from the Nakuru National Park as part of a relocation project, making visits even more of a must see. However, the open range of old, when game could migrate in and out of the park from the Athi plains has now been largely cut off, making it an island in an ever-more populated and farmed area, effectively ending the chances of regular migration and a free flow of fresh gene-pool animals.

POWER RATIONING TO END IN TANZANIA
The crippling power shortage across Tanzania will come to an end, or so the electricity company is saying, by next week when an additional 165 MW will come on line, generated by three power plants. The power cuts added substantial extra cost to the operation of beach resorts and hotels, which needed to run their back-up generators to keep the fridges and freezers cold, the air conditioning units running, and the general guest welfare intact.

5TH INTERNATIONAL AFRICAN DIASPORA HERITAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE FOR TANZANIA
Throughout the week, several hundred participants met and discussed matters of mutual concern in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, with extra activities also held in Bagamoyo. Tanzania has been keenly pursuing the creation of a heritage trail, which was appropriately named the โ€œIvory and Slavery Route.โ€ Both Bagamoyo as well as Zanzibar were previously notorious slave trading posts, and alongside the human cargo, ivory and skins were also transported on the same vessels, normally ancient โ€œdhowsโ€ plying the routes between Arabia and eastern Africa. However, the bitter memories of those long-past ages have now been replaced with new optimism to make economic capital out of the opportunity to attract tourist visitors to follow the historical events, as narrated by their guides when they visit these places and sites. Conference participants were drawn from all over the world, and the event was supported, besides generous help from the Tanzanian government, by among others, the Africa Travel Association and the International Institute for Peace through Tourism.

TANZANIA AIRPORTS TO GET LATEST TECHNOLOGY
It was learned early this week that the Tanzania Airports Authority is now commencing work towards a technological upgrade of their three main airports in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, and Mwanza and that SITA, the global airline communications and technology platform, will be closely involved in the various work stages. Over US$20 million have been earmarked to implement the projects, which are aimed to improve passenger handling, baggage movement, and the flow of information through SITAโ€™s data bases and information systems, including the installation of common use terminal equipment allowing all airlines to use check-in desks, which can then link into their own data terminals. Terminal 2 of the Dar es Salaam Julius Nyerere International Airport is also due for further infrastructural improvements and will get new baggage handling equipment, although the planned expansion of the terminal seem presently under some doubt due to funding issues remaining unresolved.

ARUSHA AVIATION MEETING FAILS TO ADDRESS NON-TARIFF BARRIERS
A recent one-day, aviation meeting conducted by the East African Community in Arusha focused on a five-year development plan and strategy, while stakeholders from the region, suffering from non-tariff barriers still in place and hindering the regional aviation development, were left pondering. While commitments were made to achieve FAAโ€™s Category One status in regard to international air safety standards, which participants from the regulatory bodies cited as a key to attract more investment in the sector, the aviators would have had them focus rather on what is obstructing air traffic between the member states and to remove those hindrances as soon as possible, rather than looking into the future and forgetting the present. CASSOA, the EAC agency for aviation safety and security, would reportedly not be drawn into such aspects, however, referring the issues to the national regulatory bodies for harmonization and resolution.

RWANDAIR INTRODUCES FREQUENT FLIER BENEFITS
The Rwandan national airline has moved a step further to ensure customer loyalty by launching a benefit program for regular passengers, offering a free ticket after every 5 round trips into the region or 10 round trips on their domestic routes. Evidence of any tickets purchased since January 2009 will also be included in the count. This comes only weeks after substantially reducing fares to their regional destinations like Entebbe, Nairobi, and Kilimanjaro.

RWANDAโ€™S GORILLA TOURISM GETS PUBLICITY BOOST
A former super model, one Veronica Varekova, was in Rwanda last week and traveled to the renowned gorilla national park in the highlands. While there, she reportedly went three times to see the gentle giants of the mountain rain forest, a remarkable task for commitment and sign of fitness, as the strain of trekking in often nearly impenetrable terrain poses particular challenges to the visitors. During a farewell visit to the Rwanda Development Board โ€“ Tourism and Conservation, Veronica met RDB Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Tourism and Conservation Mrs. Rosette Rugamba and accepted to become a goodwill ambassador for Rwanda abroad.

AIR SEYCHELLES RESUMES MOSCOW FLIGHTS
The Seychelles national airline is set to return to Moscow next week after a low-season suspension of flights due to low demand. However, recent promotional activities, combined with Russian naval visits, have raised interest levels once again, leading to the restoration of air services. According to tourist board sources, Russian visitors have overtaken the South Africans, now being the fifth largest market for the archipelago while other eastern European countries have shown marked increases in the arrival statistics. The positive changes are attributed to a more focused marketing and sales strategy by the revamped tourist board, which was partly privatized early this year, a move which seemingly paid off as the country enjoys growing market shares and intense interest from not just their old but also new and emerging markets.

ANTI-PIRACY MEASURES NOW EXTEND TO SEYCHELLESโ€™ OUTER ISLANDS
After strengthening the naval and aerial capacity of the Seychelles defense forces under bilateral and multilateral support schemes by friendly countries, the government in Victoria has decided to man some of the outer islands with security personnel to prevent undetected landings of Somali pirates. It is understood that those troop contingents have rather robust orders, mandates, and rules of engagement tailored to deal with any intruders on the spot, attempting to land on any of these often tiny islands. This is the latest measure learned from sources in the capital of Victoria to be taken by the Seychelles government to protect their two mainstream economic activities, tourism and fishing, and not let Somali ocean terrorists freely dictate their sphere of operations in to the waters of a sovereign state.

SEAJACKING OF BRITISH YACHT LEADS TO FRESH CALL FOR DECISIVE REACTION
The capture of a private yacht and seizure of a British couple, sailing from the Seychelles towards Tanzania, has brought about fresh calls for more determined action against pirates. The tourism industry, including visiting yachts and cruise ships, is big business in the Seychelles, and as mentioned in the earlier piece in this column, the government is doing increasingly more to prevent any incidents in Seychelles waters, leave alone any of their islands. The impunity of pirates, operating ever wider out to sea, has now led to demands that the international naval coalition and air forces need to be more determined to create a credible deterrent against pirate mother ships and skiffs and that unmanned aerial vehicles, also often referred to as drones, be armed instead of only providing surveying capacity. It has also been demanded that the area in question be put under notice that unidentified crafts can and will be engaged decisively to stop the ocean terror wreaked on the rest of the world by Somalis resorting to these criminal and terror-like activities. It is understood that the latest series of incidents may now also lead to more forward action to engage and incapacitate the safe havens the pirates have used so far to deny them the future use of land-based logistical support. Such a widening of the mandate of the international naval coalition and change of the rules of engagement may be the only way to draw a line in the sand and make the ocean terrorists understand that enough is enough, and they will themselves become targets the moment they head towards these waters.

ZAMBIA/1TIME AIRLINE UPDATE
Following inquiries by readers, this column can now confirm that the airline will be using MD 87 equipment for their flights from Johannesburg to Livingstone, which are due to commence in a few weeks. The aircraft will operate with 130 seats in an all-economy configuration.

SUDANโ€™S AZZA AIR TEMPORARILY BANNED FROM UAE FLIGHTS
Following the crash of a Boeing 707-320C, owned by Azza Air but leased to and operated by Sudan Airways, the UAE aviation authorities have slapped a temporary ban on the airline banning it from flights in and out of the UAE until clarity has been reached over the cause of the accident. Added information received since then ruled out overloading but points at a piece of the wing, likely to be a flap โ€“ crucial to provide lift to aircraft taking off and landing โ€“ had detached when reaching rotation speed, then causing the aircraft to veer sharply before crashing. Flight data recorders are already being examined by experts under the leadership of the GCAA based in Abu Dhabi. Other flights by AZZA on Sudanโ€™s domestic routes are said to be operating normally, although travel agents in Juba this column was in touch with, spoke of some apprehension by passengers to be booked on the airline.

East Africa tourism report

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE AND EVER LESS TO DRINK

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE AND EVER LESS TO DRINK
The national water corporation has lamented the ongoing pollution of Lake Victoria and the present blooming of new algae fields not far from its main pumping station in the suburb of Gaba, Kampala. Consumers across the city have complained of falling water supplies and irregular supplies, blamed by the water company on a reduction in processing capacity of presently some 30,000 cubic meters a day. The algae bloom and other pollutants make the production of potable water lengthier in its process and more costly due to the added quantities of chemicals now required. Lake Victoria is the worldโ€™s second largest fresh water lake, after Lake Superior in North America, and a source of water and fish for millions of Africans living along its extensive shores. The lake is shared between Tanzania, which accounts for about 49 percent of the surface, Uganda with about 45 percent of the surface including the source of the river Nile, and Kenya with the remaining 6 percent of the surface of the lake falling into its territory. However, recent allegations of overfishing and pollution caused by fertilizer run off has caused serious concerns among not just environmentalists but society at large, and several major projects are rolling out to improve the water quality and protect the tributary rivers, too. Meanwhile, the lamentations of the water managers cite broken pipes that at times wait for days to be repaired, causing the precious liquid to spill back into the gutters, make mud pools, or break up the tarmac.

UGANDA AIR CARGO INTRODUCES Y-12S
As reported in a related column item recently, the Uganda Air Cargo Corporation (UACC) has taken delivery of two Harbin Y-12 Chinese-built passenger planes, each with a seating capacity of 19 passengers. Up to that limit, no cabin crew is mandatory in flight under Ugandan and international air service regulations, making operations more economical on short sectors, although the UACC may put a cabin attendant on board its flights. According to usually well-informed sources, the airline intends to venture into the passenger business but will initially offer the planes for charters to domestic and regional destinations, while later on trying to secure an expanded air services license (ASL) for scheduled operations. No reliable information could be obtained, however, on planned destinations in the region. No information was available either on the location of the maintenance facility looking after these aircraft, but these details must be revealed upon application for a new air services license in a public hearing conducted by the UCAAโ€™s board of directorsโ€™ licensing committee.

SHILLINGS KEEPS RISING
As reported a few weeks ago, the Ugandan shilling has appreciated considerably against the greenback, from a low of nearly 2,300 shillings for one US dollar to now below 1,900 shillings for one US dollar. Similarly, other currencies like the UK pound, the euro, the Swiss franc, yen, and UAE dinar are affected in the same way. Local expenses are, therefore, dearer for visitors, who have to change more of their home currency to afford locally-procured meals, drinks, and souvenirs, while exporters fetch less in shillings for their dollar earnings, already leading to complaints by farmers and agricultural/horticultural businesses that their income no longer covers the rising costs suffered in recent years.

BUSOGA KINGDOM REMAINS WITHOUT KING
In a predicted development, the 11 chiefs of the Busoga Kingdom met in Kampala under the moderation of a government minister, to discuss the recent election of a new Kyabazinga (or king) for their kingdom east of the River Nile. While one of the chiefs was reportedly out of country, the other 10 apparently agreed to hold a fresh round of elections to select a new king in an apparent move to find a more harmonious outcome to the process prescribed by the kingdomโ€™s constitution and rules. Watch this space as this year-long saga continues to grip the attention of Ugandans.

A KING IS CROWNED IN KASESE
The long demand by the Rwenzururu clans in the west of Uganda, around the area of Kasese on the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, has led to the formal coronation of their own king after years of struggle to have their cultural institution recognized. It appears from the sketchy historical records available at this time that the demand was first voiced over 40 years ago when the area residents began to oppose the Toro kings as their overlords and created a growing split, eventually succeeding. The ceremony reportedly brought some 60,000 people from the area together in Kasese to witness the crowning ceremony, and President Yoweri Museveni was the guest of honor at the coronation. His advice – to respect and live in peace with communities around the kingdom not wishing to be associated with the cultural institution – was well placed, considering the recent events related to the Buganda kingdom, where a section of communities living along the River Nileโ€™s eastern bank have rejected the traditional Buganda overlord, leading to incited riots in Kampala at the time (see the related previous reports in www.www.eturbonews.com/africa). Government supporters were swift to point out that contrary to allegations made by Buganda kingdom hardliners that the president was anti-monarchy, his support for the creation of the new kingdom and presence during the entire function, was enough evidence that this was wishful thinking and far from reality.

SHERATON HITS MEETING MARKET WITH EXTRAORDINARY OFFERS
The cost of meetings at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel has now been set as low as US$35 per participant, which includes the use of the selected meeting room, notepad and branded pen, and one coffee break either in the morning or in the afternoon. Lunch for participants is served on the outside terrace from the daily buffet and inclusive in the quoted rate. A second coffee break, needed for a full day meeting, goes for an additional US$2 per participant and all taxes and service charges are included. The Sheraton features a number of state-of-the-art meeting and board rooms and free, ample and secure parking is also available for guests, an added benefit the hotel can offer its patrons. After the meeting, the hotel offers a different evening theme or activity every workday of the week, often started with the happy hour, enticing the work-shoppers to stay on a little longer and enjoy the good life in the heart of the city after work.

AIRPORT HANDLING UNDER FRESH STRIKE THREAT
Entebbe Handling Services, in short ENHAS, has been subjected to a fresh strike threat by the unions to enforce its demand for better pay. A few days ago, workers downed their tools in a sudden wild cat strike, trying to use the threat of lack of handling of inbound and outgoing aircraft as a pressure point towards management, but this was swiftly overcome, ultimately without success. The companyโ€™s management offered a flat rate increase of Uganda Shillings 70,000 for the lower pay grades, but this was rejected by the union as not enough. This figure translates into about US$37 per month at current exchange rates. The Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union and its shop stewards demand, however, a 50 percent pay raise, considered unlikely to succeed given the economic situation in the country at large and the level of profitability of airport handling in particular. Entebbe has two handling companies licensed right now, the other one being DAS Handling, which among others, looks after Kenya Airways while ENHAS handles Air Uganda and most of the big airlines coming from overseas. It cannot be ruled out that the government may intervene if indeed a strike would threaten to ground operations in Entebbe, as the land-locked country depends on air transport for passengers and cargo movements.

โ€ONE MINUTE SOUTHโ€ GETTING READY TO OPEN ON BULAGO ISLAND
Alison Porteous, co-owner of the Bulago Islandโ€™s holding company LVSC, has set her eyes on a new venture on the island after the main lodge has been handed over to Wild Places Africa for refurbishment and future management. Ali will be opening a private residence soon, named โ€œ1 Minute Southโ€ after the geographical location of the island on Lake Victoria. The private residence will feature an infinity pool for a maximum of 14 guests able to stay at the mansion, and they will enjoy full-fledged butler service, and excellent cuisine is promised, too. The residence also has a private beach accessible only by guests staying at the house. Watch this space for the opening announcement in due course. Bulago Island is only 6 to 8 minutes by air from the Kajjansi airfield and speed boats take between 40-50 minutes from the mainland.

KENYA HOSTS EL NINO MEETING
The threat of widespread flooding as a result of the onset of the el Nino-induced rainy season has shocked the member states of the East African Community (EAC) into action, after the first taste of those excessive rains has already caused landslides and partial flooding in some areas. Earlier in the week in Nairobi, the EAC countries were joined by Ethiopia and reportedly also Eritrea to map out emergency responses, raise the level of preparedness, and agree on food and material assistance, which may be extended to the affected countries and regions to reduce the impact on already impoverished populations as a result of the long-lasting drought. Meanwhile, the rains caused the first major traffic snarl in Kenya, when a heavy truck slid and got stuck on a temporary bypass alongside the road construction area along the main Mombasa to Nairobi highway, causing other vehicles to also get stuck in the softening quagmire and eventually bringing traffic to a standstill for 17 kilometers, which lasted more than 10 hours, before clearing the obstacle.

KENYA AIRWAYS LADY CAPTAIN HONORED
This weekend, Captain Irene Mutungi will receive the Africa Legend of Travel award as part of the Africa Travel Awards ceremony held in Lagos, Nigeria. Having made her way through the ranks of piloting, she made it to the summit when she got her four stripes handed by Kenya Airways, after a successful previous flying career with the airline as a co-pilot. It is understood from sources within KQ, that Capt. Irene was not just KQโ€™s first lady captain but also the first African lady captain appointed by a major continental airline. In total, Kenya Airways employs four lady captains and over 20 lady co-pilots, underscoring the Pride of Africaโ€™s ambition to become a full equal opportunity employer. This deliberate policy has not just benefitted the airline by tapping into the hitherto neglected pool of female piloting aspirants, permitting them to fill vacancies with Kenyan nationals, but it also opened the door for professional women on a continent still struggling to come to terms with equality and in an industry and profession which was for decades marked by male domination and resistance, to open the doors for the other half of the world population. In the past, Kenya Airways has on occasions deliberately put an all-female crew on board of one of its aircraft, cockpit, and cabin for PR purposes and to demonstrate its support of equal opportunities in the aviation sector and to also show its passengers that times have indeed, and thankfully, changed. Well done Capt. Irene, and well done Kenya Airways.

MOMBASA HOSTS INTERNATIONAL FISHING CONFERENCE
Over two dozen countries have sent experts to the Kenyan port city of Mombasa to discuss reigning in the excesses of fishing, in particular for tuna species, in the Indian Ocean off the Eastern African coast line. The meeting is looking into research data released previously to assess the damage already done to the fish stocks and find sustainable solutions to permit them to recover in future years. Of concern to many of the poorer countries is the matter of illegal fishing inside the declared 200 nautical miles of economic exclusion zones, which has, in the past, denied such countries revenues, as they were not able to enforce a naval blockade against illegal fishing vessels nor pursue them and arrest them. One of the aims of the meeting is to establish a mechanism, like CITES for wildlife, to apply for the fishing industry, too, and make it eventually impossible to trade illegally-caught fish on the open market, as is presently the case. As a side issue, discussions on the Somali piracy are also taking place on the fringes of the conference, and it is generally expected that the naval coalition will receive support for tougher mandates and increases in its fleet size to more effectively patrol the sea lanes and prevent hijacking of ships.
Deep sea fishing (angling) has long been a favorite pastime of local expatriates and tourists coming to East Africa, but the depletion of certain species over the years has now led to a widely-practised tag and release policy among the leading boat owner companies in Malindi, Mombasa, the Pemba Channel, Zanzibar, and further down south towards the Mozambique Channel and beyond into South African waters.

KENYA BUZZ TO LAUNCH PUBLIC TRANSPORT MAP
Kenyaโ€™s premier insider web guide is now in the final stage to launch a matatu map for the greater Nairobi area, which gives the more adventurous visitors to the country, or those on a shoe-string budget, renewed options on how to explore the capital and its environs by the same mode of transportation used by millions of Kenyans every day. Visit www.kenyabuzz.com for more information and also to subscribe to its free weekly mailing for any sort of activity one can imagine or wish to take part in, from Salsa dancing lessons to pottery classes; making flower arrangements or learning how to cook a particular dish; to the latest restaurants, sporting, and charity events; as well as outdoor activities; and 4X4-driving training on a proper off road range – you name it, itโ€™s in Kenya Buzz.

RWANDA EMBRACES CYCLING TOURS
The latest en vogue activity in Rwanda appears to be cycling, as several safari operators are now offering such tours in selected locations across the country. RDB-T&C has also confirmed that cycling inside the Nyungwe National Park is permitted upon prior notification, but this presently applies only to individual cyclists, with organized tours expected to be on the market for 2010. It could also be established that some companies are importing mountain bikes suitable for rough off-road terrain and that such tours would be operated with qualified guides trained not only in safe operations but also first aid, just in case a cyclist takes an unintended dive. Meanwhile, sports cycling also gained greater popularity in Rwanda, and the national team has participated in several races both inside Rwanda as well as abroad. The terrain of the country, being hilly at best and mountainous at worst, sets its own challenges for beginners who want to cycle the country, but being able to see the magnificent scenery will be a great reward for those tourists taking the slow route across Rwanda.

KINGโ€™S HUNTING PALACE TO BECOME TOURISM ATTRACTION
It was announced earlier in the week, that the hunting palace of the late King Mutara III, located in the Nyagatare district of Rwanda, is due to be rehabilitated and then transformed into a historical site. This will permit visitors to Rwanda to sample the cultural history of the country, which spans back many centuries, in addition to having a nature-based, wildlife safari experience. The โ€œland of a thousand hillsโ€ is presently diversifying its tourism products and will undoubtedly benefit from extra interest by tourist visitors coming to learn about the history and culture of the former kingdom. Sadly, the historic palace was looted and desecrated during the 1994 genocide, when artifacts, memorabilia, and furniture were taken or destroyed. The restoration will be based on available file photos and recollections by survivors to make it as real as possible.

NEW HOTEL RULES WILL BE OUT ON NOVEMBER 5
The Rwanda Development Board โ€“ Tourism and Conservation, in short RDB-T&C, has announced that they will publish all relevant new documentation in regard of hotel standards and classification by early November to permit both the business community, as well as the public, to understand better the concept of the changes now underway โ€“ aimed to align Rwanda with the rest of the East African Community (EAC). It is also understood that legislation and regulations will be aligned, as will policy white papers, so that in coming years, the region can indeed be marketed as one destination with many attractions, permitting tourist visitors seamless itineraries free of bothersome custom and immigration procedures other than at the initial point of entry and final point of departure from the EAC.

AIR SEYCHELLES TO GET NEW TWIN OTTER
The national airline of the Seychelles expects to take delivery of a new De Havilland Twin Otter aircraft before the end of the year to boost its domestic capacity for flights from the main international airport on the island of Mahe to the outlying islands of the extensive archipelago. Passengers flying to the Seychelles on the national airline, and also on other carriers, can book their onward flights in advance to their final destination where many of the exotic resorts on smaller Robinson-type islands, depend on regular air services to bring in their guests and much-needed urgent supplies. The aircraftโ€™s avionics, engines, and related systems are state of the art, making significant operational savings on fuel and maintenance possible. A second new Twin Otter aircraft purchase has been deferred for the time being until the economic impact of the new aircraft has been assessed and relevant data are at hand to make an informed decision. The Twin Otter is a short take-off and short landing aircraft and operates in and out of very short and narrow airstrips on some of the smaller outlying islands, which often span from one beach across the entire island to the other side, making the use of smaller STOL-capable aircraft a must.

SEYCHELLES IS UKโ€™S TOP HONEYMOON DESTINATION
UK tour operators termed the Seychelles as its top honeymoon destination, with Marrakech, Jamaica, and Las Vegas occupying the next three places. Affordable Seychelles has apparently made its way to the top with a combination of the exotic, fair prices and easy access by air with major airlines – all factors for making the decision where to go after the most important day in oneโ€™s life. Many resorts have specialized in honeymoon packages, and weddings on one of the many islands of the archipelago are gaining popularity. Some of the smaller island resorts are booked almost exclusively by honeymooners, offering privacy, private beach access from its cottages or beach villas, and a befitting social program, which is available either for the couple alone or in small groups of other honeymooners.

ANNUAL CREOLE FESTIVAL KICKS OFF
The 24th edition of the annual Creole Festival is taking place this weekend, celebrating the diversity and rich cultural heritage of the archipelago. Corporate sponsors and tourism businesses have contributed cash and in-kind towards the holding of the festival, which will feature performing arts, crafts, fashion, and food, amongst many other activities. Tourist visitors on the island will receive relevant information from their respective hotels to be able to visit sites and observe the various events.

SEYCHELLES PRESIDENT ADDRESSES TOURISM MEETING IN BEIJING
The Seychelles Tourism Board conducted a workshop and B2B sessions last week, seeking to attract a greater number of Chinese citizens to visit the archipelago. The president, while on an official visit to the Chinese capital, used the opportunity to underscore his governmentโ€™s commitment to the tourism sector by appearing in person. He also invited Chinese airlines to fly to the Seychelles to provide a direct connection from China to the islands.

โ€1TIME AIRLINEโ€ COMMENCES LIVINGSTONE FLIGHTS
(Information provided by Gill Staden, eTN Zambia ambassador)
South African visitors will soon have added choices if they opt to see the Victoria Falls of the Zambezi River. Information was received that the โ€œ1Time Airlineโ€ is commencing flights from Johannesburg into Livingstone on the Zambian side of the falls on November 26, 2009. They will initially operate four times a week on Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday, all flights being nonstop and taking about 1 hour and 45 minutes flying time. The special start-up fares have been published at ZAR890 one way and ZAR1850 return (payable in Zambian Kwacha) subject to seat availability at the time of booking. Different fares, however, may apply when booking in South Africa, and intending travelers are advised to make early inquiries.
For reservations and sales in Zambia, contact the airlineโ€™s general sales agent Southend Travel as follows: tel: +260 213 320241 or +260 213 320773 or +260 213 322128, cell: +260 99619700, or email Mr. Ramesh at [email protected] .

SUDANESE CARGO PLANE CRASHES IN SHARJAH
A Sudanese registered Boeing 707-320C crashed on Wednesday afternoon around 1530 hours local time, shortly after takeoff from Sharjah International Airport โ€“ a regional cargo hub from which many flights take off for African destinations โ€“ killing all 6 crew and other staff on board. Sudan has been hard hit in recent years with air accidents, many of which involved aged former Soviet Union type aircrafts like Antonovs and Iljushins. First information available from Sharjah points to a possible case of overloading as a cause of the crash, when the aircraft appears to have struggled to gain altitude before it then veered sharply off course and flipped before crashing and bursting into flames. There is confirmation that the plane was owned by Azza Air, a privately-owned airline operating cargo and passenger flights within the Sudan and into the region, but apparently on lease to Sudan Airways, itself hard hit by a spate of recent crashes. The accident led to the temporary closure of the airport to allow for the retrieval of the flight data and voice recorders, other parts needed for the accident investigation, and the clearing of the debris before resuming operations. The Sudanese aviation fraternity has expressed their shock over the crash and are mourning their colleagues who died in the inferno.

SOUTHERN SUDAN INTRODUCES INVESTMENT LEGISLATION
Investors interested in the southern Sudan will soon find a changed legal environment, making projects in the south more attractive and facilitating a number of crucial issues like ownership or lease of land, an absolute prerequisite for anyone wishing to put up a hotel, resort or safari lodge; farm commercially; or build and set up factories. The information about the new laws are now beginning to circulate within the East African Community, where the south Sudan missions are propagating the new Investment Promotions Act, the new Land Act, and the new regulations in regard of taxation. It is of particular importance that the new land laws will finally permit land, owned or leased, to be used as collateral with financial institutions and banks to back up credits with a tangible security, not possible so far under the old legislation. New rules regarding the registration of businesses were published last week, which will culminate in the launch of a new business registry unit under the Ministry of Finance. Greater regional and international showcasing of southern Sudanโ€™s investment opportunities in trade fairs and investment exhibitions is also on the drawing board to allow the private sector to participate and play a lead role in bringing infrastructure, services, and industry to the south, be able to create much needed jobs in the post civil war era, and fight poverty and spread prosperity.

East Africa tourism report

ZIWA RHINO SANCTUARY CELEBRATES SECOND BIRTH WITHIN MONTHS

ZIWA RHINO SANCTUARY CELEBRATES SECOND BIRTH WITHIN MONTHS
Following the birth a few months ago of โ€œlittle Obama,โ€ the first rhino born in Uganda for about 30 years, good news emerged from the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, when the chairman of the Rhino Fund Uganda, Dirk ten Brink, informed this correspondent of the second birth on October 7, this time from โ€œBella.โ€ Bella originally comes from the Solio Sanctuary in Central Kenya near Nyeri and is now 10 years old. There are now 6 adult rhinos, 3 males, and 3 females on the 17,000 acre sanctuary plus, of course, the two young ones.

Little Obama is now up and running, and visits to him and his still very protective mom are finally possible, as long as safe distances are kept between the visitors and the rhinos, but Bella has gone into overdrive to keep rangers, wardens, guides, and other staff of the sanctuary away from the newborn, resulting in no gender being established yet. Once that is accomplished, the name-giving will be attended to.

Bella was the first to become pregnant some two years ago but then suffered complications and lost her unborn baby, and it is of special joy at Ziwa that she has finally entered proper motherhood.

The Rhino Fund Uganda made all this happen with the help and assistance of many donors and sponsors, which allowed building of the sanctuary at Ziwa Ranch, courtesy of Capt. and Mrs. Roy who granted the land-use rights for initially thirty years and then moved their cattle to a neighboring estate while the funds raised – including a major grant from the European Union – helped to fence the 17,000-acre ranch and turn it into a proper sanctuary. That was achieved after the RFU had first built a rhino enclosure at the Wildlife Education Centre in Entebbe, and obtained two rhinos sponsored by the Kampala Sheraton Hotel and the Ruparelia Group, aptly named Sherino and Kabira.

Visitor numbers since the arrival of little Obama have soared, but financial sustainability of the sanctuary is still some time off, as vet bills, security cost, ongoing capital expenditures. and recurrent expenses keep racing ahead of the monthly income.

Write to Angie, the RFU’s executive director and CEO of the Sanctuary via [email protected] for more information on how best to contribute to the upkeep of Ziwa and to help the breeding program. The success at Ziwa will determine how fast the first rhinos can then be relocated to their original environment like the Kidepo Valley National Park and the Murchisons Falls National Park. For now, the arrival of baby number two – number three is expected in early 2010 if not before – will be a boost for tourism and conservation in Uganda and hopefully bring yet more visitors to the sanctuary.

INTERCONTINENTAL TO MANAGE NEW SHIMONI HOTEL?
It appears that the government has at last cleared the new partnership which has taken over the Shimoni land from Kingdom Hotels, after the Gulf-based hotel company failed to make any progress over the past years, contrary to promises made at the time when they obtained the 17-acre prime city plot. This act displaced a major primary school and teachers training college, the fallout of which is still felt by many teachers and parents and which has repeatedly led to public calls to deal in a sharper manner with fake investors taking the country for a ride after first maneuvering themselves up to the political leadership. The new partnership, which took over Kingdomโ€™s stake, was initially put under the microscope when the former State Minister for Investments and now Ugandan Ambassador to the UAE publicly expressed his doubts over the only recently-formed company, which seems to have now been sorted out after an apparent process of due diligence. The new developers claim to have US$80 million available already, considered enough to start a project of this magnitude. No confirmation, however, has been received about the planned construction start or about size and features of the planned hotel, other than that it will be a 5-star facility. Equally, no confirmation would be given by Intercontinental Hotels that they would indeed manage the facility, leaving this also open to ongoing speculation, which was raised by some of the local media. The nearest Intercontinental Hotel is the one in Nairobi, which was initially built in the 1970s and has since then seen several major refurbishments.

UWA DEFUSING MT. ELGON HOTSPOTS
Regular readers of this column will recall the challenges the Uganda Wildlife Authority is facing in its task to conserve the Mt. Elgon ecosystem and protect crucially-important water sources. However, the intimated cooperation and engagement with at least some of the neighboring communities is now bearing fruits, as a Memorandum of Understanding has finally been signed with the Bududa district authorities. Going by comments from UWA, this is only the start of such initiatives, as talks with other districts and local leaders continue in an effort to defuse the tension, which exists between UWA on one side and encroachers, timber thieves, and hooligans used by their political godfathers to cause conflict around the park boundaries.

MT. MGAHINGA NATIONAL PARK WELCOMES GORILLAS BACK
The second gorilla national park in Uganda, located near Kisoro along the common border with Rwanda and the Congo DR, has recently welcomed back a group of habituated gorillas, which in the past had made it a habit to migrate across the borders. This made tracking them from Kisoro all but impossible, and for long periods of time, the park only had visitors for hikes in the forest but not to visit the gorillas. This denied the park of income, to be precise US$500 per person, per gorilla tracking, leaving UWA out of pocket after having invested in the 2+ year habituation period for the Nyakagezi group. However, they are now back, and sale of permits has immediately commenced again, while tracking for the so-called golden monkeys has also taken root as the park management developed other tourism products while the gorillas were AWOL. The open borders deep in the forest and up the volcano, however, always contributes to the possibility of the group to migrate away again, either into the Congo or the Rwanda side of the mountain, and should that happen, this column will provide readers with updates. Meanwhile, as the UN Year of the Gorilla 2009 is in its third quarter, the return of the Nyakagezi group will boost tourism in particular in the Kisoro area, and when the new tarmac road from Kabale to Kisoro is finally complete, it will make visits much easier by road and promises a substantial increase of tourists to one of the most scenic parts of Uganda.

KENYA AIRWAYSโ€™ EAST AFRICAN CLASSIC SAFARI RALLY SET FOR NOVEMBER
Entries have now closed for the KQ-sponsored East African Classic Safari Rally, which will be held from November 23, when the classic cars and โ€œclassic driversโ€ will be flagged off from the Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa. By the time of going to press, some 50 cars had been registered with the organizers. The rally, Kenya Airwaysโ€™ main sponsorship event for 2009, will cover some 4,500 kilometres, bringing back fond memories when the Safari Rally was still part of the world championship rally calendar and held every year over the Easter weekend, to permit volunteers โ€“ including yours truly on a few occasions โ€“ help the local entrants compete against the better-equipped work teams. This yearโ€™s route also extends into Tanzania, making it an east African event. The first rally was called the โ€œCoronation Rallyโ€ and covered all the east African states of old – Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya – before various factors then restricted the Safari Rally to Kenya.

KENYAN TOURISM FRATERNITY LAYS INTO FOREIGN MINISTER
Recent remarks attributed to the Kenyan foreign minister that the 50 percent reduction of visa fees has not yielded the expected results, has met with a storm of objections and condemnation by the countryโ€™s tourism sector, with some accusing the minister of putting income over strategy and not understanding what has been achieved so far. Indeed, the halving of the visa fees from US$50 to only US$25 has been credited with stabilizing the downward trend and assisting a reversal and recovery of the Kenyan tourism industry. Ministers are often notorious of only thinking from one election cycle to the next, and being half way through the present term of parliament seems to have spurred thoughts on how best to fill the coffers again to sustain the next campaign. The tourism industry, however, countered these comments, with sections now demanding that the visa fee be dropped altogether while others expressed their opinions to resist increasing it to the previous levels as a minimum condition.

NO VAT FOR CRUISE SHIP SERVICES PLEASE
More controversy is brewing between the Kenyan tourism industry and government, as plans became known that a 16 percent VAT would soon be charged on all services rendered to visiting cruise liners to Mombasa. As the visiting ships will not be able to reclaim VAT, being registered elsewhere, prices for visits to the Kenyan coast will rise by an equivalent figure, raising doubts if the progress made in past months to attract more cruise ships to call on Mombasa will not be reversed. Leading coast and Kenyan tourism figures have already made their opposition known to government and warned of a loss of such business to the ports of Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam and that the plans, if not reversed, will spell doom for the local tourism business depending on handling of cruise passengers. Kenya has been partnering with South Africa and of late even the Seychelles and have been offering a joint Indian Ocean cruise circuit, which could be a very profitable business for Mombasa and Kenya in general, but the taxmanโ€™s plans are not helpful to support the recovery of the sector hard hit in past years by political unrest after the last elections and the global economic crisis, which has affected the tourism industry considerably before showing a fledgling revival in recent months.

MORE WOES FOR BOEING
The development of the new B747-8F has now joined its sibling the B747-8I and its sister ship B787 in giving the company headaches over the first flight and further subsequent delays in deliveries. The company, in apparent relation to this situation, will also take a US$1 billion charge into its next balance sheet. Shareholders are now said to have become rather jittery over the financial future of the company, and more departures of senior management are no longer ruled out after Boeingโ€™s Commercial Airplanes president stepped down a couple of weeks ago over the unmitigated disaster of the B787 development and the constant changes of goal posts โ€“ referring to announcements made by Boeing about the B787 timelines, each needing adjustments at a later stage and always after initially denying media reports to the same effect. In east Africa, industry observers are closely watching Kenya Airwaysโ€™ upcoming decision-making process about the replacement of its ageing B767 fleet, and a recent interview by this correspondent with KQโ€™s CEO Titus Naikuni gave the clearest indication yet that the purchase of Airbus A330s may substitute the airlineโ€™s doubtful B787 order.

ORLY AIRPARK OPENS ON OCTOBER 17
The long awaited airpark on the Athi plains is now being prepared for the grand opening, due on Saturday, October 17. Aviators and aviation faithful are all invited to go and witness the event, which will be accompanied with a show of air acrobatics, or so the story has been told. Having been asked on some occasions in the past, when reporting about progress, how this name came about and if it has anything to do with the Paris airport of the same name, here is the answer to the riddle provided by the venerable Harro Trempenau, chairman of the Aero Club of East Africa in Nairobi: the exact area of location is by the Masai called โ€œOlooloitikosh,โ€ clearly a tongue breaker for most, and hence it was shortened into the โ€œOrly.โ€ which most can pronounce and yet have no clue how it came about, until now that is. The new facility, in which the Aeroclub is a shareholder, already has 15 hangars, seven houses (off the field), a proper lounge, and club house, of course, and a landing strip fit for most light aircraft, both single and twin engine. The 240-acre piece of land is undergoing further development, and aviation fans can see skydivers, microlights, gyrocopters, and much more in a friendly atmosphere and without the mindboggling and smothering circumstances now witnessed at major aerodromes and airports around the world, where getting near an aircraft is all but impossible โ€“ at Orly the kids will still be able to put their hand on the real thing and touch the aircraft skin, which may stir the interest of the next generation of fliers. So donโ€™t miss being there on Saturday, October 17 at 1:00 pm to witness Kenyan aviation history being made. Write to [email protected] for directions, if needed.

FLY 540 ADDS DASH 8 TO FLEET, CRJ DUE NEXT WEEK
The regionโ€™s first true low-cost airline with operational bases in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania has recently added a Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft with 37 seats to supplement its fleet of ATR 42s and ATR 72s, which continues to be its workhorse aircraft. The new aircraft will be deployed for extra flights on routes within Kenya but may also appear from time to time across its regional network. In a related development, it was also confirmed by Fly 540โ€™s senior management that the long-expected Bombardier CRJ is due in Nairobi by next week and will, upon the completion of all registration formalities, be deployed on the Entebbe route as of November 1, operating the two daily services. Fly 540 offers the first flight out of Nairobi to Entebbe and a convenient early evening return from Uganda to Kenya for โ€œone-dayers.โ€ The entry of the Fly 540 jet aircraft on the route will then make for up to 8 daily connections between Entebbe and Nairobi, all operated by jet aircraft of CRJ and B737 makes, undoubtedly bringing more choices to travelers and keeping fares in check. All eyes are now on the regulators, which have faced acid criticism over keeping regulatory charges and taxes high, in some cases almost doubling the cost of a flight when added on the airlinesโ€™ fares.

WEBCAM WEATHER REPORTING SYSTEM ENJOYS GROWING POPULARITY
The following webcams are now operating on www.kenyawebcam.com: Kijabe-Rift Valley, Wilson Airport – Aero Club of East Africa, Ngong Hills from Langata, Lamu, Kilimanjaro – Kampi ya Kanzi,
Nyeri, Kilima Camp- Masai Mara, and Watamu. Two webcams at Diani Beach, to be sponsored by www.Kikoy.com, will be up soon. Keep checking for updates. Sponsors are needed for additional webcams, especially at Kericho, Marsabit, Nanyuki, and other key areas. Adds this correspondent: what a wonderful initiative to improve aviation safety by giving the pilots up-to-date weather information at their destination. Read the following piece to learn even more about the impact of this private sector driven project.

MET WORKSHOP OPENS EYES
On September 9 and 10, the Aero Club and the Kenya Association of Air Operators attended a two-day workshop on aviation weather forecasting and reporting. The event, organized by the Kenya Met Department, was very interesting in that it revealed that the Met Department actually possesses plenty of good aviation weather information, but somehow this does not reach the consumer. For example, the department has excellent satellite shots of Kenya on the quarter hour showing winds aloft, location of rain and thunderstorms, etc.

In a PowerPoint presentation, Harro Trempenau made it clear to the weathermen that
the target group that does not have sufficient weather information is the 80 percent of Kenyan aircraft that fly VFR and do not necessarily fly in or out of any of the seven airports where there are MET stations – Mombasa, Malindi, Wajir, Nairobi JKIA, Nairobi Wilson, Kisumu, and Eldoret. He explained that what is needed are decent satellite shots on the Internet or through GPRS, weather information enroute and at airfields of destination, information about winds on the ground and aloft, etc. Trempenau explained that right now the majority of pilots in Kenya gets their weather info through a “marifa” way, i.e., “self-help” way. Pilots use their mobile phones to call someone at airports of destination to ask “iko mvua?” meaning “do you see any blue holes?” or they go to foreign web sites to get TAFs and METARS from the US government and Eumetsat, etc. The official Met Department web site contains little of use to pilots.

The eyes of those in attendance really popped out when Trempenau illustrated the webcam system that the aviators in Kenya have created, with great initiative by Elsen Karsted. The KQ rep had just complained that its aircraft had no weather information when flying to Lamu. Trempenau was able to pull out the Lamu webcam to show him that Lamu had blue skies and the tide was high one minute ago.

The inevitable question of user fees also came up. The Met Department wants a share of the income from KAA and KCAA. Stakeholders argued that they should pay nothing until they get a product that is useable. They pushed for an aviation web site run by the Met Department, showing an hourly high-quality satellite shot of Kenya and the region, Tafs, and Metars for all seven airports where the Met Department is based, as well as an ATIS at all airports where the Met Department has offices, introducing Automatic Weather Recording Stations in critical areas like Mau, Marsabit, Aberdareโ€™s, Nyeri, etc, and sponsoring a large number of webcams from www.kenyawebcam.com. Trempenau also pushed for more accurate seven-day forecasts of rain and vertical velocity, etc.

It remains to be seen if the message was received. Until the Met department improves services, the majority of pilots, most of whom fly VFR at lower altitudes, need different information than the high-flying airliners. The Met guys really thought that information about upper air turbulence is what was wanted. Basically, they had no idea that more than 80 percent of all flying in Kenya is done by little airplanes, flying VFR, and hoping for the best at any of the 650 bush strips at the other end.

KENYA LAUNCHES FOREST INVENTORY
After the huge political fallout over the almost total destruction of the Mau forest water catchment area, and similar development elsewhere in the country, the Kenya government has ordered a full, up-to-date inventory of existing forests and the extent of any encroachment. The Ministry of Forests and Wildlife will be overseeing the exercise, which is estimated to cost at least 30 million Kenya shillings. Qualified foresters and support staff have reportedly already been recruited to kick-start the research. By the end of the year, the ministry hopes to have covered at least 80,000 hectares of forests, but final results are not expected before some time well into 2010.

CONFERENCE CENTRE SEEKS EXPANSION
The Kenyan tourism minister has commented on the Kenyatta International Conference Centreโ€™s plans to expand, by saying he would welcome investorsโ€™ expressions of interest to partner in the expansion of the government-owned facility. When being built in the 1970s, the KICC was a sparkling piece of architecture in the heart of the city, only a few minutesโ€™ walk from the Hilton and Intercontinental hotels. After years of decline, however, the facility was refurbished and has managed to reclaim its former market position by bagging many international meetings, conferences, and conventions and by being a key participant in Kenyaโ€™s drive to capture a bigger market share in the MICE segment, which is considered highly profitable for the country, with average spending by a conference tourist being about 50 percent higher than that of a leisure tourist. The expansion plans include the building of a hotel, underground parking, and a top-of-the-range mall on land adjoining the KICC and presently used for outdoor exhibitions or as recreational grounds.

SKY NEWS REPORT ON DROUGHT BRINGS SPOTLIGHT TO KENYA
The ongoing drought conditions in Kenya, frequently referred to in this column, has brought global media big gun SKY News into the fray, when its African news team filmed the hardships of life in northern Kenya, causing people to starve, livestock to die, and game reserves and national parks to be made a last resort of survival for cattle, goats, and the wildlife inside already struggling to make it to the next day. In Kenya, as is the case in Tanzania and Uganda, pastoralists have invaded protected areas in search of pasture and water for their animals, disregarding the standing rules as their last resort. It is understood that the regional wildlife managers are seeking a way out of these circumstances, but until the rains fall, it will be hard if not impossible to force the herders away, some of whom have taken to defending their livestock by force to have at least some animals left when the drought breaks. Tourism marketers have also been struggling to come to terms with the weather conditions, as wildlife has died alongside livestock for lack of water or edible greens and all hopes are now pinned on the onset of the coming rains. This is, however, not without its own risks to the populations of drought-stricken areas nor the wildlife and livestock, as the soil is baked hard like cement after years of no rain, which is fueling fears of flash floods and subsequent wide-spread flooding during which animals can drown and homesteads be destroyed, worsening an already alarming situation.

Kenyan Masai pastoralists were expelled not long ago from an area near some national parks in Tanzania, where they had taken their herds in search of water, and park invasions in Uganda are also of concern to UWA, as they are in Kenya โ€“ especially around the northern parks โ€“ to KWS. However, no easy solution will be found to resolve the human -wildlife conflict now brewing, and the tourism industry is scratching its combined heads to find a way out of the โ€œbetween a rock and a hard placeโ€ scenario. Senior tourism stakeholders are trying to use the situation to streamline the management of game reserves and other protected areas to have them all brought under KWS auspices and management, allowing a unified policy approach towards park invasions and the practice of a predictable and enforceable response to such situations in coming years. However, it is people who carry voterโ€™s cards in upcoming elections, not animals, and unless government is able to look after the drought-stricken populations and offer them assistance and support when most needed, it will undoubtedly see a backlash come the next elections. That said, considering the Mau disaster where a crucial water catchment area was almost destroyed and sacrificed for those very votes, a fine balance needs to be found between conservation and tourism on one side and the immediate survival needs of the pastoralists, farmers, and general population on the other. Meanwhile, the local Kenyan press projected a dire future for the lion population in Kenya and eastern Africa in general and details of that article can be found via: www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/672370/-/uo092o/-/index.html.

TANZANIA REMEMBERS MWALIMU
The founding father of Tanzania, โ€œMwalimuโ€ Julius Nyerere, was remembered mid-week, ten years after his passing. The national service took place in Tanzaniaโ€™s commercial capital of Dar es Salaam while the family, friends, and surviving political allies remembered Mwalimu โ€“ a Kiswahili word for teacher โ€“ in his home village of Butiama, Mara region. Nyerere, a staunch nationalist, led Tanzania down the slippery economic slope of socialism, leading to the near collapse of the economy, before revising his stand and in his latter days, acknowledging the mistakes of economically-failed policies. He made history when he voluntarily left office at a time when many African leaders were hanging on to their jobs by hook or crook. He remained a powerful figure in Tanzanian politics until his passing, putting to rest the common fear of African presidents that after leaving office they become pariahs – persecuted and prosecuted โ€“ not in this case though, when Mwalimu was held in high esteem right through his twilight years.

MT. MERU FIRES START AGAIN
Extensive fire has again swept up the sides of Mt. Meru, which overlooks Arusha and the surrounding areas. While those fires were eventually brought under control, fresh fires ignited on the lower slopes of the mountain from the Momella side. None of the outbreaks are thought to be outright arson, but the careless use of open fires and trying to smoke out bees to access their honey may have contributed to the present situation, which is mirrored across eastern Africa due to a long drought and dry undergrowth along the edges of forests, which aids the fast spread of blazes. Again, no tourists have come to any harm, but some activities in Mt. Meru National Park have been suspended or moved to other areas.

US MISSION STUBBORN OVER PEMBA THREATS
It was learned during the week that the State Department, on recommendation by the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam, has maintained its harsh anti-travel advisory against visits to Pemba ahead of the elections coming in 12 months time. No amount of reasoning by the tourism sector and business community at large have born any fruits, as the American Embassy claims there were several cases of civil unrest alongside voter registration. Thankfully for Pemba, many Americans saw right through those advisories and often ignored them, while it was understood that there are sections of American travelers actually defying such advisories and deliberately traveling to places slapped with such diplomatic courtesies. Wrote one tour operator from Dar with business interests in Pemba โ€“ which is part of Zanzibar โ€“ to this column: โ€œIf those diplomats are so scared, let them go home until after the elections. We welcome any American tourists here, even business people, who are visiting in good numbers and are not scared by those tactics. What is it the Americans want to extort from us? Let them be open and not hide behind such bureaucratic barriers.โ€

MT. MERU HOTEL COMMENCES REFURBISHMENT
One of the better-known hotels in Arusha, the Mt. Meru Hotel, which is under Novotel management, has started a 1 ยฝ-year refurbishment and modernization project to restore the hotel to 5-star status when it reopens as the New Mt. Meru Hotel. The hotel, which was initially given out by the government-owned Tanzania Hotels for management, was eventually privatized some 5 years ago and any hopes to see it refurbished had almost dwindled to zero, when the announcements finally came through. Meanwhile, several new hotels were built in Arusha over the past years, chipping away on Mt. Meruโ€™s former market position, while others like the New Arusha Hotel have also undergone substantive refurbishments and upgrades, leaving the managers of the Mt. Meru to face the market challenges when re-entering this competitive market. Arusha is the springboard to the northern safari circuit of Tarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro, and Serengeti and generally considered the โ€œsafari capital of east Africa.โ€

WORKPLACE TRAINING INTENSIFIES IN RWANDA
The Rwanda Workforce Development Authority has thrown its weight behind vocational training in the hospitality sector, as it launched a one-month intensive training course in the Musanze and Rubavu districts, both of which are in the thick of tourism activities. It is understood that through a Commonwealth initiative โ€“ Rwanda is expected to join the group of nations shortly โ€“ trainers were receiving instructions in Singapore and are now, like their Singaporean colleagues, rolling out the courses back home in Rwanda. In past weeks, various bodies connected with the tourism sector in the country have stepped up their efforts to spur workplace training for hospitality staff to equip them with skills similar to that found in other parts of eastern Africa – ahead of common standards coming into effect soon.

SWINE FLU ADVICE FROM RWANDAN AUTHORITIES
Information for intending visitors to Rwanda about the H1N1 flu type, otherwise referred to as swine flu, is now available at www.tracrwanda.org.rw. Entry to Rwanda at land borders and airports continues to be uninterrupted, and the information on the web site is regularly revised and updated.

RWANDA HOTEL CAPACITY UP BY 23 PERCENT
Favorable investment conditions have supported growth in the hospitality sector over the past years in Rwanda, and the country has already added 23 percent more rooms, according to statistics released by the RDB โ€“ T&C, since the end of 2008. Renovations, modernization, and expansion of existing hotels and lodges have contributed to this trend, along with newly-built properties, which are on the rise. Rwanda aims to offer about 6,000 rated rooms (compared to the present 4,225 as of mid-2009) by the end of 2012 in order to meet the accommodation requirements estimated by the sharp growth of tourism and business visitors to the โ€œland of a thousand hills.โ€ In a related development, the present implementation of the EACโ€™s common standards in the hospitality industry is also progressing well and expected to wind up by the end of the year. All hotels and lodges in Rwanda must submit their particulars to the Rwanda Development Board for Tourism and Conservation to permit a timely conclusion in line with East African Community deadlines. Alongside this, training and human resource development activities are also being rolling out country wide to upgrade the skills of Rwandan staff and meet the expectations of international clientele now coming to Rwanda in ever-growing numbers.

NEW ROAD CONNECTS MUSANZE WITH CONGO DR BORDER
Last weekend saw a brand new road being commissioned by the Rwandan Prime Minister, connecting the Musanze district with the border to Congo, which will bring the area closer to tourist visitors and provide a lifeline for farmers to get their produce to the markets. The road was largely funded by the EU, although Rwanda added some branch-off roads to one of the Lake Kivu harbors and to the Bralirwa brewery. Roads in Rwanda are in remarkably good shape as maintenance seems to be ongoing year round, keeping the main traffic arteries intact and not falling to pieces as often seen elsewhere in the region.

MORE FLIGHTS BETWEEN KIGALI AND ENTEBBE COMING?
It was learned from aviation sources in Rwanda that the country is open to the possibility of Uganda Air Cargo Corporation flying to Kigali, after they reportedly acquired two turboprop passenger planes and were licensed in Uganda to commence passenger operations. The UCAA, however, was not able to confirm, what type of license, if any, UACC does in fact hold, in particular if any such license was for scheduled or for charter services. UACC has in the past operated cargo charters with a single C 130 aircraft even though it has no apparent experience in passenger operation, and whenever it was not undergoing service, being repaired, or being hired out on a long-term basis.

HOTEL OWNER CRIES FOUL
Some readers may still remember the story of a mayoress who went on a rampage when she had part of a hotel in the outskirts of Kigali partly demolished in a cloak-and-dagger action in the early hours of that fateful day. In Rubavu district, another such situation arose during last week, when another Kigali-based businessman, trying to build the Palm Beach Hotel on Lake Kivu, found himself at the receiving end of another local council gone wild when part of his hotel was demolished. Sources close to the businessman wrote to this column expressing their – and apparently his – anger, claiming it was spoiling a joint venture with an Italian businessman wishing to invest in the hotel industry in Rwanda. They also suggested a hidden agenda being at work, but no independent confirmation could be obtained towards that end.

SEYCHELLES TOURISM ACADEMY MOBILIZES
The archipelagoโ€™s national tourism and hospitality training academy has launched a new DVD to promote its courses to school leavers and others seeking a vocational education in the countryโ€™s main industry, the tourism sector. The Seychelles has a deliberate policy of training nationals to be absorbed in hotels and related businesses to gradually substitute expatriate staff, but skills transfer and human resource development are a mandatory first before this can be achieved. The academy is a brainchild of President Michel whose advice two years ago is now bearing fruits. The DVD was formally launched at the end of September while commemorating World Tourism Day.

SEYCHELLES BAGS 2010 MEETING
During a recent meeting on Mayotte, the Indian Ocean Islands Chambers of Commerce and Industry decided to hold its 2010 conference in the Seychelles, a major boost for the island nation. Over 300 delegates from the 6 island countries of La Reunion, Mauritius, Madagascar, Mayotte, Comoros, and Seychelles discussed economic cooperation between the islands, and tourism in particular was singled out as a primary opportunity to attract more tourist visitors and cruise ships into the region, the latter possibly with special circuits between the islands and the various African mainland destinations like Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, Maputo, Port Elizabeth, Durban, and Cape Town. The Seychelles delegation took the leadership in proposing closer tourism cooperation and joint marketing activities, again underscoring the strides the archipelago has made since its tourism board was partially privatized.

SEYCHELLES PARTICIPATES IN TSUNAMI DRILLS
Information received from Victoria indicates that the Seychelles, together with Mauritius, Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique, will be one of the African participants of a coordinated tsunami exercise, which extends to 18 countries around the Indian Ocean rim. The 2004 tsunami wreaked havoc on many countries, and the waves reached the African continent where it hit Somalia most severely but also had noticeable effect in Kenya and Tanzania. Data from the drill will be used to refine the warning system across the Indian Ocean to give maximum warning, once an earthquake โ€“ often the trigger for a tsunami โ€“ has been registered. The longer the advance notice, the better the chances to evacuate populations along the respective coastlines, as well as from hotels, to avoid the mass casualties that marked the Christmas 2004 disaster. Initial feedback from the islands about the conduct of the drill and related exercises and training were positive in regard of command and control functions and preparedness of the Seychelles administration to deal with such disasters. This will be good news for island citizens, as well as tourist visitors, who can be assured of added safety measures if indeed a major tsunami comes to the shores of the Seychelles.

AVIATION MOVES TOWARDS EASA STANDARDS
The Seychelles aviation regulatory regime will now progressively move towards adopting the European Union format, it was said when staff of Helicopter Seychelles and other aviation companies completed various courses conducted by a German expert. After the successful exams, the certification will be recognized across the EU and will also enhance skill levels for staff working in the aviation sector across the archipelago.

ROTARY CLUB OF VICTORIA TURNS 40
About 250 Rotarians flew to the Seychelles earlier in the week to participate in the 40th anniversary celebrations of the local Rotary Club, the only one on the archipelago. Part of the celebrations includes an international conference focusing on development priorities in Africa and community-supported projects.

SEYCHELLES USES NEW NAVAL CAPABILITIES
Information received from the Seychelles capital Mahe indicates that the recently-boosted Seychellois Coast Guard has, for the first time, flexed its muscles and, together with coalition naval and air support, engaged suspected Somali pirates and arrested 11 of them inside its maritime boundaries. It was learned later in the week, however, that there was apparently insufficient evidence to take the 11 to court, and they were subsequently deported and ordered to leave the economic exclusion zone immediately. The Seychelles has, in recent months, actively strengthened its patrol capacities and are now, with ongoing assistance by the naval coalition, able to operate right up to the boundaries of its 200 nm economic zone, offering a serious and growing deterrent for Somali criminals trying to enter its waters to try their luck in hijacking ships there. The Seychellesโ€™ main economic activities are based on fishing and tourism, and the government in Victoria simply cannot tolerate any attempts of Somali-based pirates, or anyone else for that matter, to disrupt or endanger the archipelagoโ€™s mainstream sources of income. Meanwhile, a conference of 10 countries took place in Victoria to draw up an action plan for the implementation of the Djibouti Code of Conduct on how to best deal with piracy in the region. The International Maritime Organization, Interpol, and observers from the naval coalition also attended this crucial regional gathering.

GOSSโ€™ MINISTRY OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND TOURISM TRAINS STAFF IN KENYA
Information received from Juba indicates that the first batch of wildlife wardens-to-be has been sent to Kenya to undergo training with Kenya Wildlife Services. The first group of about 50 trainees has been received at two of the training camps of KWS and will be there for at least three months. Home training, however, is also going on in southern Sudan with courses continuously being conducted at Nimule National Park and the Boma National Park, the latter offering leadership and advanced courses for more senior personnel, while Nimule trainees acquire more basic skills to carry out their functions in the protected areas when deployed into the field.

HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL THOSE WHO OBSERVE THE INDIAN NEW YEAR

East Africa tourism report

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY TO THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF UGANDA

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY TO THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF UGANDA
Ugandans at home and abroad will be celebrating the 47th anniversary of attaining independence from former colonial masters, Britain, during a function at Kampalaโ€™s main parade ground in Kololo on October 9 and across the country in all urban and rural centers. Media releases from the government indicated that the celebrations will also be used to honor heroes whose names will only be made public when the president makes the formal announcements on Friday this week. Meanwhile, safari lodges, as well as lakeside and island resorts are reporting strong bookings for the celebratory weekend, with expatriates living in Uganda taking advantage of the long weekend to visit the national parks or spend time at or on the lake. Get a taste for Ugandaโ€™s attractions by visiting www.visituganda.com, the main site of the Uganda Tourism Board, from where links to other interesting web sites can also be found.

TOURISM MINISTRY DEMANDS BETTER BUDGETS
The Ministry of Tourism, Trade, and Industry recently submitted a 5-year strategic development plan, which will be scrutinized by parliamentary committees. For marketing the country, a relatively modest figure of 2.3 billion Uganda shillings was inserted, while this column has in the past often said that at least US$1.5 million per annum were required to attend all major tourism trade shows, work new and emerging markets, and attend a series of adventure travel shows in North America, especially now that a high profile โ€œSave the Gorillaโ€ campaign is unfolding. Interactive, state-of-the-art web sites and funds are needed to regularly host press and media trips to Uganda in order to match the work of our neighboring countriesโ€™ tourism boards, which are better facilitated and often better motivated and focused, as Rwanda and Kenya demonstrate time and again. Also neglected is the sectorโ€™s hospitality and tourism training facility in Jinja, which ahead of the Commonwealth Summit in 2007 was sidelined in favor of personally-inspired solutions to provide training, leaving the hotel school limping, while a new curriculum development remains buried in the government bureaucracy at the National Curriculum Development Centre.

RAINS WREAK HAVOC
The long-expected, el Nino-induced rains are here and have pounded parts of the country already. In Kabale, a landslide cost several lives, including 6-year-old twins. Kampala was also at the receiving end of early morning thunderstorms impacting rush hour traffic and delaying commuters for extended hours at times. The Ministry for Disaster Preparedness issued further warnings to residents in hilly areas to be observant about possible landslides after heavy downpours and also raised warning levels for local administration units about potential flooding.

BA ADDS TWO FOR ENTEBBE
In spite of speculation by the travel trade over the implementation of the promised two extra flights between London and Entebbe, due to start later this month, and in spite of being unable for quite some time to ascertain those flights on the GDS available in Uganda, British Airways has reaffirmed that the airline will indeed add and retain the extra flights. This will give much-needed seats during the upcoming high season for tourist visitors coming to Uganda, provide more seats for Ugandans traveling abroad โ€“ despite the visa hurdles, which seem to be raised higher and higher every year โ€“ and add cargo capacity for exporters of Ugandaโ€™s quality organic produce to the EU markets. British Airways will use a Boeing 767 on the route to Uganda. While pre-launching the two new flights, the airlineโ€™s Ugandan and international management present expressed its confidence that within two more years BA would fly daily from London to Entebbe.

BATTLE FOR KINGSHIP OVER, OR IS IT?
The long-awaited fresh election of the new king of the Busoga Kingdom appears over, following the order of the countryโ€™s top court to repeat the process. Initially, a number of clan leaders less than the required quorum had elected a new king, which was necessary after the passing in September 2008 of the previous Kyabazinga of Busoga, Henry Wako Muloki. The kingdomโ€™s customs also demand a rotation of the kingship between the leading clans, while the previous disputed election tried to install a son of the previous king, which then forced a court battle and government intervention to resolve the year-long standoff. The elections earlier in the week apparently complied with both customary, as well as legal requirements, fielding the required quorum of at least 8 clan leaders, and the newly-elected monarch is the 20-year-old William Wilberforce Kadhumbula, who will rule as Nadiope Gabula IV. However, supporters of the previous candidate have already vowed to ignore the election and not recognize their new king, while central government has also not yet made an announcement over its intentions to recognize the new king. In a related development, an army first lieutenant, deployed to be the chief guard of one of the candidates, was killed in a hit-and-run accident the night following the election, bringing the Ugandan CID into the picture to investigate if there was any foul play involved.

INFLATION STUBBORNLY STUCK IN DOUBLE DIGITS
Information availed by the Bank of Uganda indicates that the annual inflation rate is up again at 14.5 percent owing to sharply-risen food cost. Parts of eastern Africa have suffered from a prolonged drought and have resorted to importing food from Uganda, amongst others, driving the domestic prices of maize and other staple foods up even further. Petrol products have also been named as culprits for the high inflation, which influence transport fares and impact on food brought to the main urban centers from upcountry areas.

WORLD BANK RUSHES TO THE DEFENSE OF HYDRO-DAM DEVELOPER
Following stinging criticism in recent weeks of the Bujagali hydro-electric dam and power station project, including criticism by a senior government minister, the World Bank rushed to the defense of the project, which is being undertaken by IPS, a company in the fold of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development. Bank sources denied that the cost of the project would need to rise above the projected US$860 million but had to concede that the coming online of the power plant may now be as many as 9 months late and will likely miss the date of 2011, when the first power was due to enter the national grid. This was blamed on previously unknown conditions of the site, which only supposedly emerged during the early stages of construction.

โ€œTHE EYEโ€ OCTOBER/NOVEMBER NOW ON THE WEB
The latest edition of Ugandaโ€™s premium insider guide is now available again on the web, at least for those not able to get their own free printed copy while in Uganda. Visit www.theeye.co.ug for access to the most up-to-date guides and contacts of embassies, consulates, airlines, hotels, safari lodges and resorts, travel agencies, and restaurants, plus reviews of places visited by The Eye staff over the past two months. The Eye is a must-read publication for any intending visitors to Uganda and is available quarterly in Rwanda where the web edition appears on www.theeye.co.rw. Related to this, the premier Kenyan e-guide can be accessed via www.kenyabuzz.com and also gives a comprehensive overview of what is happening in Kenya, covering a wide range of interests, outdoor activities, restaurants, musical events, fashion, culture, and art โ€“ you name it, you can find it in the Kenya Buzz. Subscription is free for anyone wishing to receive the weekly mailings.

SHERATON GOES โ€œUMPTATAโ€
The Oktoberfest this year at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel got rave reviews from the German, Austrian, and Swiss communities in Uganda and also from other nationalities and guests staying at the hotel during the week. Original food combined with beer, beer, and yet more beer added to the culinary delights and the brass band music that patrons could enjoy in the heart of the city without having to fly all the way to Munich. The Sheraton food and beverage staff went out of their way to give a swift beer-hall service although none of them was seen carrying a dozen or more of the Bavarian one-liter beer mugs for which the waitresses in the Munich fairground beer tents are so famous.

KAMPALA MARATHON SET FOR NOVEMBER 22
MTN, the main sponsor of the popular Kampala Marathon, has just announced the dates for the race this year, which is expected to attract more than 15,000 runners โ€“ 4,000 more than last year. In view of the added logistical challenges for the start and finish, the event will commence this year at the Kololo โ€œairstrip,โ€ as it used to be called, now the ceremonial grounds for major state functions. A new flexible slogan was also introduced, changing from โ€œrun for lifeโ€ โ€“ a reference to the charities supported by the proceeds of the sporting event โ€“ to โ€œrun for …,โ€ leaving various other sponsors and participating organizations to add their own objective to the marathon theme. Registration will commence on October 12 and last through October 2h โ€“ web site and email details will be published in this column soon.

LATEST RHINO NEWS NOW AVAILABLE
Save the Rhino International issues monthly news updates on rhinos from around the world, and its latest newsletter has just been dispatched. Visit www.savetherhino.org or write to [email protected] to receive your own copy of the monthly broadcast directly to your email inbox. The updates this month highlighted the plight of the rhinos in southern Africa where poaching is nearing an all-time high, threatening to wipe out the conservation gains made over the past decade.

COMMON MARKET/FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT FOR JULY 2010
Following intense negotiations among the five East African Community member states, it was finally agreed to recommend July 1, 2010 as the commencement date for the full onset of the East African Common Market, including the freedom of movement of labor for east Africans. Additional freedoms for the citizens of the member states will be free movement of goods, capital, services, and the right of establishment and residence โ€“ all long awaited by many EAC veterans of the first community, which lasted until March, 1977. The documents have been handed over to the respective Attorney Generalโ€™s offices to allow for the legal harmonization in the respective member states. A major function is planned for the five Heads of State to make the formal launch announcement next year, but the EAC head quarters in Arusha would not confirm either dates or venue of that high profile meeting at this stage. A word of caution, as non-tariff barriers need to come down along the lines, which in some cases will mean that local services and industry will experience full competition from across the East African Community for the first time. It is also hoped that duly-registered expatriates living in any of the member states will also be able to move freely across the five countries without the need for an additional visa โ€“ a measure considered crucial in order to tap into the large tourism reservoir available โ€“ in order to stay within, instead of often, as is the case now, and rather than flying to the Gulf or southern Africa where most nationalities can now have a holiday without visa requirements. The East African Community is also celebrating its 10th anniversary since the re-launch in 1999, and considering the general speed of things in our part of the world, a lot has been achieved since then.

KENYA AIRWAYS TO CODE SHARE WITH NIGERIAN EAGLE
Effective from the end of October, Kenya Airways will commence a full code share between Lagos and Nairobi with Nigerian Eagle Airlines to further establish itself as a market leader on the route. In conjunction with NEA, the Kenyan flag carrier is expected to achieve a commanding market share, not just for flights between the two countries, but also to crucially feed traffic into the middle, far, and south eastern routes where KQ operates. Final arrangements in regards to baggage transfer and schedule alignment in Lagos from connecting NEA flights on to Kenya Airways departures are now being worked on by operations staff from both airlines before the new arrangements come into effect on October 25.

NEW RAILWAY TO FOLLOW DIFFERENT ROUTE
The transport ministers of Kenya and Uganda signed agreements last week in Kenya towards the development of a new standard international gauge railway, connecting the city and port of Mombasa with Nairobi and on to the Ugandan border. It was also announced that the new line would follow a different route from the old winding โ€œlunatic express,โ€ as the railway was once dubbed. New bridges will be constructed for the new railway to ensure that trains can indeed cover the distance between Nairobi and Mombasa within 3 to 4 hours, compared to over 12 to 14 hours at present. Notably, the problem-ridden and under pressure Rift Valley Railways was not part of the deal between the governments, giving a clear indication that both Kenya and Uganda wish to proceed with different partners for the new rail line that is estimated to be ready by 2013.

MORE POWER CUTS HIT TANZANIA
A twelve- to fourteen-hour daily load shedding โ€“ in understandable terms, power outages โ€“ will again be the daily reality for Tanzanian hotels, businesses, and households, as the national power company has to cope with falling water levels in two of the main hydroelectric plants. Besides the other fallout of the regional drought, insufficient water for power generation is an added problem for the east African economies, as already shown in Kenya and now in Tanzania. Stand-by generating power through thermal plants, driven by diesel or heavy fuel oil, are in short supply in Tanzania and the situation was compounded by other plants being under partial repair. The lack of affordable power will make hotel and resort operations more expensive for the owners as their individual stand-by generators will now have to run half a day, every day, until the mainstream plants are back on the grid.

TANZANIA FARMERS: 1 โ€“ BIOFUEL COMPANIES: 0
In a surprise turnabout, the Tanzanian government halted a bio-fuel project after emerging protests from small-scale farmers over threats to their land and livelihoods. A report last week in the Tanzanian media that up to 5,000 rice farmers may be evicted in order to make space for the growing of bio-fuel crops, has raised the political heat in no time at all, with bio-fuels being at best controversial in places where food production is then lowered, prices for ordinary consumers rise, and no visible benefits are yet seen from bio-fuel companies, percolating down to the grassroots levels. Meanwhile, with all investments in Tanzania into bio-fuel production now halted, local Tanzanian farmers โ€“ many of them small scale and on subsistence levels using their daily work to feed their families โ€“ will score political points for government ahead of elections next year. A policy review is said to be going underway soon to determine the future of such controversial projects in the country, and once the election process and campaigning unfolds, it is expected to add new fuel to the demands of local farmers and their representatives.

MT. MERU NATIONAL PARK SUFFERS EXTENSIVE FIRE
Fires were spreading last week towards the upper sections of Tanzaniaโ€™s second highest mountain. Initially, smaller fires have reportedly started to merge and the dry undergrowth has in some places fueled the fires and accelerated their spread. TANAPA and the Arusha and Moshi fire brigades have combined to combat the blaze, but strong winds and little rain have made their work difficult at best. Wildlife has reportedly fled from the flames and has been seeking refuge in the adjoining Arusha National Park, and tourism activities have also been suspended for the time being to avoid dangers to visitors.

PLANS TO ENLARGE PARC DE VOLCANOES
Information was received from Kigali that plans are nearing presentation and consultation stage to enlarge Rwandaโ€™s main gorilla national park by another 3,500 hectares. The proposals are based on the need to capture some of the gorilla habitat outside the present park boundaries so that full protection can be afforded to the endangered species and to reduce the present potential for wildlife-human conflict. Sources close to RDB T&C have pointed out that these plans are far from complete, and intense consultations with affected communities will need to take place before moving ahead, while at the same time confirming that they would indeed like to set aside more land for conservation and protection of the gorillas and other game in the national park. Tourism is the number one foreign exchange source for Rwanda, and the country has regularly outperformed her neighbors in terms of sectoral growth and showcasing at international tourism trade fairs.

LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS PASS PEACEFULLY
Last weekend saw local council elections conducted across Rwanda, and in spite of the massive turnout of voters, the exercise went along in a peaceful and organized fashion. Tourism activities were not said to have been affected by the polls.

RWANDAIR EXPLAINS SUSPENDED GISENYI FLIGHTS
The Rwandan national airline has given reasons why flights from Kigali to Gisenyi have been suspended recently. According to airline sources, the state of the single runway at Gisenyi has been a matter of concern in regards to safe landings and take offs, but the airlines stated its desire to resume operations once repairs have been carried out. At the same time, it was also learned that Rwandair was planning to commence flights to Goma in the eastern Congo soon, but no information was readily available about the proposed flight schedule. Other charter airlines with smaller single- and twin-engine planes reportedly continue to fly into Gisenyi as they require shorter take-off and landing distances.

RDB โ€“ T&C DONATES TO NYUNGWE COMMUNITIES
As part of the revenue-sharing scheme between RDB โ€“ T&C, which stands for Rwanda Development Board/Tourism and Conservation, as well as communities living near protected areas, half a million Rwandan Francs been handed over to communities around the new national park of Nyungwe. This forest park is home to 13 species of primates, over 250 species of birds, and offers a flora second to none for visitors to explore during extended hikes and walks. Community engagement has been the cornerstone of developing tourism in Rwanda as benefits, unlike in some other countries, are actually shared with those most affected on the ground.

RWANDA SATISFIED OVER UGANDAโ€™S GENOCIDE SUSPECT ARREST
Bringing justice to the more than 800,000 genocide victims of Rwandaโ€™s slaughter campaign inspired by criminal elements of the former government, received a boost during the week when Uganda arrested one of the most-wanted planners, inciters, and executors of the evil acts, which swept across Rwanda in early 1994. Idelphonse Niziyimana was spotted by ever alert security operative after he crossed into Uganda from his hideout with the FDLR militias in the Congo DR, and after reportedly trailing him, he was arrested in Kampala while preparing to travel onto Nairobi using false travel documents. He is, among many other evils, accused to have murdered the former Queen of Rwanda, who was in her 80s at the time, together with her maids and other staff. Executing an international arrest warrant, the Ugandan authorities then, without much ado, bundled him onto a flight to Arusha where he was handed over to the UN Tribunal sitting at the Arusha International Conference Centre. There, already a sizeable number of suspects are standing trial, and many have been convicted to long prison terms and life sentences for the crimes they committed against their fellow Rwandans.

INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS LEAD IN GOVERNANCE RATINGS
The 2009 Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance (also see www.moibrahimfoundatin.org) has catapulted Mauritius into the number one spot for best governance, while the Seychelles were ranked closely behind in third place. The east African countries had Tanzania excel in 12th place, while Kenya came in 22nd, Ugandan 24th, Rwanda 32nd, and Burundi 38th, out of the total of 53 countries registered on the continent. Over 80 indicators had to be answered to arrive at the 2009 results, which produced a sound vote of confidence for two of the Indian Oceanโ€™s biggest holiday destinations.

MADAGASCAR UNITY GOVERNMENT NOW IN PLACE
After several rounds of negotiations, the key meetings presided over by former Mozambique president Joaquin Chissano, the main protagonists in Madagascar present-day politics have finally agreed through its intermediaries on the sharing of cabinet positions and the appointment of a vice president, prime minister, and deputies. Meanwhile, power-grabber Rajoelina, a former DJ who was pushed into power by army elements loyal to him, remains in place as head of state until the upcoming elections, but he had to commit himself not to stand as a candidate then, meeting a crucial demand by ousted president Ravalomanana and his supporters across the island. It is not clear if, and when, the immediate former president and his own predecessors, also in exile, will return to the island. Once politics have settled down on the largest Indian Ocean island, tourists can have more confidence to return in larger numbers to Madagascar, already well known for its unique wildlife and globally popularized by the animated films of the same name.

SUBIOS FESTIVAL A SUCCESS
The 20th anniversary edition of SUBIOS, the Sub Indian Ocean Seychelles, ended early this week, having brought hundreds of additional visitors to the archipelago for the purpose of both diving and participating in the festivities. Seychelles Vice President Joseph Belmont addressed the opening function of the festival and commended the organizers for their efforts to make SUBIOS a major tourism event of ever-growing importance. Also honoured at the function were the prize winners of the photo and video competition.

ALL EYES NOW ON WORLD TRAVEL MARKET
Following the successful attendance of Top Resa in Paris by a large Seychellois delegation, all eyes are on the forthcoming World Travel Market where the Seychelles will again field a sizeable delegation to work the market and attract more visitors to the Indian Ocean island nation. Meanwhile, regional efforts continue with a visit by the Seychelles Tourist Board to the island of Mayotte, following earlier visits to La Reunion as a partner to promote multi-center holidays.

ARIDE ISLAND GETS NEW CONSERVATION CHIEF
Rob Sutcliffe, fresh from a four-year stint at the Kalahariโ€™s Meerkat Project, has taken office as chief conservation officer on Aride Island where he will be overseeing the nature reserve for the next two years. Rob holds degrees in environmental biology and conservation management.
Aride Island is the most northerly-located granitic island of the archipelago and less than a square kilometer in size, yet famous for the large colonies of frigate birds and the Seychelles magpie robin, besides 16 other species found on the island for breeding purposes. Five of these species are only found in the Seychelles, making it a bird watchers must-see before all the ticks are applied to their bird books. Surely at the top of that list must be the red-tailed tropic bird, with the archipelago the only place to see it close up. Visitors are only permitted between Sunday and Thursday, although weekend visits are said to be possible upon prior arrangements. Most trips to Aride originate from Praslin Island and are by boat, which makes visits at times difficult if not impossible, particularly during times of strong winds when boats find it hard to make a safe landing. Food and drink must either be brought or else visitors are advised to take an organized day trip, which includes a beachside BBQ. No hotels or resorts are available on the island, but the island conservation society, which has leased the island and looks after it, has some basic accommodation for overnight visitors, mainly meant for scientists and researchers, subject to space.

BERJAYA HOTELS UP FOR SALE
The Berjaya Resort in Beau Vallon Bay of Mahe Island and the Praslin Beach Hotel are both available for sale, according to confirmation given by the ownersโ€™ representative and CEO of the company. He is quoted in the Seychelles media as saying that โ€œif the price is right, we will sell within six months.โ€ It is understood, however, that both hotels are soon due for their periodical refurbishment and modernization, potentially making the two properties an attractive proposition pricewise, taking the upcoming rehab cost into account, which potential buyers can knock off the price.

East Africa tourism report

FRIEND A GORILLA NOW ONLINE

FRIEND A GORILLA NOW ONLINE
Owners of a Facebook account, Twitterers, and My Spacers are now able to befriend a gorilla and donate US$1 to the conservation trust fund of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, following the launch of the new feature last weekend at a gala dinner in Kampala. Those with personal reasons or aversions to subscribe to any of these Internet features, and it is understood that there are many, are, of course, more than welcome to come to Uganda in person and visit the gorillas personally – an even better way to make friends with one of the prized animals, while also being able to interact with the famously friendly Ugandan people – in person that is and not by email or through virtual encounters. Those, however, interested in purely virtual visits, should go to www.friendagorilla.org for more details and donate, donate, donate!

UGANDA SHILLING KEEPS RISING
The Ugandan currency has continued its appreciation march against the US dollar, which now only attracts a rate of slightly over 1,900 Uganda shillings, from a previous high of almost 2,300. Local expenses for visiting tourists, therefore, have correspondingly gone up by nearly 20 percent over the past 6 months when the Uganda Shilling had hit rock bottom. Exporters, too, are now receiving less in local currency when they convert their foreign exchange incomes. Importers, however, continue to profiteer from the situation as externally-sourced items brought into Uganda have not reduced in price at all to the detriment of Ugandan consumers. Other currencies used in Uganda like the Euro, the UK Pound, the Swiss Franc, the Yen, and others have also devalued along the same percentages.

MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON UNIVERSITY GRADUATES OVER 200
The privately-owned Mountains of the Moon University near Fort Portal last week graduated over 200 students of certificate, diploma, bachelor degree, and master degree studies, including some from the tourism and hospitality courses taught at the university. Former Minister of Tourism, Trade and Industry, now retired from politics, Prof. Edward Rugumayo, is the co-founder and chancellor of MMU. During the graduation ceremony, government representatives present also announced the injection of 500 million Uganda shillings as a donation to the university, aimed at improving structures and facilities.

RECENT APPOINTMENTS AT THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM
After the long absence of a substantive Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, following the retirement of Dr. Sam Nahamya in March 2008, Ambassador Julius Onen was recently appointed as new PS, while the position of Director of Tourism, Wildlife, Museums and Monuments was filled by former Commissioner for Wildlife Mr. Justus Tindigarukayo Kashagire. The latter served with this correspondent for several years on the board of the Rhino Fund Uganda and was instrumental to procure the requisite CITES permits for the importation of the two Rhinos donated by Disney, as well as the ongoing shipment of medical samples for the purpose of monitoring them. Congratulations to all of them in their new positions at this challenging time for the tourism industry.

NATIONAL TREE-PLANTING CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED
Last Saturday saw the formal launch of the 1 billion Uganda shilling national re-forestation campaign during a ceremony in Mpigi District, where deforestation is particularly extensive. Figures released by the National Forest Authority sounded a stark warning when it was revealed that Ugandaโ€™s rate of loosing forests is amongst the highest in the world, losing some 7,000 hectares from protected forests, while over 70,000 hectares of forest are lost on private and public land outside protected areas. The onset of el Nino induced extremely heavy rains, the effects of global warming already seen in eastern Africa, and the loss of forest in water catchment areas has led to increased flooding on one hand and the drying up of rivers, shallow lakes, and dams during the dry season. The Minister of Water and Environment at the launch of the national campaign also announced the setting up of nationwide tree nurseries aimed to plant trees on bare hills, along water catchment areas, and replenish areas now depleted of continuous forest cover with indigenous and commercial tree species. The campaign will last for at least three years to start with, and the target for the current financial year is at least 3 million trees to be planted over and above commercial plantations under private projects.

NORTHERN BYPASS NIGHTMARE ENDS, FINALLY
The EU-funded, so-called Northern Bypass highway, halfway around Kampala, was finally opened for traffic yesterday when the Ministry of Works and Transportโ€™s Uganda National Road Authority in the end consented to accept the opening of the road by the contractors for traffic users. However, this was a qualified acceptance it was learned when the ministry also announced that more repairs were still necessary before a final handover could take place. The construction started over 5 years ago and was due to be completed within 2 years, but the contractors not only failed to meet the deadline but began in an arrogant fashion to blame all and sundry for their woes, including accusing the EU for meddling and the initial consultants for incompetence over the road design. They also had several run-ins with government and in the public eye lost all respect. Needless to say, cost also skyrocketed and it is understood that a case over penalties may still be pending against the Italian construction company Salini โ€“ incidentally also chosen to construct the Bujagali hydroelectric plant on the upper Nile and also in โ€œdelay territory.โ€
The half-ring road is expected to decongest the Kampala city center from transit passenger and cargo traffic, which presently must pass through the city to reach major roads leading north and west from the city. The initial plan was to complete the ring with a southern by-pass, but environmental concerns over the possible route, leading along and through major wetlands used for drainage of excess rainfall towards Lake Victoria, have stalled this project, probably for good.

CHOGM AFTERMATH CONTINUES IN PARLIAMENT
Two years after hosting a successful Commonwealth Summit and introducing Uganda to the world as a country capable to organize and execute major MICE events, sections of parliament continue to hunt ghosts from those days, as opposition MPs chase accountability reports for reportedly 270 billion Uganda shillings, or over US$135 million. One audit report highlights the alleged advance payment to a cuckoo land hotel project on Entebbe road, which the owners at the time said would offer 1,000 rooms and 2,500 shops, and yet not a single guest during CHOGM was allegedly booked into the building site, which to date continues to draw sharp and comical comments as the facility, not far from the main road, sits on a hill top, visible from afar and still uncompleted. On the positive side, however, and often forgotten by the CHOGM opponents, is a hospitality industry, which can now indeed deliver major events and can offer a range of conference and meeting facilities, come adequately-priced hotel rooms, in sufficient numbers to host 3,000+ delegates in the city and its environs.

EL NINO RAINS HIT CITY
Recent torrential rains have once again brought flooding to sections of the Kampala city and its environs, after authorities failed to clear drainages in time in spite of regular warnings by the meteorological department. The heavy rains lashing parts of the country are expected to last until early next year, while warnings of a repeat of the extensive 2007 floods have been voiced again.

SERENA TAKES OVER LAKESIDE RESORT
In a brief press statement, incidentally giving conflicting names for the new property as Port Victoria Serena Resort in the headline and then again Lake Victoria Serena Resort further down the text, the hotel group announced that effective October 1, they have taken on the management of what used to be the Ranch on the Lake some 20 km from the city center along Entebbe road, taking the turn at Lweza towards the lake. The new facility will have 124 rooms and suites, reportedly ready on opening day, while a golf course and marina are expected to be completed late next year or by early 2011.

MAKE AREA SAFE OR ELSE, TOUR COMPANIES TELL GOVERNMENT
Following several robbery attacks on tourist vehicles across the northern safari circuit of Shaba Game Reserve, Buffalo Springs Game Reserve, and Samburu National Park in the recent past, leading tour and safari operators have issued an ultimatum to the Kenyan government to either secure the area or else they will pull their business out of the area. The area is also subject to a nearly unprecedented influx of pastoralists in search of water and pasture for their cattle and goat herds, all suffering from the drought currently holding the north of Kenya in its grip. Area leaders echoed the call on central government for stepping up security as the councils of Isiolo and Samburu depend on the income generated from tourism, which in any case was still down from previous years due to the fall out of the global economic and financial crisis. Tourism trade associations and the Ministry of Tourism have supported the demand for extra security and also warned of the dire consequences at this moment in time for Kenya tourism, should no decisive action be taken. The warnings should not be taken lightly as tour and safari operators have in the past successfully boycotted areas where security was lacking and only eventually returned to those circuits after government had acted upon their demands.

KITICH AND LEWA CAMPS UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
It was learned earlier in the week that the main camp on the Lewa Downs Conservancy in Kenya has now been handed to Cheli and Peacock Camps for management to integrate into the greater circuit, which this up-market company has put together over the last two-plus decades. More exciting, however, was the news, that one of this correspondentโ€™s all-time favorites, Kitich Camp in the Matthews Range, has also come under C&Pโ€™s management and will undergo refurbishment and enlargement of the tents to include attached bathrooms, while also adding a new observation deck for visitors adjoining the main bar and lounge area. The Matthews Range in the north of Kenya is still largely underexplored by visitors streaming to the main game parks and best known attractions, often overlooking the lesser known gems in the Kenyan collection of up-market and remote places, which โ€“ besides equally good and often better game viewing โ€“ give privacy and near exclusivity at not much more of the cost of staying in a normal lodge or tented camp. Use Google to get more information about Kenya tourism, Cheli & Peacockโ€™s safari camps, the Matthews Range and Kitich Safari Camp, and my thanks to Deena of Concorde Safaris in Nairobi for the tip off and information.

KENYA AIRWAYS PAYS DIVIDEND
In spite of the difficult market conditions, and in spite of the illegal strike action against the Pride of Africa a few weeks ago, the airline has nevertheless proposed to pay a small dividend to its faithful shareholders of 1 Kenya shilling per ordinary share. The airline also reaffirmed its drive towards becoming the dominant African airline offering connections to the key south and west African business hubs, with passengers connecting through Nairobi from the airlinesโ€™ long-haul flights to Europe and the near and far east. The airline also called for swift improvements at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, as congestion was not considered conducive for attracting more transit passengers, while also asking the Kenyan government to show some flexibility in granting visas to passengers from west Africa wanting to stop over in Nairobi en route.

KENYA AIRWAYS RECRUITS NEW PILOTS
Giving the clearest sign yet of a recovery underway, the Kenyan flag carrier announced plans to recruit up to 68 new pilots, including up to 20 starters, to be ready for additional aircraft deliveries and upcoming retirements of long-serving senior captains and first officers due to reach their age limits. Additional staff training has been announced following the AGM of the company in late September as were measures towards systems optimization. Kenyan civil aviation regulations put a limit of 63 years on commercial pilots, unlike some other countries where this limit has been pushed to 65, subject to additional medical checkups and related regulations on the staffing of the cockpit.
KQโ€™s chief executive officer Titus Naikuni has also answered some questions by eTNโ€™s Executive Talk from the sidelines of the companyโ€™s AGM, and the interview will be published today alongside this column.

FLY 540 FLEET UPDATE
It has been confirmed by this column earlier in the week that the expected delivery of Fly 540โ€™s first โ€“ of overall three โ€“ CRJs has been slightly delayed. No reasons for this late delivery could be established before going to print. Deployment on the Entebbe route, the first commercial use of the new jet, is now expected in early November.

TSAVO ELEPHANTS SUFFER THE MOST
Information received from sources in Kenya speaks of increased deaths of elephant in the Tsavo East National Park area as a result of drought- related complications. Over a hundred of the animals have died in recent weeks due to a lack of water, bringing back memories of the 70s drought when the elephants changed the landscape of Tsavo East by knocking over literally every tree in sight in their attempts to reach the remaining leaves and stripping the bark in search of moisture. Since then, several severe droughts have hit eastern Africa, and the cycles seem to get more severe with shorter intervals between drought periods. However, the immediate rain forecasts for eastern Africa remain positive, in fact threatening, as an el Nino-induced rainy season is feared to bring with it wide-spread flooding when the downpour eventually hits the rock-hard Earth in areas scorched by prolonged drought.

CLINTON PLEDGES CONSERVATION SUPPORT
Former US President Bill Clinton, a repeat visitor to eastern Africa during and equally regular visitor after his presidency, has reportedly pledged to help raise funds for the reforestation of the crucial Mau Forest, a major water catchment area affecting Kenya and Tanzania through rivers emerging from the area. With international pressure by conservation groups now mounting on the Kenyan government, officials have given notice to illegal squatters that fresh eviction notices will be served on them soon, but it remains to be seen if only the poorest of those will be affected or if palatial homes of former and current senior officials in government will also be targeted. At the sidelines of the recent UN General Assembly, Bill Clinton reportedly committed himself to supporting the reforestation in the Mau area, and probably beyond, of 100,000 hectares of land with trees, a crucial element of support from the US sure to embolden conservationists agitating for stricter legal and policy measures to protect the countryโ€™s main water catchment areas and raise forest cover to at least 10 percent of Kenyaโ€™s land area.

DEPORTED ERITREAN DIPLOMAT SNEAKS BACK โ€“ ARRESTED
The former First Secretary at the Eritrean mission in Nairobi was some time ago declared โ€œpersona non grataโ€ and shipped back home within 24 hours when allegedly involved in aiding and abetting alleged terror groups. Under globally-accepted diplomatic rules, an accredited diplomat cannot be arrested nor charged without the consent of his home country, in this case, of course, not given. It now appears that the fellow did, however, return under disguise using a different passport, and when spotted in Nairobi by informants, he was this time promptly arrested. It is not clear if he will be charged in court for illegal entry or using false documents, as an intermediate holding charge, to later give way to possibly more severe charges in connection with his previous activity in the country, or if he will again be deported. Eritrea has been playing a dubious role in the Horn of Africa, to say the least, and often times been allegedly supporting arms, ammunition, and other goods to Islamic militias fighting in Somali to establish an al Qaida friendly regime similar to what the Taliban did in Afghanistan.

THE HAGUE TO TAKE ON KEY VIOLENCE SUSPECT PROSECUTIONS
Senior persons suspected to have been involved in the Kenyan post-election violence, either directly or through proxy, can now expect to have the International Criminal Court in The Hague issue arrest warrants, after the Kenyan government has failed to get legislation passed by parliament to establish either tribunals or a special court to deal with the crimes. Former UN supremo Kofi Annan and the Chief Prosecutor of the ICC Ocampo are due in Kenya soon towards this end and possibly achieving some much-needed reforms. It was also learned that the US government has recently handed โ€œbanโ€ notices to at least 15 senior politicians barring them from obtaining visas to the US.

AGREEMENT ON COMMON MARKET VERY NEAR
Negotiations have been going on and concluded in Kampala last week, ahead of the Head of State Summit in Mombasa, from September 30 to October 1, to put the finishing touches on this controversial protocol aimed at integrating the east African economies. The council of ministersโ€™ meeting then put final touches on the wording before presenting it to the full summit. Once the long-awaited common market protocol is signed by the Heads of State โ€“ as is expected โ€“ and then ratified by the respective national parliaments, the door will open for east Africans to move freely and without criminalization by their host countries for being an illegal immigrant or alien any longer, a deplorable situation many east Africans suffered from periodically by their host countries. Significant decision by the Heads of State will be reported in this column next week. Equally important, from January 1 next year, a full zero rating of customs duties will be in effect, at least for goods produced within the EAC and meeting the required input criteria, removing any duties thereafter for trade within the 5 community countries. It is also understood that the Mombasa Summit, held at the Sarova Whitesands Hotels along Mombasaโ€™s north coast, focused strongly on the Northern Transport Corridor, which requires major infrastructural upgrades and innovations to sustainably carry ever-increasing cargo and passenger numbers from the Indian Ocean ports of Mombasa and Dar es Salaam to the hinterland nations of Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, eastern Congo, and southern Sudan.

TANZANIA TOURIST BOARD TURNS TO ARTISTS
Tourism promotion is likely to get new perspectives and new impetus after the tourist board in Dar es Salaam announced last week that they would use local artists and local events sponsorship to boost domestic tourism. The details were given following the boardโ€™s sponsorship of Miss Tanzania contestants to visit Arusha and Lake Manyara National Park, and future activities will also use sporting events to draw attention to the tourism attractions everywhere in the country.

TURN WATERFRONT INTO TOURISM ATTRACTION
Last week saw emerging demands on the Tanzania Ports Authority, during the World Maritime Day celebrations, to provide access to the waterfront and create a good road so that Tanzanians and visitors alike could appreciate the beauty of the ocean. It was also mentioned that access to the port itself by visitors was difficult, and unlike other harbors and waterfronts, this was denying the city a tourism attraction. A major beach cleanup went on alongside the celebrations, when port staff and other volunteers cleared the beaches of rubbish. Well done and what a splendid idea to create such a project as a cornice along the Indian Ocean frontage.

WHERE ARE THE BUTTERFLIES?
A forest conservation project in the Usambara Mountains and forests has drawn attention to falling butterfly numbers in the area and vowed to help restore them to the habitat. Collecting butterflies for preservation and sale has been a community activity for many years in the area, producing cash flow into the local villages from the proceeds of selling the insects. However, butterflies are also thought to play a major role in preserving the local ecosystems and forest conservation, besides attracting a niche market of tourist visitors keen to see those species of butterflies not found elsewhere. It is understood that an NGO, called the Tanzania forest conservation group, is overseeing the project and assisting the local residents with guidance and advice. The estimated income for the villagers reportedly stands at about US$50,000.

ROTARY DAR ES SALAAM RAISES FUNDS FOR TREEPLANTING
A charity walk by the Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam, attended amongst others by former Tanzanian President Ali Hassan Mwinyi, last weekend raised about 90 million Tanzania shillings, way beyond its target of 75 million, to assist in the planting of about 100,000 tree seedlings in crucial areas across the country needing reforestation. Way to go โ€“ action instead of talk by going on a โ€œsupport a tree walk.โ€

VOCATIONAL TRAINING THE KEY
The Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism in Tanzania last weekend recognized the importance of vocational training in the human resource development for the hospitality and tourism sector. She made her encouraging comments while meeting with teacher graduates and members of the Vocational Education and Training Authority. She called upon those in positions of authority to raise the levels of training standards in order to produce sufficiently-qualified staff for deployment in the hospitality sector across the country.

ZANZIBAR LOOKS AT TOURISM FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION
The Zanzibar Association of Tour Operators and Zanzibar tourism investors came together earlier in the week under the auspices of Dutch NGO โ€œSNV,โ€ UKโ€™s Voluntary Services Overseas and the Norwegian Embassy, to discuss how tourism could become more beneficial to the people and grass roots of Zanzibar. Opinions were wide ranging, but there was consensus that the poorest and those most in need saw little benefit from tourism operations. Zanzibar achieves almost half of its economic output through tourism activities and linkages between the private sector and civil society were mentioned as the most desirable way forward to percolate benefits down the ranks of society. Job creation and economic empowerment through cooperative initiatives and cottage industries were also mentioned as a roadmap to achieve the objectives of the seminar, which was titled, โ€œTourism โ€“ More Value for Zanzibar.โ€

FRANCE LIFTS FINAL CONDITIONS ON ROSE KABUYE
The judicial charade involving Rwandaโ€™s Head of Protocol Rose Kabuye is now in its final stage after the French judiciary removed the few remaining conditions after Rose was freed last year from a French jail. This came after being arrested earlier in Germany where she went to prepare for the official visit of President Kagame, at the time in breach of diplomatic immunity. Germany then extradited her to France, where a clearly-misguided magistrate had issued an arrest warrant against her for the alleged involvement in the shooting down of the plane of the late regime leader Habyarimana, which also cost the French crew their lives. No sooner, however, was Rose in Paris, was her arrest warrant lifted, bail extended for her to return home, and she has since attended repeated sessions in France, belying those suggesting she would abscond. It is expected that the French judiciary will now formally put an end to the charade, leaving them with the proverbial egg all over their faces and their reputation in tatters. Several so-called witnesses have, under cross examination, withdrawn allegations attributed to them, while some others claimed never to have made statements or allegations against Rose in the first place.

RWANDAIR CUTS ENTEBBE FARES
It was learned this week that Rwandaโ€™s national airline has cut its fares between Kigali and Entebbe by US$50 US for a return ticket in order to woo more passengers to use air services instead of traveling a full day by bus between the two capitals. Flying time on the airlineโ€™s CRJ jet is only around half an hour between Entebbe and Kigali, compared to between 10 and 12 hours by bus, including border crossing procedures. Other selected destinations will also benefit from promotional fares as the airline is now taking its fight for market share on its main routes to its competitors.
This latest incentive will be welcome news to the hundreds of participants in the Uganda Manufacturers International Trade Fair next week, where about 150 Rwandan companies are showcasing their products.

HOTEL STAFF FIRED FOR SCREENING PORN
Several staff members involved in the screening of a porn film in Kigaliโ€™s Sports View Hotel were fired by the owners when they were found to have put on prohibited material in the hotelโ€™s main bar DVD player come TV. It appears that only a section of the crowd present enjoyed the movie while it lasted, and some other patrons promptly complained to the general manager and the owners, who then rushed to the scene and stopped the โ€œperformance.โ€ The owners and GM apologized to the public and those negatively affected โ€“ a stark warning that porn in public places, be it in Rwanda or elsewhere in eastern Africa, is a strictly โ€œno-noโ€ affair.

NEW FOREST CORRIDOR TO COST US$5 MILLION
The Rwandan government is set to invest major money into the creation of a forest corridor, which is due to connect the Nyungwe National Park with the Gishwati Forest. The challenge is said to be made easier as the Mukura Forest is en route to the planned corridor. Conservation of 13 species of primates and yet more monkey species is expected to be boosted, as the habitat of many of these endangered species will be substantially enhanced, while tourism activities will then bring money, employment, and investment opportunities to those newly-designated areas. It is, in fact, expected that once the project is complete, that additional national parks may be created to include the newly-forested areas, which would boost the tourism industry in Rwanda. The forest corridor is due to expand over 50 kilometers in the south of Rwanda.

EGYPT TO SUPPORT RWANDA AND BURUNDI OVER WATER HYACINTH
The river Kagera, which originates from Rwanda and secondary sources in Burundi, according to recent reports carries nearly 1,000 tons of water hyacinth into Lake Victoria, where the aquatic weed then spreads ever more, causing problems at ferry landing sites โ€“ especially in Kenyaโ€™s Kisumu harbor โ€“ and piles up in front of the main hydroelectric dam, causing excess pressure on the main dam walls and potentially causing damage to the turbines. Egypt, long engaged in carrot-and-stick approaches over the outdated 1929 and 1959 water treaties governing the use of the Nile waters and its original sources, has now committed to assist the governments of Rwanda and Burundi to capture the weed at its source and minimize the flow of the hyacinth along the Kagera river into Lake Victoria. In a related development, the Egyptian Minister for Water Resources and Irrigation denied in Kampala earlier in the week any attempt by Egypt to delay or stall a new agreement, contrary to all evidence of recent meetings pointing indeed to such deplorable tactics.

PULL UP YOUR SOCKS, HOTEL SECTOR TOLD
An official of the Rwanda Centre for Skills Development has urged local hoteliers and restaurant business owners to build the workplace capacity of their staff by training them properly. This went along with a warning that if service standards were not improved, the Rwanda Development Board would begin to close such hospitality businesses, which were not meeting the required minimum standards set across the East African Community starting from later in the year.

SEYCHELLES HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM ASSOCIATION MEETS IN PRASLIN
The sectoral apex body of the Seychelles tourism and hospitality industry has reportedly met for the first time on the island of Praslin, instead of only concentrating on meetings in the capital Victoria or outlying areas of the main island of Mahe. The board of SHTA felt, according to information availed to this column, the need to fully integrate the other islands tourism and hospitality businesses into the national association to allow all the islands involved in the tourism industry a piece of the action. It was also pointed out that the board of SHTA has also met with its members from La Digue Island, and meetings with members on the other islands are to follow in due course.

CONCIERGE SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE TO ALL
Business support, bookings, transportation, airline ticket reconfirmation or changes, deliveries, and lots more is all in a dayโ€™s work for a new service available at the main island of the Seychelles, Mahe. Even other chores, like babysitting services, school runs, recommending and booking a restaurant, and even gardening services are now available for residents and visitors to the island at nominal fees. For intending visitors, the full scope of Seychelles Concierge can be accessed via www.seychellesconcierge.com, while those already on the islands for a visit can make a simple call to receive any of the services advertised.

AIR SEYCHELLES GETS EXTRA B767
Information was received that ILFC has signed an agreement with Air Seychelles for an initial three-year lease of another Boeing 767-300ER. The additional aircraft will boost the airlineโ€™s capacity to add frequencies to its main core markets while considering network expansion as the tourism sector of the archipelago continues to expand once again, as the end of the global financial and economic crisis is now drawing near.
In a related aviation development, it was also learned that smoking at the Seychelles International Airport and the Praslin Island aerodrome has been banned in line with the relevant law now in place, prohibiting smoking in the workplace, public-enclosed places, and public transport.

MORE SEYCHELLES TOURISM BOARD STAFF POSTED ABROAD
STB announced earlier in the week that following the successful posting of a staff member to Paris ahead of the TOP RESA travel fair, another one has now been sent to assist in the boardโ€™s Rome office. The postings are for a given period of time to permit the respective staff members of STB better understanding of the markets they are assigned to support while adding, during this crucial period of tourism recovery, more manpower to serve travel agents, tour operators, and individual travelers better. The information was released on World Tourism Day last Sunday, when the Seychellois Vice President and Minister for Tourism spoke to the nation on the theme: Tourism โ€“ Celebrating Diversity – and put the spotlight on culture, including crafts, song, dances, and fashion, in addition to the natural beauty of the islands. The Seychelles are renowned for its diversity of races and different cultural backgrounds, all of which, over the centuries, melted into the unique Creole traditions for which tourists from around the world come to the archipelago. It was also learned that a dedicated public safety and ecology committee of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association was formed to enhance public safety, in particular for tourist visitors, supposedly also in a long line of activities coming to its peak on World Tourism Day.

AIR FRANCE IN MAJOR DEAL WITH SEYCHELLES TOURISM
During the recently-concluded TOP RESA travel fair in Paris, a partnership agreement was signed between Air France and the Seychelles Tourism Board, permitting for closer cooperation and paving the way for the airline to support the islandโ€™s efforts to promote the destination and bring more passengers to the country. The Seychelles has, in recent months, signed similar deals with Air Austral of La Reunion, Kenya Airways, and South African Airways, all aimed to aggressively market the Island archipelago in its core tourist markets and increase visitor numbers.

JUBA TO GET NEW RIVER HARBOR
Information received from southern Sudanโ€™s capital indicates that the government in Juba has decided to build a modern river harbor to facilitate easier transport of goods, as well as passengers on the River Nile. While the Nile is a key potential transportation axis across the entire Sudan, there is little in terms of infrastructure or navigational aids from the Sudd upriver towards Juba, and the occasional rapids also make navigation difficult if not fully conversant with the riverโ€™s course. Other river towns in the southern Sudan will also require major investments in the coming years to create river ports to allow for easy loading and landing of cargos. The cost of the construction in Juba, including dredging, is estimated to be in excess of US$10 million.

KHARTOUM REGIME THROWS DOWN GAUNTLET
In a not entirely unexpected move, the Islamic hard-line regime in Khartoum has upped the stakes in its dealing with the semi-autonomous south of the country, when demanding that an independence vote across the south, due for 2011, must reach 90 percent yes votes to succeed. It is now a strong possibility that the regime in Khartoum, often described as anti-African and driven by Arabic superiority feelings against the southern African tribes, seems to set a collision course with the south aimed to break the Comprehensive Peace Agreements signed under military and political pressure in Kenya in early 2005. Already the regime is accused of having doctored the population census, being in the process of pre-rigging national elections in 2010 by redrawing constituency boundaries based on the fraudulent census figures introduced by them, and stalling a bill for the independence vote in the south, all in an attempt to drive the southern leadership to make rash decisions, which could give the northern regime a reason to re-start an armed conflict. Other problems have emerged over allegedly wide-spread fraud against the south over the sharing of oil revenues, withholding foreign currency from the southern banking system, fuelling proxy-armed incidents in the south, and covertly supporting Ugandan rebels presently camped in the Central African Republic and eastern Congo to do the bloody handiwork to the bidding of their masters in Khartoum. A new policy announcement in Washington towards both the Khartoum regime and the southern semi-autonomous region was also expected by middle of this week, giving hope that the south will be exempted in the future from the sanctions imposed on the regime in Khartoum, permitting greater economic cooperation between the US and the south and giving hope to the southern population of rising prosperity.

East Africa tourism report

SHERATON KAMPALA HOTEL STAFF UPDATE

SHERATON KAMPALA HOTEL STAFF UPDATE
Sheratonโ€™s long-serving director of sales and marketing, Ms. Janet Mzigo, announced late last week that she will be leaving the hotel after 5 years at the helm of the marketing and sales department. For the time being, Janet will relocate to her home country of Kenya, following the sudden passing of her father, where she will be concentrating on family affairs before undoubtedly re-emerging once again in a couple of months in a similar or even elevated position in the hospitality or wider tourism industry in eastern Africa. Said Janet in her last meeting with this correspondent before departing for Nairobi: โ€œI think my big achievement was to empower my sales team who are now able to act under their own initiatives to meet Sheraton Kampalaโ€™s business targets. I learned a lot during these five years, and I made a lot of friends in Uganda and even more business contacts, and that is the sad part of going back to Kenya, to leave them all behind. Once I have taken care of family affairs, I will be back in the industry; there are lots of untapped opportunities in eastern Africa, especially in Uganda. Who knows, I may even be back here one day. Otherwise, it is for now โ€˜kwaheri ya kuonanaโ€™ from me.โ€ Farewell Janet and all the best in your future endeavors. Watch this space for the upcoming announcement of a successor by the Sheraton Kampala Hotel.

BULAGO ISLAND CLOSES FOR RENOVATIONS โ€“ UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
One of Kampalaโ€™s favorite weekend getaways, Bulago Island, has reportedly been taken over by Wild Places Africa, a sister company of The Uganda Safari Company. The island resort has already been closed, with immediate effect, for ongoing renovations, refurbishment, and upgrading by one of Ugandaโ€™s premier safari property companies, and is, according to Jonathan Wright, CEO of Wild Places Africa and TUSC, going to reopen before Easter 2010. According to Jonathan, the island resort will then offer 12 brand new deluxe rooms near the beach but will maintain its charm and appeal to the Kampaleans wanting to get away, while also offering the expected level of comfort and luxury for tourist visitors from overseas seeking a few days on an island on Lake Victoria following a safari to the most enchanting places in the country. Wild Places Africa presently owns and manages the luxurious Emin Pasha Hotel in Kampala, the Apoka Safari Lodge in Kidepo Valley National Park, the Semliki Safari Lodge in the Semliki Game Reserve (formerly Tooro Game Reserve), and the globally-renowned Clouds at the edge of the Bwindi Gorilla National Park. The Bulago owners – The Lake Victoria Sailing Company – also announced that they presently have three residential plots for sale, 1 acre each at a cost of US$60000, a price due to rise to US$100,000 once the new Bulago has gone operational next year and more facilities and infrastructure, like a brand new marina, have been added. Watch this space for progress reports from this upcoming jewel on the lake and when Bulago reloaded reopens for business next year.

GEO LODGES CONFIRM RWENZORI PROJECT
After signing a concession with Eco Trust recently, Geo Lodges Africa confirmed to this column that they will embark on a new lodge project at the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains. The company already manages such illustrious properties as the Rain Forest Lodge deep inside the Mabira Forest, the Nile Safari Lodge at the boundary of the Murchisons Falls National Park, the Jacana Safari Lodge at Lake Nyamusingire/Queen Elizabeth NP, and a property recently taken under management at Buhoma/Bwindi. Further updates will be given as and when available from the company.

MORE OIL DISCOVERED, LOTS MORE OIL
Tullow Oil, one of the licensed exploration companies, announced late last week a major new find of oil beneath Lake Albert, possibly more in that location alone than at all test drilling wells in Uganda combined. The new find has promptly raised the stakes for Ugandaโ€™s desire to refine crude oil within the country to use domestically, as well as export white fuels and lubricants to other countries in the region. The latest discovery is thought to bring confirmed discoveries to above a billion barrels.

CHIMP CHALLENGE 2009 EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS
The annual Chimp 4×4 Challenge last weekend produced an astonishing financial result, considering the event had been postponed from a week earlier due to the riots in Kampala. Over 71 million Uganda shillings were raised from sponsorships and direct contributions, all of which will now go towards chimpanzee-related projects and added conservation measures. The participants found the 4×4 course tough going, as rains had soaked up the entire area and got many vehicles stuck, needing rescue from onlookers, who ended up mud-caked but visibly happy. Talk about man and his cars – no pun intended – as several lady drivers performed well enough to relegate some of the boys to โ€œalso runs.โ€

076 GOES ONLINE
A new mobile phone company, I-Tel, has gone online earlier this week with the prefix 076, making it the sixth such operator licensed and operational in the country. Early bird Celtel, now known as Zain, was joined by MTN before the former national monopoly company UPTC transformed into UTL and added mobile services to its landline business. In more recent years, Warid joined the market before Franceโ€™s Orange added yet another internationally-connected service to Uganda. With the sixth company now operational, it is thought that market saturation will be reached in due course. The company has gone live in reportedly some 38 towns and urban centers already connected, and its call charges are by far the cheapest in the market, in some cases charging only half of the current rates. Visitors to the country can purchase SIM cards at a nominal fee to stay connected as the presently most affordable rates, until the other operators begin to react to the newcomers.

KENYA INTENSIFIES DRIVE IN EMERGING MARKETS
Following ministerial and delegation visits to emerging tourism markets in Russia, eastern Europe, and the Far East earlier in the year, KTB has embarked on attending tourism consumer trade shows in these countries in order to diversify and reduce the risk of mainstream market places like the UK, Germany, Italy, or the US, leaving safari lodges and coastal resorts with empty beds. Plenty of activities are lined up for the new CEO of KTB in the coming weeks!

FERRIES ON TRACK, SAYS KENYAN GOVERNMENT
Following media reports last week over the likely delay of the delivery of the new ferries for Mombasa, the Kenyan government has refuted the allegations of any problems. It was, however, confirmed that the CEO of Kenya Ferry Services had been sacked, following the misappropriation of more than 580 million Kenya shillings meant to pay for the ferries. The Kenyan Transport Minister also confirmed that a full audit was underway to establish where the money went. He also left open the option that that โ€œthe money was not stolenโ€ but used for alternate purposes without authority. The public, however, remains skeptical about the envisaged delivery dates as one source from Mombasa said to this column: โ€œLetโ€™s wait and see.โ€ In fact, the Mombasa and Coast Tourist Association chairman Capt. Johnny Cleave and his counterpart of the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers coast branch both voiced concern over the potential delays, calling it a blow to investor confidence, in particular in the tourism sector, which depends on a reliable ferry connection to have tourists reach the main beach resorts south of Mombasa.

PIRACY NEGOTIATORS FREED
The men held by Puntland authorities over the exchange of some 23 alleged pirates previously on remand in the Seychelles against some three Seychellois citizens were freed last weekend and returned to Kenya. The use of such negotiators or facilitators is highly controversial but has, in this case, had a positive ending, besides 23 pirates escaping justice and likely continuing to pursue their criminal activities. It is not known if any further ransom or fines were paid to secure their release, which will be welcome news to their families and friends.

SERENGETI DISTRICT LICENSES NEW LODGE
Information reached this column that the Serengeti District Council recently licensed a proposed new lodge outside the Serengeti National Park on adjoining land to be built by an indigenous Tanzanian hailing from the area. Nyigiha Holdings has received all the necessary permits from the local administration to set up a new lodge on a 50-hectare concession area at Natta Mbisso village. The new lodge, once completed, will provide much-needed jobs for area residents, and district officials have already called for suitable youths to be trained in hospitality courses. The same officials also expressed their hope that the new tourism facility will assist in reducing poaching in the area, once neighbors of the new lodge will see the benefits of safari tourism and understand the need to protect wildlife.

ARGUMENTS PERSIST OVER DINOSAUR SKELETONS
The ongoing discussions over the potential return of several dinosaur skeletons, brought to Germany nearly a hundred years ago when Tanganyika was still a German colony, have drawn in expert opinions in regard to the risks of returning the exhibits to Tanzania. In the past, German museums have invested heavily to provide a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment for the skeletons to preserve them in their present state, but experts are concerned that in the absence of similar facilities in Tanzania the exhibits may suffer irreparable damage if brought home. Sources from within the Tanzanian government are also cautious over raising expectations. Digging up more skeletons from the known sites has for the time being been ruled out as a result of the technical demands of such an undertaking, and the government is presently considering other ways to make the site accessible to tourist visitors without causing damage to the area. In comparison, Egypt has in the past successfully repatriated exhibits but only after investing in museum infrastructure and technical facilities, which convinced the previous owners of antique and ancient items held abroad to return them into a guaranteed safe museum environment in Cairo.

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM FOR AFRICA COMES TO DAR ES SALAAM
The next edition of the World Economic Forum on Africa will take place in Tanzaniaโ€™s commercial capital of Dar es Salaam next year from May 5-7, 2010. The forum was initially thought to take place in Nairobi/Kenya following preliminary agreements between the organizers and the Kenyan government, and no reason could immediately be ascertained why the changes were made. However, what is of importance is that this meeting for economic focus on Africa is taking place in eastern Africa in 2010, giving the region the opportunity to showcase investment and tourism opportunities at a time when the integration of the East African Community member states may have advanced a notch further, making the region even more attractive for large corporations to invest in for instance mining, agro processing, transport, and tourism.

RWANDAIR IN FARES OFFENSIVE
The Rwandan national airline has launched special offers to attract more passengers during the present โ€œshoulder-seasonโ€ period. For as little as US$399, travellers may fly from Kigali to Johannesburg, while a flight to Kilimanjaro/Arusha will cost US$250 for a return flight, Nairobi for US$199 return, and Entebbe for US$150 return; terms and conditions apply.

SEYCHELLES MAKES WAVES AT TOP RESA
Affordable Seychelles was en vogue in Paris during the week, in particular as French is widely spoken on all the islands making up the archipelago. New partnerships with big airlines are expected to yield more arrivals to the country through more frequencies, and destination management companies, hotels, and activities organizers were all in attendance to reposition the Seychelles away from the perception of being an expensive destination towards being a very affordable destination, even for families with kids โ€“ a market many hotels and resorts now cater to with added-value packages. Air Seychelles, the national airline, was also in Paris, and initial reports indicate an upcoming booking boom as interest in the offerings of the Seychellois team was quite intense. The Islands are also known for arranging spectacular weddings, as well as catering to honeymooners, attracting many couples from around the world to the exotic Creole islands a thousand miles away from everybody in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

AIR SEYCHELLES GETS NEW BOARD
A new board was appointed last week by President James A. Michel for the Seychellois national airline, comprising three governmental and three private sector representatives, besides the companyโ€™s executive chairman, who remained in his position. Following the first meeting of the new board, its new objectives were outlined, which include support to the countryโ€™s tourism sector. In spite of the now outgoing global economic and financial crisis, the airline has maintained its operations to all key markets of holiday makers coming to the Indian Ocean Creole Islands and using the national airline. A recent audit report on the airlineโ€™s operations and finances was also discussed by the new board, which will now carry out the implementation of the recommendations made by the auditors to further strengthen and improve the airlineโ€™s performance.

SEYCHELLES LAUNCH FIRST NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Last week saw the launch of the Seychellesโ€™ first ever university during a ceremony at State House in Victoria/Mahe. President Michel was formally installed as the first chancellor, as is still tradition in many countries in Africa. vice chancellor and president of the new โ€œivory towerโ€ is Dr. Rolph Poyet, assisted on the board by eminent personalities from the University of London, the University of Malta, the University of Reunion, and a number of other senior academicians, all aimed at making the new university a success story. Much of the Seychelles cabinet and senior judicial figures were also present at the function, emceed by none other than Alain St. Ange, director of the Seychelles Tourist Board and eTN ambassador. Most notably, tourism-related courses will be taught at the new facility, i.e., a BSc course in Business Administration with tourism and hospitality specialization and a BSc course in Tropical Coastal and Marine Science, both courses important to the countryโ€™s tourism sector. The tourism and hospitality specialization is a year three component and available for students already on campus since the 2009 academic year. The University of Seychelles started off with 55 enrolled students, a figure that is bound to rise over the coming semesters. Twinning programs are in place with the University of London, which will permit students to graduate with documentation from both universities. Tourism is the main economic activity across the islands, besides fishing, and trained manpower is the key for future sustainability of the sector based on well-skilled Seychellois staff.

MYSTERY HOLES IN NATIONAL PARK BAFFLE AUTHORITIES
Several freshly excavated holes were recently discovered at Mare aux Cochons in the Morne National Park, triggering an official investigation into what or who would have dug the pits. The holes were reportedly about 4 feet in diameter and depth and located around other caves in the same park area. No further information was available at the time of filing this report.

SEYCHELLES CAA LAUNCHES CADET PROGRAM
As part of career guidance week, the Civil Aviation Authority in Victoria announced the creation of a cadet scheme as part of its vocational training approach to attract young Seychellois into the ranks of its staff. The SCAA also announced two full scholarships at the recently-launched public university to fill upcoming vacancies in its various departments, once the young beneficiaries have graduated from their BSc in Civil Aviation Management courses. The campaign is a further effort to empower young citizens with the right skills and education to fill positions otherwise occupied by expatriate staff.

East Africa tourism report

HOLLYWOOD COMES TO UGANDA

HOLLYWOOD COMES TO UGANDA

Celebrities all the way from Hollywood are expected in Uganda next week to help celebrate the UN Year of the Gorilla 2009 and lend a high profile to the event. Uganda Wildlife Authority; the Uganda Tourism Board; and the Ministry of Tourism, Trade, and Industry all worked hand in hand to make this happen, as was explained at a press conference yesterday in Kampala. Amongst the visitors from the US are Jason Biggs, Simon Curtis, Nicholas Brendon, Kristy Wu, and Eddie Kay Thomas. They will be joined by South Africans Rose Mutene, Hlubi Mmopi, and Fared Khimani, adding diversity and African celebrities to the group of high-profile visitors for the launch of the new gorilla group for tracking. Other VIPs associated with the Leadership for Conservation in Africa will also be in Kampala, where the Uganda Wildlife Authority is leading the celebrations of the UN Year of the Gorilla 2009. The celebs will travel to Bwindi with a group of select journalists and media representatives, including this eTN correspondent, to commission the new group. There will be plenty of time to interact with the communities living nearby in the national park in Kisoro before returning to Kampala for the grand finale next Saturday. HE President Museveni is expected to be visiting an exhibition and celebrations at the Kololo parade ground, open for all between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm. In the evening, a fundraising dinner will take place at the Kampala Serena Hotel, already sold out already at US$100 a plate – all for the benefit of conservation and the protection of the gorillas.

NEW GORILLA LODGE TO OPEN SOON

The Ruhija Gorilla Lodge inside the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest will shortly open its doors for visitors. A group of gorillas, launched after full habituation last September for visits by tourists named Bitukura, is the main attraction from the lodge. Being located in the heart of the forest, other game and forest birds can also be seen with ease. One particularly appealing feature is the splendid view from the main terrace. The new lodge will offer a total of 12 twin cabins in the categories of standard, superior, and deluxe, catering to all budgets โ€“ from US$80 per person, twin sharing to US$190 per person, sharing. The lodge pointed out that a single supplement applies for rooms occupied by only one person.

AIRPORT SWINE FLU SCREENING DESK CLOSED

It appears that the dedicated health desk for the screening of arriving passengers was abruptly vacated by staff last week. No further information has been received as to whether this was on orders of the Ministry of Health or for other reasons. One effect of this closure has been the faster processing of arriving passengers by immigration, as the intermediate step of filling the extra forms could be omitted.

PARKING CHARGES AT AIRPORT SHOOT UP

The uniform parking fee of 1,000 Uganda shillings or about US50 cents, which motorists had to pay on entry of the airport, has now been succeeded by new charges per hour. Staying within the airport for one hour now costs 2,000 UShs, while every extra hour then adds a further 500 UShs to the bill. Long-term parking fees, costing 5,000 UShs per day, have also doubled to 10,000 UShs for each car per day, equivalent to about US$5. With inflation in the low double-digit figures, the doubling of basic charges has been condemned by large sections of airport users, although the CAA pointed out that the parking fees had not been revised for many years.

REGIONAL AVIATION MEETING SET FOR ARUSHA

Growing and increasingly vocal demands by the aviation fraternity and airline passengers will undoubtedly feature on the agenda of the forthcoming aviation meeting in Arusha in October, where the theme is โ€œAviation โ€“ linking EAC and the World Safely and Efficiently.โ€ It is understood that the Rwandan delegation will support demands for a full regional open skies regime, something Uganda has practiced for some time without seeing its generosity towards Kenyan and Tanzanian aviation stakeholders reciprocated. In reported cases, Ugandan aircraft continue to be treated as foreign, which is in clear and direct violation of the spirit of the East African Cooperation, while other airlines report that fees have to be paid in hard currency instead of local currency, as should be the case for regional aircraft when entering for instance Kenya or Tanzania. Other cases reported to this column ahead of the meeting, also speak of the lack of clearances beyond the main entry points gazetted by the national authorities, making it impossible to deliver its clients to the final destination in the game parks. Some of the main demands are to scrap the multiple requirements for airline licensing and the issuance of an air operators certification (AOC), the mutual recognition of licenses and permits across the region once granted by any one member state, the move towards scrapping customs and immigration procedures on arrival and departure for flights within the East African Community, the substantial reduction of regulatory charges and airport fees for domestic and regional flights, and eventually a full integration of national regulatory bodies into a regional regulator.

BRUSSELS AIRLINES ADDS MORE AFRICA DESTINATIONS

The Kampala office confirmed earlier in the week that the recent codeshare agreement with Lufthansa has been expanded to offer SN passengers from Europe, or traveling via Brussels from its intercontinental network, yet more African destinations. Operated by Lufthansa from Frankfurt, flights with an SN prefix are now possible from Brussels to Khartoum, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Accra, effective this week. More destinations operated by SN on its Africa network are also due to join the growing list of codeshared flights, which in turn will permit LH passengers to travel via Brussels to a wide range of airports on the African continent. Already Banjul, Douala, Yaoundรฉ, Abidjan, Bujumbura, and Nairobi, besides Entebbe, are on offer with Lufthansa flight numbers, leading to ever-greater integration of flights and destinations between members of the LH Group, i.e., Swiss, Austrian, SN, and BMI and Star Alliance partners.

KLM TO INTRODUCE COMFORT IN ECONOMY CLASS

Advance information given to this column by a source from the Kampala KLM office indicates that the airline will soon begin to convert a section of the economy class cabin into a comfort area with wider seat pitch, up to 10 extra cm, and much greater seat recline, but otherwise the same food and drink service. The projected location of this area will be in the front section of the economy class, behind the business class. Surcharges will apply for the seats, although frequent flier benefits and full-fare passengers will be able to book the seats without extra cost. The airline will progressively convert its B777s towards this new feature, but no time line was given when the product will be available on the Entebbe route or the rest of the airlineโ€™s east African destinations.

CHIMP CONSERVATION EVENT POSTPONED

A major annual conservation fundraising drive last weekend, the 4×4 Chimp Challenge, fell afoul of the hooligans, looters, and rioters deployed by their political godfathers last week, prompting the organizers to postpone the event rather than risk the property, safety, health, and lives of participants driving to the 4×4 range out of town along Entebbe road, which had been targeted by the rioters. While the situation had been brought largely under control at the time, isolated pockets of hot heads continued to try to cause some havoc but were met with a strong reaction by security forces, which turned out in overwhelming numbers. A new date has been provisionally set for September 19 โ€“ this weekend. In related developments, the local movie theatres, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and casinos were all recording a substantial loss of customers and revenues, while supermarkets and other shops also saw revenues plummet due to voluntary preventative closure or lack of clients. A planned concert by American gospel singer Kirk Franklin was also postponed indefinitely.

US UPS TRAVEL ADVISORY ON UGANDA

The US State Department was swift to up the language of its advisory notes about visiting Uganda, as well as American citizens living in Uganda, following the riots last week. Although no visitors came to harm during the events last Thursday and Friday, Americans living in Uganda were put on notice that there was a potential for more violence and to stay away from large groups of people as โ€œeven peaceful gatherings and demonstrations can turn unexpectedly violentโ€. Tourism stakeholders approached over this development expressed dismay and again blamed kingdom hardliners for having unleashed rioters, looters, hooligans, and hit squads on the city and other urban centers with absolutely no regard for Ugandaโ€™s reputation abroad and the resulting damage to the countryโ€™s tourism industry, already struggling after the fallout of the global economic and financial crisis affected visitor numbers. Several hundred participants in the riots have since been produced in court and charged with a variety of public order and criminal offenses, putting to rest deliberately misleading rumors that the government was detaining people without charge. Courts in Kampala and elsewhere have remanded the accused in various jails until their cases come up either for mention or trial.

ANOTHER PARK RANGER KILLED BY ENCROACHERS

Mt. Elgon National Park once again recorded the tragic death of yet another warden when encroachers last week set upon him with machetes and other crude weapons and battered him to death. According to UWA sources, at least 11 wardens have been injured or killed in the recent past by illegal squatters and encroachers, something incidentally repeated in other parts of the country when NFA staff had tried to evict people form national forest reserves. Uganda Wildlife Authority called upon communities living near or around protected areas to respect the park boundaries, which in most cases are either clearly marked or well known to residents nearby. The mandate of NFA and UWA has been made more difficult by political interference and influenced peddling, when several hundred evictees returned to a forest in Kibaale district when politicians got involved only days after the National Forest Authority personnel had driven the invaders out. These situations are bound to raise questions about Ugandaโ€™s reputation abroad as a green destination with a high ratio of environmental protection, which the country so far enjoyed for the benefit of the tourism sector. If park and forest invasions are not stopped, it could spell doom for conservation and tourism alike. The condolences of this column go to the victimโ€™s family, friends, and colleagues at UWA.

COMMUNITIES DEMAND GREATER EVENUE SHARE

Last weekend saw reports emerge that sections of the communities living near the Bwindi national park have demanded that UWA share as much as 50 percent of its revenue with them, allegedly after being incited by populists. The law governing the operation of the Uganda Wildlife Authority mandates that 20 percent of the gate receipts are shared with those communities neighboring protected areas. UWA has implemented this legal provision and over the years handed hundreds of millions of shillings to communities for approved projects. Sources from the conservation and tourism fraternity sampled over this demand also rejected the idea outright saying it is a cheap trick by aspiring politicians to get votes and support, while completely unfeasible and in fact misleading. Said one source to this column: โ€œThis is a recipe for conflict. If the instigators are not arrested and brought to book, the poor residents in the area may resort to violence. This is not what we want and can tolerate. It could seriously do harm to tourism.โ€

ROAD WORKS CONTINUE ACROSS THE COUNTRY

A further contract has been signed by the government to begin the rehabilitation of the next section of the main highway from Kampala towards the Rwanda border at Katuna. Sections of the highway between Masaka and Mbarara and on towards Ntungamo are already under repair and upgrade, and the final 100 KM of work have now been commissioned. Tourist visitors will be happier once the work is completed, as the road will be wider with extra space for vehicles to stop on enlarged road shoulders, while the main surface of the highway will be completely resealed. This will make safaris to the countryโ€™s main national parks in the southwest of the country safer and faster to reach.

NEW NILE BRIDGE GIVEN GREEN LIGHT

The project to build a new bridge across the Nile in Jinja to link the eastern and western part of the country, has been given a boost last week when the consultantsโ€™ report affirmed the viability and feasibility of the project. The cost is presently estimated at about US$100 million but may increase further as time goes on, which has often been the case with such projects. The Japanese government is expected to finance the construction, including the new access roads and ramps on both sides of the river, by part grant and part long-term soft loans. The presently available time frame talks of a building start by 2011 and a construction period of approximately 4 years before the new dual carriage road bridge can be commissioned and opened for public traffic. The present bridge across the Owen Falls dam will, in the meantime, be repaired and strengthened. This work will begin later in the year to prolong the lifespan of the bridge and, once the new bridge is open, keep it in working order as a redundancy fall back option.

KALANGALA FERRY BACK IN SERVICE

Faster than initially expected after the most recent reports about necessary repairs, the main ferry resumed services between the Entebbe pier and the main Ssese Islands. After the mandatory Lloyds inspection for the annual insurance cover renewal, some repairs had to be carried out, which have been completed. This will come as a relief to island residents who now have affordable fares again compared to private boats. Motorists and cargo transporters will also feel the relief since the ferry can uplift several vehicles. Tourists can breathe a sigh of relief as the long road trip to the Masaka ferry crossing can now be avoided by a quick trip to the pier in Entebbe and a more comfortable ride on a larger vessel.

FUEL PRICES CLIMB AGAIN

The rising cost of crude oil on the international market has hit home again with fuel prices reaching near 2,500 per liter for petrol and touching the 2,100 UShs mark for diesel. While the shilling has of late appreciated considerably, this does not seem to be reflected by the actual prices being charged, again raising suspicions that the big fuel companies are taking advantage of market conditions. The brief riots last week also resulted in some stations making quick profits by raising prices until the unrest had quieted down.

UGANDA INTERNATIONAL SHOW SET FOR OCTOBER 6 โ€“ 12

The annual international trade show organized by the Uganda Manufacturers Association at its Lugogo Show Ground is taking place this year between October 6-12. The annual event attracted over 900 exhibitorsโ€™ prebookings for space from eastern and southern Africa and further abroad, representing a total of 33 countries. President Museveni is expected to formally open the trade show on October 7. Budget hotels will be in great demand for the duration of the trade show, so intending visitors are advised to reserve their rooms well in advance and register with UMAโ€™s secretariat for entry passes to avoid disappointment.

KARAOKE NIGHT AT SHERATON WITH A TWIST

Nile Breweries are main sponsors of the newly-introduced Karaoke Night at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel every Wednesday, and it will be giving away a free Nile Gold premium malt beer for the first 100 arrivals, arguably aimed at oiling their throats or else to help them overcome anxiety before their anticipated performances. The new beer was launched only a few weeks ago and has become an instant hit with the yuppies and uppies in Kampala, and as the Sheraton has of late positioned itself once again in the favored list of Kampalaโ€™s socialites, the new evening activity will undoubtedly pull in the crowds even more.

KENYA TO DIVERSIFY TOURISM

Information was received from tourism stakeholder sources in Nairobi, that the Ministry of Tourism finally put its money where its mouth is by developing new tourism circuits across the country. The western Kenya region has been allocated 30 million Kenya Shillings (1 US dollar presently equals about 76 Kenya shillings) to support marketing activities and product development so as to attract more visitors into the less-explored parts of the country. Western Kenya, in particular the Kisumu area, is now globally known as the paternal home of US President Obamaโ€™s family, and the growing demand for tours to the area will be given a boost by injecting bigger budgets.

FLY 540 ADDS THIRD KISUMU FLIGHT

In response to the temporary halt of flight between Nairobi to Kisumu by Kenya Airways, due to work on the single runway of the airport, Fly 540 has added a third flight. The airline is using ATR aircraft, which can safely land and take off from the shortened runway. There is no information available if the third flight will remain on the Fly 540 schedule once Kenya Airways resumes services with its Embraer 170 regional jet in December after the runway extension and rehabilitation has been completed.

ALS ADDS JUBA TO NETWORK

Soon after launching twice-daily flights from Wilson Airport to Kisumu on Bombardier Dash 8 equipment, locally-incorporated airline, ALS, commenced flights between Nairobi and Juba, southern Sudan. The airline will use a recently-acquired Embraer 135LR aircraft on this route. No information could be received on further destinations planned by the airline, either for the domestic or regional markets. The Kenyan airline has a joint Kenyan and Middle Eastern ownership from Kuwait. The Embraer 135 is a small regional jet with 37 seats, three abreast, in an all-economy version and is said to be one of the more economical small jets on the market. What is particularly impressive is that as a start-up airline, ALS is using relatively modern and young aircraft, raising the threshold for other future start ups and serving notice to aged, fuel guzzling โ€œsky howlersโ€ of yesteryear.

JETLINK TO GET MORE CRJS?

Information received from sources close to the Kenyan private airline indicates that after operating 4 CRJ aircraft on its fleet, a further three could join them in due course. It could not be ascertained if those extra aircraft would be operated on an expanding route network for Jetlink or be wet leased to other operators, as Jetlink presently does for RwandAir. The same sources also confirmed that Jetlink is well on its way to finishing its own maintenance hangar at Nairobiโ€™s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and may well be on the way to becoming a dedicated CRJ maintenance base for eastern Africa, now that several airlines are using the aircraft type, and the nearest such facility is presently located in South Africa.

FUEL CRISIS ENDS IN KENYA

After receiving a shipload of processed fuels in Mombasa, the Kenya pipeline company started pumping various fuels from its main terminal at the Mombasa port to the depots in Nairobi last weekend, ending a drawn-out fuel crisis in the capital and other upcountry urban centers. The refinery in Mombasa is presently operating on half capacity due to shortages of both water and electricity, making imports of refined fuels necessary. The landed fuel should be sufficient to supply enough petrol and diesel to Kenya for two weeks.

MOLEST A CHILD, GO TO JAIL

Three people were sentenced to long prison terms in Nairobi last week after being found guilty of child molestation, statutory rape, and subjecting minors to prostitution. The main culprit, former managing director of the Nairobi Java Coffee House, Mr. Jon Wagner, will serve at least 15 years behind bars, while his suppliers โ€“ two Kenyan women who had brought the school girls to Wagner โ€“ were jailed for 10 years each. The three school girls who had reported the crimes were all under age and were said to have been brought to Wagner under false pretenses to secure scholarships or other support. The convicted rapist, according to the prosecutors, then drugged and sexually assaulted the girls. Kenya has long made it known that it will employ the full extent of the law to bring paedophiles to book, should these predators come to the country in search of innocent victims, but this has been the first major case involving a resident foreigner who colluded with local Kenyans to satisfy his depraved mind. Sex tourism has, in recent years, taken to โ€œouting, naming, and shamingโ€ of those engaged in these disgusting activities, and the worldโ€™s leading tour operators, hotel chains, tourist boards, and the travel media have all worked hand in hand to first reduce and then eliminate these shameful activities under the disguise of tourism. It is understood that the trio plans to appeal their sentences.

KENYA GOVERNMENT TO RIVAL TOP HOTELS?

Reports in the Kenyan media indicate that the Kenyan government is set to acquire at least 10 residences in Nairobi, and probably elsewhere in the country, to accommodate state visitors, VIPs, and visiting delegations in an attempt to reduce its hotel bills. Government normally pays for all or some of all hotel bills for visiting state guestsโ€™ delegations, ordinarily staying in top-of-the-range suites at top-rated hotels in the city. Charges for such accommodation run into the thousands of dollars each day for a presidential suite, costing the Kenyan tax payer hundreds of millions of Kenya shillings during the course of a financial year. In the past, the government has not exactly shown excellence in managing businesses, especially the hotel sector, considering the defunct African Tours and Hotels state enterprise, and it has little, if any, current experience other than managing the various State Lodges and the main State House in Nairobi. Experience is needed to run and maintain top-of-the-range accommodation that will measure up to the level of its visitorsโ€™ expectations regarding the hospitality required to keep such guests happy.

JUMBOS HIT BY TRAIN IN TSAVO NATIONAL PARK

Last week, a passenger train that was trying to cross the line in the wider Tsavo East National Park area hit several elephants. The accident happened at night when visibility for the train drivers was restricted to the beam of the trainโ€™s headlights, causing the collision, which then killed at least 5 of the elephant. The line was then closed for some time to allow for an investigation to be carried out by police and wildlife management personnel. As a result of the drought, many wild animals in the Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks are now migrating long distances, at times beyond the park boundaries, in search of pasture and water. In the process, they enter farms and endanger the local population, which is trying to protect their precious crops that they managed to grow during the drought. Increased crossing by animals on roads and highways, has led to more accidents with cars along the Mombasa to Nairobi highway, and is now a matter of serious concern for KWS and the traffic police along this stretch of road. Schools are reportedly starting late and closing early to allow the children to reach their destinations during the daylight, when conditions are better for avoiding straying wildlife.
Meanwhile KWS also confirmed that at least 20 young elephant have died because of drought-related complications in recent weeks, most of them in the Laikipia area of central Kenya.

FERRY DELAY CAUSES ANGER, OUTRAGE

A while ago, it was confirmed that new ferries had been ordered and were due for delivery later in the year for the operation crossing from the Mombasa island to the south coast mainland at Likoni. This target, however, is now in serious doubt, according to reports from Kenya, as almost half a billion Kenya Shillings meant to pay for them has gone missing. The reports have caused a storm of outrage and anger, as well as frustration amongst the regular users of the ferries, which โ€“ when they break down โ€“ cause untold delays and have, in the past, led to workers missing work, pupils and students missing school, and tourists missing flights.

MINISTER DEMANDS MORE TRAINING

The Tanzanian Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism Ms. Mwangunga last week demanded better and more training for citizens in the field of wildlife management and tourism, when she visited the College of African Wildlife Management in Mweka, near Moshi. She in particular asked tour operators to employ trained staff from amongst the graduates to improve the skill levels of their employees, which she called a cornerstone of the tourism industryโ€™s success.
The principal of the college at the same time also made it known that the school has spare capacity to absorb more students and called on private sponsorship by tourism companies to permit deserving students to meet their expenses while undergoing training.

NEW AVIATION TRAINING SCHOOL FOR ARUSHA

Following the recent lamentations by a Tanzanian government minister about the lack of capacity in the country, a new aviation training venture is set to take off. Located at the Arusha municipal aerodrome, the new facility aims to train student pilots, taking them from the initial course for a PPL (Private Pilot License) to the much in-demand CPL (Commercial Pilot License). Reportedly, the demand for pilot training is substantial, not only from within Tanzania but also from Kenya and Uganda. Arusha Aviation Services Company Ltd. is, according to sources, owned by retired aviators and aircraft technicians and also proposes to start courses for aviation engineering students. The new facility received a boost in recognition last week when Tanzaniaโ€™s President Kikwete visited Arusha and gave the local investors the thumbs up and encouragement to proceed with its plans.

EXPELLED PASTORALISTS WERE FROM ACROSS THE BORDER

Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Ms. Mwangunga earlier in the week denied that any of the herders expelled from game areas in and around Ngorongoro were Tanzanians, but confirmed that illegal immigrants had been found in the area and reportedly been returned across the border to Kenya. The illegal immigrant speak is concealed language often used to criminalize other east Africans found within the Tanzanian borders and when it suits authorities also in Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda, belying the spirit of the east African cooperation and unmasking underlying sentiments not helpful for the envisaged integration. Sympathizers of those affected, trying to get the attention of the Tanzanian president by staging a sit-in at the State House in Dar es Salaam, were reportedly also arrested, again as illegal immigrants or aliens. Tanzanian herders presently entering game areas in search of pasture for their livestock have reportedly been left alone in the same area, although it is at best difficult and at times impossible to distinguish between the Masai from Kenya and the Masai from Tanzania, whose age-old grazing grounds are now subject to a dividing international border, which they, however, continue to cross with their herds in search of water and pastures. It is also understood that following the negative regional media coverage and pressure by donor countries on the circumstances and the one-sided partiality of the evictions, the Tanzanian government will investigate any abuses or human rights violations that may have taken place.

CHELSEA OWNER FAILS TO MAKE THE SUMMIT

The recent visit by Roman Abramovich, Russian billionaire and best known for his ownership of Chelsea Football Club, failed to produce the wanted results, when reportedly the climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro had to be abandoned. The Russianโ€™s group of friends, who had flown into the country with him aboard of his personal B767 private jet, were compelled to return to base without reaching the summit when Abramovich developed breathing problems โ€“ a condition often seen with tourist climbers who fail to acclimatize properly and ascend too fast, a situation which very likely occurred with the VIP group that reportedly took over a hundred porters with them to cater for all their fancies while enroute to the peak. It appears, though, that this pampering could not make up for the onset of medical problems. That all said, Abramovichโ€™s visit was high profile enough to have caught the eye of the global media and afforded Tanzania priceless PR in key tourism markets.

RWANDA INVESTMENT RATING MOVES UP 76 PLACES

The most recent World Bank Survey, โ€œDoing Business Report,โ€ has catapulted Rwandaโ€™s standing some 76 places upwards from last yearโ€™s position of 143, to 67 out of the 183 countries surveyed. The latest edition of the annual report, titled, โ€œReforming through difficult times,โ€ gives Rwanda recognition for building institutions and making business start ups and operations more easy to achieve. Like the tourism sector, already a growth leader in eastern Africa, the rest of the Rwandan economy has now emulated the example as well. In contrast, Ugandaโ€™s rating has moved into the opposite direction, and challenges await for this country to restore international confidence and create the right conditions for further investments, an area in which the country for long excelled.

RWANDA BAGS EABC CHAIR

The East African Business Council held its annual general meeting last week in Kigali, Rwanda. This is the first time an AGM was held in Rwanda since the country joined the East African Community as a full member last July. The EABC is the private sector apex body for the East African Community member states national business associations, located at the EAC headquarters in Arusha. It is said, the GTZ, the German development service, has financially and logistically supported the EABC since its formation. During the meeting in Kigali, Mr. Faustin Mbundu Kananura was elected as the new chairperson โ€“ the first from Rwanda to hold this prestigious position. In his business capacity, Mr. Kananura is the CEO of a leading Rwandan coffee export company. He will hold office for the next year, before a new chairperson, likely then to be from Burundi, will be elected. Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania have held the positions since the inception of the EABC a few years ago, and the post rotateโ€™ amongst the member states in the true spirit of east African cooperation.

ELECTION DATE SET FOR RWANDA

August 9, 2010 will be the day Rwandans go to the polls to elect their president. Campaigning will commence on July 20, ending the day before the elections. The countryโ€™s tourism sector, led by RDB-T&C, was swift in reassuring intending visitors that elections in the New Rwanda have in the past been peaceful, and all tourism operations, including gorilla tracking, would continue uninterrupted during the campaign and election period. Parliamentary and civic elections will take place along a different timeframe.

AKAGERA FIRES ONCE AGAIN CAUSED BY CARELESS AREA RESIDENTS

As has happened before, fires erupted along the periphery of the Akagera National Park, believed to have been lit by poachers and irresponsible residents in nearby villages scouting for honey. Park authorities, together with other security organizations and neighborhood support, brought the fires swiftly under control. The fire risk is presently higher than normal due to the prolonged drought conditions in many parts of eastern Africa. The last reported major fire was back in July. Tourist visitors on safari to the park are said to be unaffected by the fires.

ETHIOPIA AVIATION CONFERENCE HONORS KQ CEO

Mr. Titus Naikuni was recently honored when receiving the 2009 Aviation Achievement Award during a conference held at the Addis Ababa Hilton Hotel. Interesting enough, the honor was bestowed upon the Kenya Airways chief executive by his counterpart from Ethiopian Airlines during the award-giving ceremony, which crowned the three-day meeting. In attendance, were representatives of the African Unionโ€™s Civil Aviation Commission, ICAO, AFRAA, and IATA, amongst others. The theme of this yearโ€™s conference was โ€œAir Transport in Africa โ€“ One Continent, One Strategy.โ€

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES TO START MOMBASA FLIGHTS

Information was received from Addis Ababa that Ethiopian Airlines seems set to commence scheduled flights to Mombasa starting in October. However, ET has again failed to match the well-oiled PR and information machinery of say Kenya Airways, South African Airways, Brussels Airlines, and Fly 540, by not providing details on the type of aircraft to be used or the number of frequencies between Addis and Mombasa. That said, the coastal tourism fraternity will be happy to see extra scheduled flights come to Mombasa, which will in the process offer more seats and better connectivity with flights routing via Addis Ababa. In a related development, Ethiopian Airlines took delivery last week of yet another new B737-800, which will be deployed on its African regional and continental network.

RETURN OUR IVORY, DEMANDS ZAMIBA

The Zambian government has formally demanded the return of ivory seized in Singapore some years ago, which is now being held in Kenya by the Nairobi-based task force responsible for implementing the Lusaka Agreement on Cooperative Enforcement. The illegal blood ivory, said to weigh over 6 tons, was traced back to Zambian origins by scientific tests and was, at the time, likely smuggled across the Zambian borders to a neighboring country. From there, it eventually made its way to buyers in Singapore, where it was intercepted by customs on arrival. The massive confiscation of the ivory shipment in Singapore, thought to have cost hundreds of elephant their lives, took place way back in June 2002, but it took several years to establish the country of origin, which has now permitted Zambia to officially claim the ivory back.

ILSE MWANZA RETURNS TO LUSAKA AFTER TWO EXCITING MONTHS ON SAFARI

Nearly two exiting months of travel through Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique ,and Malawi ended last weekend for Ilse Mwanza, when she returned to Lusaka and her normal life. Ilse, the co-author of โ€œThe Guide to the Little Known Waterfalls of Zambiaโ€ will start transferring her travel notes and daily journal entries into a proper travel report and then begin to release her travelogue, aimed to create more attention to the many attractions in little-known places in eastern, central, and southern Africa.

NEW SEYCHELLES BOOK ATTRACTS WORLD ATTENTION

The founder president of the Seychelles James Mancham has embarked on a world tour to promote his book, โ€œSeychelles โ€“ Global Citizen,โ€ beginning with a visit to the United States of America. The autobiography is thought to draw in many more visitors to the Seychelles, when readers have taken an added interest in this Indian Ocean country, after beginning to understand the history of the Creole island state and appreciating the natural beauty, the flora and fauna, and most important, the friendly nature of the Seychellois population.

East Africa tourism report

4X4 CHIMP CHALLENGE FOR THIS WEEKEND

4X4 CHIMP CHALLENGE FOR THIS WEEKEND

This annual conservation fundraiser organized by City Tyres of Kampala will take place this weekend at the 4×4 course training ground. The participants can test their off road driving skills, learn a thing or two in the process and most importantly contribute towards the chimpanzee conservation. A range of corporate sponsors, including Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines, plus leading tourism companies like Wild Frontiers, Nalubale Rafting, the Rain Forest Lodge and Africana Tours and Travel are lining up with UWA, UWEC, NEMA, EcoTrust, the Jane Goodall Institute and the Chimpanzee Sanctuary & Wildlife Conservation Trust to help attain this yearโ€™s financial targets โ€“ with the help of many other well-known Ugandan brand names and companies. Well done says this column, keep up the good conservation work!

UWA TO MEET MEDICAL EXPENSES OF ELEPHANTS ATTACK’S VICTIM

A recent violent encounter between a group of free roaming elephants coming from Queen Elizabeth National Park and a farmer tending to his crops outside the park left the individual with disfiguring injuries to his face and lower jaw, and just barely alive. UWAโ€™s Executive Director Moses Mapesa visited the victim at Ugandaโ€™s main referral hospital โ€˜Mulagoโ€™ in Kampala to express his sympathy and pledge financial support to the victim for the necessary operations. UWA executives also used the opportunity to once again warn of encroaching protected areas and called for residents of nearby game reserves and national parks to be vigilant as wild animals would always stray across the park boundaries in search of food or as part of their migration patterns. Under the present wildlife statute UWA is not bound by law to provide compensation but opted to do so on humanitarian grounds to support the victim, whose plight was publicized by the local media. The chief park warden of Queen Elizabeth National Park in fact has already paid for initial treatment on location and the transport to Kampala, according to reliable sources.

UWA ADVERTISES RAFTING CONCESSION

The Uganda Wildlife Authority has earlier in the week announced their desire to award a rafting concession inside Murchisons Falls National Park and invited potential bidders to submit sealed bids by 11.00am Thursday, 29th of October at their offices on Plot 7 Kiira Road, Kampala. Electronic entries, i.e. via fax or email, WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED, and that bidders’ representatives MUST be present at the opening of the bid documents. Delivery of the documents by registered mail or courier delivery against a signature are permitted however, although it is recommended to have the documents hand delivered and a receipt of delivery obtained from UWA.

The River Nile enters the national park near the Karuma Falls and through extensive white water sections reaches the main falls many kilometres downstream, before continuing towards Lake Albert.

GORILLAS AND โ€˜HAIRY WOMENโ€™

An attempt to find out โ€˜What do gorillas and hairy women have in commonโ€™ by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, has drawn sharp comments. UWA, probably thinking it was a humorous way to attract attention to the UN Year of the Gorilla (2009), issued a quarter page advert with the following text: “You may imagine that both gorillas and hairy women are very keen on their grooming, but as research has not established that all hairy women go the extra mile on that front, it is not so. One way in which gorillas establish and reinforce bonds is by social grooming. One gorilla will groom the other by combing through its fur with fingers and teeth. This promotes cleanliness and the close contact and touch between the animals helps in social bonding. Social grooming can relax a gorilla so much, that it will go into a trance. As for hairy women, the name gorilla comes from the Greek world Gorillai, which means hairy women.” This advert appeared first in the New Vision on September 9 โ€“ so now you know what hairy women have in common with the gorillas … Oooops …

NEXT LITTLE RHINO DUE IN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER

The latest information from Ugandaโ€™s Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is brings good news for the conservation and tourism fraternity, as the delivery date of expectant rhino mum โ€˜Koriโ€™ has now been given as late November or early December at the latest, according to vet reports from the sanctuary.

The arrival some months ago of โ€˜little Obamaโ€™ has already raised the profile of the sanctuary, which is run by the Rhino Fund Uganda. The little fellow is now actively exploring the 17.000 acre sanctuary, leaving his mother, with rangers often trailing in his wake as he storms through the bush. More visitors are coming to the reserve, not far off the main road between Kampala and the Murchisonโ€™s Falls National Park, which makes the location an ideal stopover for a day or even an overnight stay. The third of the females called โ€˜Bellaโ€™ is also in the family way again, after having lost her first unborn baby as a result of a miscarriage. She is due to deliver sometime between March and April next year at which time there will hopefully be 6 adult and 3 baby rhinos in Ziwa.

Write to [email protected] for more information about the work, breeding program and information on how to support the sanctuary financially, for it is in constant need of fresh funding for recurrent and substantial new development expenditures.

EVERETT AVIATION TEAMS UP WITH PROTEA KAMPALA HOTEL

Ugandaโ€™s medivac and aircharter helicopter company Everett Aviation (U) has last week introduced their new agreement with the Protea Hotel Kampala, which will avail the hotelโ€™s clientele transport to and from the International Airport or the Kajjansi airfield, thus beating the growing traffic jams. The helicopter can also be used for aerial photography, sightseeing and taking clients to spots in the national parks that are not easily accessible by fixed wing aircraft.

CONSULTATIONS TOWARDS COMMON CURRENCY KICK OFF

The East African Community has now embarked on region-wide consultations with stakeholders and the general public about planned introduction of a common East African currency. No firm deadline for the project has been given yet and consultations will reportedly last for at least three weeks to gather enough input and information from organizations, companies and civil society regarding such fundamental changes in the currency regimes of the five EAC member states.

UGANDA SHILLING BACK BELOW 2000 MARK

For the first time since the height of the global financial and economic crisis, Uganda Shilling has moved below the psychologically important 2.000 mark vis a vis the US Dollar. The appreciation of the Ugandan currency is fueled by the return of foreign investors combined with seasonal inflows of donor funding. At the lowest point Ugandan currency stood at nearly 2.300 UShs against the dollar, a remarkable recovery in the light of ongoing double digit inflation and continued weaker fish and flower exports to the main consumer markets in Europe. Tourism earnings remain lower than forecasted too, as does tea and coffee export revenues, although there are visible signs that the trends have bottomed out and the recovery is now underway.

FLY 540 REACTS WITH LOWER FARES

Air Uganda’s introduction of the CRJ and re-launch of its morning flight to Nairobi was promptly countered by Fly 540 with lower regional fares to Kilimanjaro and Mombasa. Fly 540โ€™s move is also thought to counter recent tariff adjustments by Kenya Airways and may be aimed at adding connecting passengers in Nairobi to their Mombasa and Kilimanjaro flights. Fly 540 will also shortly introduce CRJ 200 aircraft and immediately deploy the new plane on the Entebbe route.

KLM TO CUT BACK SERVICES

Information has been received that Dutch airline KLM will reduce number of flights from five to four on the Amsterdam to Entebbe route in its winter schedule, including the high season month of December. Visitors to Uganda on direct flights from Europe should therefore check with their travel agents about flight availability and schedules/traffic days to avoid disappointment.

However, Brussels Airlines, Emirates, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines, continue to remain on the Entebbe route with their regular number of flights, assuring Ugandan travellers connections to the rest of the world and giving visitors plenty of options on how to come to โ€˜the pearl of Africaโ€™.

OIL TO BE REFINED IN UGANDA, OIL EXPLORERS TOLD

Some of the oil exploration companies, opposed to the governmentโ€™s plans to build a refinery near the upcoming production sites, had vocally advocated for a pipeline to be built to the Indian Ocean to facilitate refining of the crude oil abroad. They were however up to a rude awakening when government dug in its heels and basically told them “or else”, while giving the clearest indication yet that a refinery would be built, if not with the exploration companies, then with the help of the third parties. China, Russia, India and Iran have all expressed interest in financing local refinery. In view of such overtures the Ugandan government now feels vindicated and according to reliable sources will go ahead with designing and building a refinery.

ZAMBIAโ€™S FIRST LADY CHOOSES KENYA COAST FOR VACATION

Zambian First Lady has returned to East Africa for a private holiday recently and vacationed at the famous Hemingwayโ€™s in Watamu, one of the finest hotels along the Kenyan coast. Previously she had visited the Masai Mara Game Reserve to witness one of natureโ€™s greatest spectacles – the annual migration of the wildebeest and zebras from the Tanzanian Serengeti into the Kenyan part of the transboundary ecosystem.

KENYA AIRWAYS TO HOLD AGM

Formal notice has been issued by the airline, through direct communications with shareholders and through the regional media, that the companyโ€™s 33rd Annual General Meeting will be held at 11.00am on September 25 at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani Gymnasium, Nairobi. The airlineโ€™s shares are quoted on all three East African stock exchanges – in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Kampala.

MOMBASA MEETING TACKLES ANTI PIRACY COOPERATION

A two day meeting last week in Mombasa brought together representatives of the countries along the Indian Ocean, with the UN Office for Somalia, the US Coast Guard and other organizations. Piracy has been a festering problem for shipping traffic to and from the main Eastern African ports of Dar es Salaam and Mombasa, and also affected shipping traffic from and to Southern Africa and vice versa to the Middle East and the Suez Canal.

A major naval force assembled in Djibouti aims to keep the sea lanes open for traffic, but ongoing hijacking of vessels, though notably less in the past weeks, has driven the cost of imports and exports up and delayed deliveries as many ships now make substantial detours around the most endangered waters. The meeting in Mombasa made a number of recommendations and in particular will share intelligence and information via two offices in Mombasa and Dar es Salaam. It seems that the military approach to preventing attacks on ships passing the Horn of Africa is now being supplemented by political and intelligence cooperation too.

SADC, the Southern African Development Community and the Port Management Association of East and South Africa jointly hosted the event.

RWANDA TOURISM BEATS GLOBAL TREND

Figures received from Kigali indicate that โ€˜the land of a thousand hillsโ€™ has received 7 percent more visitors in the first half of 2009, compared to the available 2008 numbers. Over 440,000 visitors came to Rwanda between January and June of this year and statistics released show that 43 percent of them gave โ€˜businessโ€™ as the primary reason for their trip to Rwanda.

ORTPN has also released material related to the diversification of their tourism products, with high emphasis placed on bird watching. The Nyungwe National Park has been earmarked towards this market niche, as more than half of the countryโ€™s birds are found in that park alone. Forest canopy walks are being developed to allow visitors to see the birdsโ€™ living environment high up in the leafy sections of the tropical trees, an added attraction not yet common in Eastern Africa.

RWANDAIR SIGNS CODESHARE WITH ETHIOPIAN

Official ceremony of signing the code share agreement between the Rwandan national carrier and Ethiopian Airlines took place in Kigali earlier this week. The daily flights between Kigali and Addis Ababa are now available under a RwandAir flight number and the airline will also now sell tickets to Addis and beyond on their own stationary. The cooperation fits into RwandAirโ€™s expansion strategy for routes which it presently does not operate directly, but can now offer as a result of the new deal. A similar deal is also in place for the Kigali to Brussels route, operated by Brussels Airlines.

Brussels Airlines is applicant partner of Star Alliance and it is understood that Ethiopian Airlines will be joining the worldโ€™s leading airline alliance as a partner soon, giving the RwandAir deal even greater significance in coming months and years.

RWANDA INTENSIFIES HOSPITALITY TRAINING

The Rwanda Tourism University College is set to offer a series of hands-on training sessions and workshops to improve customer service, all held at the conference facilities of the Sports View Hotel in Kigali in the coming weeks. One of the aims of the courses is to improve communications skills for staff working in the hospitality sector. Meanwhile it was also learned from sources in Rwanda that about 30 orphans successfully completed certificate courses in the hospitality field under a capacity building programme for genocide orphans, which will enable them to find employment in the sector. The training initiative reportedly worked hand in hand with potential employers to ensure prompt placement of the young graduates without lengthy periods of applications and job hunting.

AIR BURUNDI HALTS ALL FLIGHTS

As the airlineโ€™s single Beechcraft 1900 is undergoing heavy maintenance in South Africa, Air Burundi has suspended flight operations for the duration of maintenance. All passengers from and to Bujumbura are being rebooked on RwandAir via Kigali and Kenya Airways via Nairobi to reach their respective destinations. No information could be obtained about a short term lease option for a similar aircraft to keep operations going, or eventual increase in fleet size to serve more destinations. Information from Burundi is rather difficult to come by because even Burundi’s tourist board does not regularly respond to enquiries or sends out press briefings on new developments.

ETHIOPIAN ADDS EXTRA FREIGHTER TO FLEET

It was learned during the week that Ethiopian Airlines has now added a second MD 11 freight aircraft to its fleet – a remarkable sign of confidence in their cargo strategy and market partners at a time, when other airlines are considering dumping their cargo divisions and dedicated cargo airlines continue to freeze or reduce capacity. The airline now operates two MD 11F, two B757-200F and two B747-200F aircraft.

REUNION AND SEYCHELLES SIGN TOURISM PACT

Last week a high-powered delegation from the Seychelles has visited Reunion to renew their tourist ties. Air Austral, the Reunion based airline, announced at the same time that they will from October onwards add a second flight between Mahe and Reunion starting in October. The additional flight will allow for new 3 and 4 day holiday options aimed to bring in more short stay visitors. The Seychelles Tourist Board estimates that the extra flight will double visitors from Reunion over the next year. While in Reunion the visiting delegation held B2B sessions with travel agents and organized a half day workshop to provide updated information about the range of holiday resorts now available for visitors on the various islands of the Seychelles.

La Reunion, as this island is officially known, is a territory of France, while the neighbouring islands of Mauritius and Madagascar, and of course the Comoros and Seychelles are independent nations. Finally, the island of Diego Garcia, formerly part of Mauritius, is now used by the United States as a forward airbase and logistics centre for their air and naval forces deployed in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf and closed for visitors.

Use Google for more information on Reunion, the Seychelles and other African Indian Ocean islands to find out about their main holiday attractions.

KHARTOUM ACCUSED OF OIL FRAUD

This week UK based transparency and anti-corruption advocacy organization โ€˜Global Witnessโ€™ has released a report which puts the regime in Khartoum in the dock over the sharing of oil revenues. The report alleges that since the signing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, or CPA, with the regime, Southern Sudan has received up to 21 percent less of the oil revenues than what was actually realised from oil sales by Khartoum. The shortfall figures in a worst case scenario reach over a billion US Dollars while, if taking a medium figure, would still amount to nearly 600 million US Dollars.

Budgetary problems, caused by Khartoum through measures like halting dollar transfers to the South and substituting them with the Sudanese Pound, have led to development programs being slowed down at the expense of health and education for the Southern population.

While launching the report early in the week in Nairobi, an official of โ€˜Global Witnessโ€™ also expressed fear that all factors combined and both overt and covert activities of the regime against the semiautonomous region of Southern Sudan, may ingnite new armed conflict.

Meanwhile, the famous โ€˜trouser ladyโ€™ was fined earlier this week in a Khartoum court for wearing trousers but spared lashes. According to her lawyers she refused to pay the fine, causing the case to go on. The lady was then taken to jail for a day before being released in an apparent effort to avoid further bad press for the Khartoum regime abroad. The draconian laws applied in the North of the country (besides the oil questi) have always been at the heart of the conflict with the South, and also in Darfur, where African population has rejected Khartoumโ€™s intention to make Sharia law binding for all of Sudanโ€™s citizens.

East Africa tourism report

RAINS TO BE BACK โ€“ WITH A VENGEANCE

RAINS TO BE BACK โ€“ WITH A VENGEANCE
Mother Natureโ€™s vengeance comes to mind when reading the latest meteorological forecasts for the region. Starting from next month, El Nino-induced rains are expected to hit eastern Africa, bringing relief to drought-stricken areas, while undoubtedly causing havoc in other places where deforestation in crucial water-catchment areas will bring flash floods to downstream communities once the rains hit in earnest. Subsequently, flood warnings have been put into place where flash floods and large-scale flooding can be expected, to permit the respective administrations time to prepare for such eventualities. Drought conditions had various negative effects across the region, most notably with water levels behind hydro-electric dams reducing and causing the shutdown of two electricity plants, while others now have reduced output. Agriculture is also affected by the lack of sufficient rains in recent planting seasons, and hunger is now giving way to famine in some of the more remote parts of eastern Africa. Tourism also is said to now feel the fallout of the lack of rains as the large herds of wildlife in the parks are struggling to find enough water sources, with water holes getting shallow and rivers beginning to dry up and often having to compete with livestock being driven by herders into the reserves and parks in search of the sparse water.

SHERATONโ€™S OKTOBERFEST PREPARATIONS IN FULL SWING
The Kampala Sheraton Hotel has just announced that they will host its annual German Oktoberfest celebrations from October 6-10 in the hotel, featuring German beers and German traditional fairground food, besides German speciality dishes. The hotel had started the tradition way back in the early 1990s, and with Brussels Airlines now codesharing its Entebbe flights with Lufthansa, there are added reasons this year to celebrate a piece of traditional German culture. Other hotels have, over the years, tried to imitate a typical โ€œumptataโ€ atmosphere in Kampala but failed, leaving the field for the Sheraton and making it a place of pilgrimage for the annual event by the German, Austrian, and Swiss communities living in Kampala, and also others enjoying the music, beer, and food. As we say in German, Herzlich Willkommen.

SOROTI FLYING SCHOOL GETS REVAMP
The East African Aviation Academy, often referred to by its more common name of Soroti Flying School, is finally set to get the funding needed for a complete overhaul and revamp. Having been designated as a regional center of excellence by the East African Community, the Uganda government at lasts seems to have made budgetary provisions to permit the Civil Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Works and Transport, under which auspices the school falls, embark on a major overhaul and refurbishment of the various buildings, but most important to import new trainer aircraft, equip the classrooms for the training of aircraft technicians, and introduce computer-based, flight-training devices, all of which the school lacked in the recent past. Demand for trained personnel across the region has been rising with the expansion of air services and the greater popularity of air travel especially on the domestic and regional aviation scene.

AIR UGANDA RECEIVES FIRST CRJ 200
Earlier in the week, Air Uganda took delivery of its recently-purchased CRJ 200, reportedly coming from Brit Air in France. The aircraft is due to enter service on September 7 with a renewed morning flight to Nairobi, as advertised by the airline in the local media. Comments attributed to the CEO Mr. Hugh Fraser, however, seem an attempt to re-write history, when he was quoted by local scribes that the CRJ introduction was part of the long-term strategy to replace its aged MD87s, as it was in fact, the CRJ which was foreseen as the start-up aircraft two years ago but then ditched, following misguided advice to the principal shareholders. Having come full circle with a substantial multi million US dollar loss racked up and at the expense of two departed CEOs and two commercial directors, maybe it was a lesson learned the hard way. Happy landings to the new craft, crews, and passengers.

A380 WILL BE BACK ON NEW YORK ROUTE
The local office of Emirates has confirmed that the airline is considering bringing the A380 back on the Dubai to New York route some time in 2010, when passenger demand is expected to have resumed a visible upward trend. Travelers from Uganda to the US were reportedly unhappy when the airline dropped the A380, which appears to hold a special attraction for passengers. The airline office also confirmed that further A380 deliveries would take place on schedule, permitting more destinations to be added for A380 services. The sky giant service was relocated to the Toronto and Bangkok routes, when demand for flights to New York did not sustain the required load factors for the worldโ€™s largest passenger plane.

SOLAR PHONE HITS MARKET
With 90 percent of the population in Uganda still not having access to regular electricity, the introduction by Uganda Telecom of a new phone, chargeable through an in-built solar panel, will be welcome news for the rural population. Mobile phone services now cover over 90 percent of the country, but the absence of electrical power to re-charge oneโ€™s phone in remote areas often caused potential phone subscribers not to buy a phone. This problem has now been solved, however, as the new phone has hit the market earlier in the week. What remains to be done now by the mobile phone companies is to convert its transmission mast power system from generators to solar panels, which not only reduces the operating cost for each mast but also saves the environment from the emissions of the generators. Mast sharing is also a further option to reduce the running cost, which ultimately benefits the growing number of Ugandan subscribers, now estimated at over 10 million.

KALANGALA FERRY STILL OUT OF SERVICE
As this column reported some weeks ago, the regular ferry service between the Entebbe pier and Kalangala, Ssese Islands was suspended when the vessel was removed from service for the regular insurance inspection. It seems, however, this will take longer than initially planned, for reasons kept well out of the public domain, and the use of smaller boats has now led to a doubling of fares for travelers to the islands. This applies, however, only to passengers, as these boats cannot uplift cars, which now have to travel via Masaka and take a short ferry ride from a nearby landing site across to the main island. Added information received was that the vessel, after completing the inspection carried out at the port of Mwanza, Tanzania, is now undergoing minor repairs and should resume service within a month.

TRANS-BOUNDARY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT COOPERATION IN THE OFFING
Information was received that the European Union and USAID will be the main partners in the funding of the over US$90 million program, which is aimed to bring about closer cooperation between Uganda, Rwanda, and the Congo DR in wildlife management of border-transcending ecosystems along their common borders. Some of these national parks are Mgahinga, Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth, Rwenzori, and Semliki in Uganda, along with Parc de Volcanoes in Rwanda and Parc de Virunga in the Congo DR. The movement of game across the national borders will reportedly be monitored through collaring selected animals, which allows for the tracking of their movements on either side of the border. The secretariat of the project is due to be set up in Kigali, where former executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority Dr. Arthur Mugisha is said to be playing a leading role. Arthur left UWA some years ago and then served as regional director, located in Nairobi, of Flora and Fauna International, a UK-based conservation NGO with wide interests in eastern Africa.

OUT OF THE FOREST โ€“ AND STRAIGHT BACK IN
Media reports earlier in the week brought sad news to conservationists that a large number of people evicted from a forest only days earlier, had apparently been allowed to return to the remnants of their homesteads, which were, of course, destroyed when law enforcement officers moved in to escort them out of the forest. The Daily Monitor reported that following some intervention, apparently a message from the State House arrived to permit the temporary return of the forest squatters until the โ€œcabinet finalizes solutions … including removing people from forest reserveโ€. The conflicting messages sent by the NFA and other bodies of government may well lead to further problems to enforce the NFA mandate and protect forests and will, without doubt, generate more heated debate over these issues.

UWA LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE FOR VIRTUAL GORILLA TRACKING
Following the extraordinary media attention generated by Rwandaโ€™s annual Kwita Izina gorilla naming festival, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has cranked up its efforts to match the neighborโ€™s global exposure in the tourist market. In a media briefing at the Rain Forest Lodge, Mabira, an event this correspondent had to miss due to conflicting assignments and the late notice, UWA provided details about a new web site being launched, www.friendagorilla.org, which would, in weeks to come, provide live pictures, for a small fee it has been pointed out, to commence a virtual visit to the prized animals in Bwindi National Park. In an attempt to popularize wildlife-based tourism and conservation, UWA also let loose a group of dressed-up gorillas, i.e., people in costumes, on the streets and roundabouts of Kampala causing traffic jams and congestion in the process as several letters to the editor and editorial comments then reflected upon. The main launch of the celebrations of the Year of the Gorilla is now due later in the month after being moved initially from July, to August, and now September.

KENYA AIRWAYS TO ADD KISANGANI IN NOVEMBER
Following the recent short strike, the Kenyan flag carrier has gone on the prowl against its main competitors who may have thought of exploiting the situation by swiftly adding yet more destinations on its regional network. As reported before, flights to Gaborone, Botswana have now commenced and Ndola will come online by mid-September. From November onwards, Kisangani in the eastern Congo will be joining the growing list of African destinations offered by KQ. The airline operates an all-jet fleet of Embraer 170, Boeing 737-300, 737-700, and 737-800, while its long-haul fleet includes the B767 and B777. KQ offers four daily work flights between Nairobi and Entebbe with short transit connections into its east African, continental, and intercontinental network.

KQ HALTS KISUMU FLIGHTS
Information received from Nairobi has confirmed that for several weeks, Kenya Airways will suspend its daily flights from Nairobi to Kisumu, effective immediately, as repairs on the single runway of the airport are ongoing. Details received from sources close to the airline spoke of technical issues, which prompted the decision. In the past, KQ has suspended its Kisumu flights when the state of the runway led to concerns, eventually prompting the Kenya Airports Authority to embark on a full-scale runway rehabilitation and extension exercise. Other airlines like Fly540 and Jetlink will reportedly continue its flights, however, but with ATR and CRJ aircraft, which do not need the runway length required by an Embraer 170, the type used by Kenya Airways. Repairs and runway extension are expected to be complete by the latest in early December of this year at which time KQ will resume flights to Kenyaโ€™s lakeside city of Kisumu โ€“ made famous across the globe by the paternal roots of US President Barack Obama.

KLM CHRISTIANS LATEST FLEET ADDITION AMBOSELI
As reported in this column last week, the Dutch airlineโ€™s latest fleet addition – a B777-300ER – made its commercial maiden flight last Friday from Amsterdam to Nairobi. On arrival, another surprise was sprung on Kenyans when the name of the aircraft become known as Amboseli National Park, the first such naming of a foreign aircraft after a Kenyan national park. Amboseli is located at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro on the Kenyan side of the border and is one of the most-visited parks in the country due to its famous scenery. Masai warriors greeted the plane on the tarmac as it came to the parking position. The free advertising of one of east Africaโ€™s main tourist attractions, the Amboseli National Park, will be a shot in the arm for Kenyaโ€™s tourism industry as the aircraft will carry the parkโ€™s name and fame around the world to show it to hundreds of thousands of passengers over the coming years.

FUEL IN SHORT SUPPLY AGAIN
As the refinery in Mombasa is hit by power outages and other production problems, the supply of petrol and diesel across Kenya has began to dwindle again causing panic buying amongst motorists. Reports in the Kenyan media did not help much as the tip off only caused yet more road users to fill up their tanks. Safari companies are said to be in good shape though as many of the leading tour operators have reserves available to continue their safaris until more fuel products have landed in Mombasa again. The question has also arisen about supplies to the African hinterland countries, which depend largely on a continuous supply chain from the harbor in Mombasa through the refinery and the pipeline to the main filling depots of Eldoret and Kisumu.

ZANZIBAR REJECTS (ANTI) TRAVEL ADVISORY
A recent US State Department advisory warning US citizens from traveling to Pemba Island was immediately called totally misleading by Zanzibari authorities. In press reports commenting on the development, ulterior motives were not ruled out by sources within the Zanzibar administration. The US has voiced its concern over the upcoming elections in 2010, warning of civil unrest during the ongoing voter registration on the island. Sources involved in the tourism sector in Zanzibar โ€“ Pemba is one of the islands belonging to Zanzibar โ€“ have also complained bitterly against the (anti) travel advisory, which they called unreal and far from reality and conceding that the advisory is likely to harm their businesses if not withdrawn or drastically reworded. Admittedly though, prior rowdy behaviour of political groups in past elections has been witnessed, a challenge to the present government and the security organizations to maintain law and order on the islands while engaging in orderly preparations for the elections next year without rigging or misconduct as often alleged by the political opposition.

RWANDAIR OPENS OWN NAIROBI OFFICE
On September 10, the Rwandan national airline will open its own office in Nairobi to improve agency and customer relations in this important regional market. The airline finally also confirmed its purchase of two CRJ200 aircraft from Lufthansa German Airlines, a fact reported in this column already some weeks ago after receiving confirmation at the time from both German, as well as Rwandan sources. Rwandair has recently added a third daily flight between Kigali and Nairobi and reports a good take up of the added service by the business community; however, no timeline for the delivery of the two planes was however given so far.

RWANDA RATES AS TOP TRAVEL DESTINATION
Gorilla tracking in Rwanda has been included in the top green travel experiences in the world by the latest Rough Guideโ€™s publication, 500 New Ways to See the world, as explained by authors Richard Hammond and Jeremy Smith. The guide book is now available at UK Pounds 18.99 form Rough Guides. Google it for more details and purchase options.

KIGALI MEETING PREPARES FOR COPENHAGEN 2009
The Rwandan capital Kigali is the venue for the first of five meetings taking place across the African continent to allow preparations for a common approach to the 2009 Climate Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark in December this year. Africa is thought by experts to be the continent to suffer the most from global warming, induced by the developed countries, which polluted the planet with impunity and little regard to the environment during the industrial revolution and the post World War II years, before green movements initially in North America and Europe forced a rethink across society and governments. Africa is likely to demand heavy compensation at the Copenhagen forum for the damages already inflicted on them by climate change while calling upon the developed nations, including ponderers and foot draggers like Russia, India, and China, to take immediate measures to reduce their emissions in the coming years. The Copenhagen meeting is officially starting on December 7, but a number of NGOs and anti-climate-change pressure groups are expected to descend on the venue earlier than that to prepare for their own activities alongside the main meetings. The summit is due to end a week before Christmas, and it is hoped that the outcome and agreements reached there will be worth putting under the global Christmas tree as a present for future generations.

HOTELS ARE TOLD TO IMPROVE
The Rwanda Development Boardโ€™s Office for Tourism and Wildlife Management is presently holding a series of sensitization exercises across Rwanda to alert hotel and lodge owners to the need of improving standards ahead of the upcoming classification of all hospitality businesses later in the year. Rwanda is progressively moving towards harmonizing its laws and regulations to those of the former core countries of the East African Community and will adopt the regionally-agreed standards for hotels. This exercise will bring hotel ratings also in line with other East African Community member states, eventually leading to a common standards template for the entire region for the benefit of tourists and business travelers. The activities of RDB/ORTPN also puts into proper perspective a recent outburst from a private sector stakeholder who had accused ORTPN of doing little to improve standards in the country, a lone opinion it now appears and far from reality.

CONGO BRAZZAVILLE ANTONOV CRASH KILLS 6
All 4 crew and at least 2 other passengers on board of an Antonov 12 cargo aircraft perished when the ill-fated plane came down last week about 20 kilometers outside the city while on its final approach to Congo Brazzavilleโ€™s main airport. The aircraft reportedly came from the port city of Point Noire. There was no information available about potential casualties on the ground, where the aircraft came down. Aged, and often ill-maintained former Soviet Union type aircraft, like Iljushins and Antonovs, are largely responsible for the terrible aviation safety record in Africa, where many countries still allow such aircraft to fly in their airspace. The Congo Brazzaville has banned passenger flights with AN12 aircraft although cargo flights continue to be allowed with such type of aircraft and regularly carry a few extra people. Calls by international bodies and aviators to ban aged Soviet era aircraft totally from the African skies have fallen on deaf ears so far, although some forward-looking modern CAAs have in recent years banned the registration of such โ€œflying casketsโ€ in its countries, though have not yet affected a total ban.

East Africa Tourism Report

CAA PERMITS TAKE OFF FROM ROAD

CAA PERMITS TAKE OFF FROM ROAD
As reported in the last column, a Cessna single-engine plane had made a forced landing on the main road from Masaka to Kampala, when encountering at the time unspecified mechanical problems. According to a press release by KAFTC (www.flyuganda.com), the problem was caused by โ€œexcessive fuel venting from a fuel cap exacerbated by bad weather in the area,โ€ prompting the instructor pilot to set the plane down on the main highway as a precaution. An inspectorate team from the Ugandan CAA, which arrived on the scene within hours of receiving the report about the incident, expressed satisfaction with the planeโ€™s airworthiness and mechanical condition and then permitted a road take off to return the Cessna to Kajjansi, after adding some more fuel.

It was also pointed out by the company, that the pilot in charge at the time has over 8,000 hours of flying time under his belt and is employed as the Aero Clubโ€™s chief instructor. KAFTC has, since its formation in the early 90s, not suffered a fatal accident in its operations and is generally considered a safe airline to use for domestic charters, operating most of the oil companiesโ€™ flying requirements. A source from the oil industry, in fact, spoke highly of the air charter company and complimented the pilotโ€™s skills resulting in a safe outcome.

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE AND NOT A DROP IN THE PIPES
The national water company admitted defeat, earlier in the week, when taken to task over the perennial water shortages in many parts of the city, which recently also extended to the posher areas of Kampala. A spokesperson for NWSC was quoted in the media as saying that rationing was now the only solution as โ€œdraught and lake pollutionโ€ finally took its toll on the water companyโ€™s ability to produce enough water for the city. This, however, has been known to the water company for some time now, and insider talk has it that problems other than the ones admitted to may be responsible for the sharp worsening of the situation in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, related articles in the local press immediately highlighted that increased lake pollution, a long-known and growing problem, is now putting over 40 million people living along the shores of Lake Victoria at risk for their livelihoods of fishing and agriculture. Lake Victoria is the second largest fresh-water lake in the world, for long thought to be inexhaustible, but overfishing and pollution have started to drive home the message that even this huge resource is only finite and if not properly protected and managed, could go the same way as Lake Chad or the Caspian Sea, a development which could prove catastrophic for the tens of millions of people around the lake and, of course, those downstream the River Nile, which springs from Lake Victoria and flows through Lakes Kyoga and Albert before making its way into southern Sudan.

UGANDA GOLF OPEN SET FOR THIS WEEKEND
The Uganda Golf Open Championship will play out this weekend at the Entebbe Golf Club with participants from at least 8 countries now confirmed. About 200 players with handicaps of 7 or below have been entered, while for the subsidiary matches, still a handicap of at least 14 will be needed.

The competition is sponsored by Uganda Telecom, always visible on the golf courses around the country with weekend sponsorships, complemented by Nile Breweries, Pepsi Cola, and MidCom, a telecom supply and equipment company.

KASESE AERODROME SET FOR EXPANSION
Information released during the week indicates that the Uganda CAA has nearly completed the purchase of additional land in the vicinity of the airfield in Kasese, with nearly all affected land owners having received compensation already. The CAA expects that only less than two percent remain outstanding, before the expanded area can then be fenced and secured.

CAA intends to lengthen the current strip to about 2,500 meters and tarmac it completely, which will then permit, if needed, to land a B737 or similar aircraft once the work has been finished.
In addition to the runway expansion, a new terminal building will be constructed and a night landing lighting system installed to permit round the clock operation at this strategically located aerodrome. Kasese is on the foot of the Rwenzori Mountains and near the Queen Elizabeth National Park, but also close to the Congo DR border. Some of the local reporting again caused outbursts of laughter amongst the aviation fraternity, when a newspaper article suggested that Kasese would, after the expansion, be able to receive aircraft up to the size of a B767, which is capable of carrying up to 680 passengers.

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES GOES ON MEDIA OFFENSIVE
A full-page, four-color advertorial was placed in the local print media early in the week by Ethiopian Airlines, trying to reclaim lost ground in public perception that they are no longer the Pan African airline, a standing they seem to have lost to Kenya Airways over the years, if not by fact, at least in the court of public opinion.

ET has in the recent past, clearly neglected its PR work and marketing in key markets, allowing the public perception to relegate them to second or third spot in the continental aviation scene, a placing not supported by the fact of its network and fleet size, as it could not match the well-oiled PR machineries of its main competitors. This development took place in spite of impressive financial performances in past years, but pure financial and operational results alone are not enough it appears. However, probably recognizing its errors in the arena of public opinion, ET has now thrown down the gauntlet to other African airlines to restore their place in the heart of the traveling public. It must, however, be pointed out that its media releases and information updates are a far cry from the material sent for instance by Kenya Airways, South African Airways, and such regional airlines like Fly 540 or RwandAir.

UGANDA CONFIRMS WTM ATTENDANCE
Information received from the Uganda Tourism Board indicates that a binding contract has been signed for attending this yearโ€™s World Travel Market, taking place in London from November 9-13. Write to [email protected] for more information and to make appointments in advance with trade fair participants from the Ugandan tourism industry. A sizeable delegation from the Ugandan private and public sector is once again expected to attend the 30th anniversary WTM exhibition to promote Ugandaโ€™s tourism attractions to the world.

UGANDAโ€™S ECONOMIC RATING UP
Fitch Ratings last week upgraded Ugandaโ€™s economic outlook from previously โ€œstableโ€ to โ€œpositive,โ€ while at the same time also reaffirming the countryโ€™s international credit standing as a sound โ€œB.โ€ More related information can be obtained from the Bank of Uganda web site where the full details have been published via www.bou.or.ug or by writing to [email protected].

EMIN PASHA HOTEL TO HOST PICTURE EXHIBITION
Work of the late David Pluth will be exhibited at the Emin Pasha Hotel in Kampalaโ€™s Nakasero suburb from September 23-30. The late David passed away while on assignment in Rwanda in June this year, and this column broke the news at the time to a shocked tourism and conservation fraternity in eastern Africa, where David had many admirers for his outstanding photographic work.

UWA BOSS PUTS RUMOR MONGERS IN THEIR PLACE
The executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority has taken the bull by the horns during the week when he came out swinging with a full-page narrative article in Ugandaโ€™s leading daily, the New Vision, rejecting allegations and email campaigns over the present oil exploration in the Murchisons Falls National Park. This issue has been a topic in past column editions, but when recently and belatedly, the matter was taken by some safari operators to sections of the media to apply public pressure on UWA, the organization reacted boldly and put the record straight. The full response by Moses Mapesa can be accessed through the New Vision web edition under this link: www.newvision.co.ug/I/8/20.

UWA SHARES OVER 400 MILLION SHILLINGS WITH COMMMUNITIES
Information was received during the week that UWA has, under its gate receipt sharing scheme, distributed over 450 million Uganda Shillings to communities neighboring the Murchisons Falls National Park. At least 6 districts adjoining the park were named as beneficiaries during a meeting between UWA and the beneficiaries at the Paraa Safari Lodge. The communities involved were, however, urged to provide detailed accounts of how the funds would be spent to alleviate fears that some of the money for community projects and developments would be misused and misappropriated.

MORE ROADS TO GO DUAL CARRIAGE
The Ministry of Works and Transport during the week reaffirmed that the main highways through the country would be moved to dual-carriage status in coming years, starting with the main connection between Kampala and Entebbe, while also starting work on the Kampala-Mukono-Jinja highway. There have also been suggestions to eventually have a dual-carriage highway across the country from the borders with Kenya to the Rwandan border, but this may, according to this columnโ€™s assessment, still be a very long time away.

METROPOLE STAFF ON STRIKE
Local media reports indicate that not long after former general manager Rahul Sood left the hotel, following the sale of the property to new owners, mayhem broke out at the hotel. Rahul Sood had generated very high occupancies for his former owners and developed a strong following among the business community for seminars, workshops, and functions, but when he moved to the Imperial Hotel Group as area general manager in charge of the groupโ€™s three Entebbe hotels, he apparently saw his loyal customers move with him. Subsequently, a drop of food and beverage business, as well as occupancy, may have contributed to the alleged termination of about two dozen staff, which appears to have prompted them to stage a strike. The hotelโ€™s well-acclaimed Thai chef apparently also fell foul of the new owners, who are likely to see their fortunes shrink yet further as a result of the fall out and negative publicity of the industrial action taken against them.

Allegations made by some of those on strike, which reached this column, also spoke of attempts by the new owners to replace competent Ugandan workers with Kenyans, a development โ€“ if found true โ€“ would be likely to further incense the situation. Said one source in a message to this columnist: โ€œWe have alerted our union and the immigration department; there is no way that we should be sacked, and the Kenyan owners bring their own nationals when we can do the job. This is not possible in Kenya, we would be deported if working there, but Kenyans have swamped the hotel sector here and it is not fair and not legal.โ€

KENYA CENSUS
A nationwide census took place during the entire week in Kenya, attempting to establish the real number of Kenyans now living in the country and also confirm the latest demographical distribution of populations, their primary residence, and compile other relevant data permitting government to plan the provision of services across the country. Tuesday was declared a public holiday to permit the bulk of the people to stay at home and be counted, although the census was expected to extend across the week until the end of August. It is understood that tourist visitors present in Kenya at the time were also counted alongside the Kenyan population, as were expatriates and business visitors, by the nearly 150,000 enumerators. Once results are out, which is expected to take several months, look no further than this column for an update. It is, however, anticipated that the Kenyan population is going to touch, if not exceed, the 40 million mark, almost doubling the figures over the past 20 years.

Notably though, it appears that Kenyan living abroad, like many do in Uganda, are missing out in this yearโ€™s census as no arrangements are in place to conduct a census through the Kenyan High Commission.

NAIROBI IS MAIDEN FLIGHT DESTINATION FOR NEW KLM B777
It was learned earlier in the week that the latest B777-300ER aircraft delivered to KLM will enter service this week with a commercial maiden flight to Nairobi, Kenya. The first proper flight is due on Friday, August 28, when the aircraft will formally enter service. The new B777 has been painted in Sky Team colors to promote the alliance across the KLM network. According to KLM sources, three more of this aircraft type are still expected to join its fleet in the coming months. KLM codes shares all flights on the Amsterdam to Nairobi route with Kenya Airways as part of its close cooperation.

KENYAN HOTELS AND RESORTS OVERBURDENED BY RISING ELECTRICITY COST
Sections of the Kenyan hotel fraternity have spoken out against rising costs in order to keep their lights on, in the face of power rationing inflicted upon them. This column had in the past reported that hydro-electric dams had to reduce power output or even shut down as a result of the drought conditions hitting Kenya again. The shortage of electricity has been compounded by a shortage of water, partly caused when the pumps cannot function during power black outs and also by dwindling supplies. Subsequently, most of the hotels and resorts are now using their generators again to keep the lights on, the fridges and deep freezers working, and the air condition running in guest rooms, however, at a substantial added cost, considering the price of diesel and the absence of any tax or excise duty relief from government. While this has not yet affected the tourism trade along the Kenyan coast, hoteliers have nevertheless expressed their concern should the situation persist, as in particular, the inflated cost base could compel them to raise their tariffs, although it is hard to imagine in this present economic environment that has seen prices fall in order to keep the tourists coming to the fabulous Indian Ocean beaches along the Kenyan coast.

ALS COMMENCES KISUMU FLIGHTS
A new commuter airline by the name of ALS started scheduled flights from Nairobi to Kisumu earlier in the week, using a Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft seating 37 passengers. ALS joins the route in competition with Kenya Airways and Jetlink, both of whom operate daily jet aircraft services, while Fly 540 presently uses ATR aircraft for this particular route. All the three airlines operate from Nairobiโ€™s main international airport, Jomo Kenyatta.

The main difference, however, is that ALS operates from Nairobiโ€™s Wilson Airport, nearer to the business district and the main residential areas, making it easier to reach and more convenient to return home from, considering the often-snarling traffic towards JKIA and vice versa.

ALS will, according to information at hand, offer a daily morning and evening service, although a third mid-day flight may be introduced, depending on market conditions.

ALSโ€™s management and owners also appealed at the launch ceremony to government to reduce taxes and levies on domestic flights, claiming that such fees add at least 50 percent to the basic fare for passenger tickets, while busses plying the route do not face such prohibitive fees. One of the owners at the launch intimated that if government really wants to support and expand domestic aviation services, it has to reduce the cost of doing business quite substantially โ€“ a notion fully supported by this column.

STRIKE COSTS KENYA AIRWAYS UP TO 600 MILLION SHILLINGS
The cost of the two-and-a-half day strike by sections of the KQ staff is now beginning to emerge, as figures of as much as 600 million Kenya Shillings, or US$7.6 million, are being floated in the regional media. The cost of rebooking stranded passengers on other airlines, loss of revenue, and loss of customer loyalty, combined with hotel accommodation for transit and checked-in passengers when the strike took hold, caused a further financial setback for the airline, which was already struggling with a substantial loss carried forward from the last financial year. Operations are meanwhile said to have returned to pre-strike normal, and the passenger backlog has been cleared by concerted efforts between staff and management.

Criticism was also heaped on the Minister of Transport for having sat on his hands while the strike action started and took hold, with one parliamentarian accused him of having โ€œslept on the job.โ€ While denying these charges, claiming the government has no say over a private company, the minister seems to have forgotten that not only does the Kenyan government hold a 26 percent share in the airline, but that he himself eventually stuttered into action on the second day of the strike when he threatened government intervention to bring the industrial action to an end.

HORSEBACK RIDING FOR SERENGETI VISITORS
A safari lodge located in the Grumeti Sector of the Serengeti has recently introduced horseback riding into the bush for tourists, accompanied by experienced guides and trackers to ensure a safe environment. Unlike in safari vehicles, the tourists can actually ride through the savannah, off the vehicle tracks, and come closer to the wild animals than viewing them through the roof hatches of its 4x4s from the distance of the road or track, where off-road driving is not permitted.

Reportedly, some 18 horses are now trained for the unique safari experience, which is available from the three upmarket safari camps of Sasakwa, Faru Faru, and Sabora, all owned and operated by the same company holding the concession.

In the same area, some neighboring community residents, however, are arguing that the investorsโ€™ contracts should be terminated, because they are not able to access a river inside the protected area to water their livestock, while also claiming that relations with the investors are not good. Someone claiming to speak on behalf of those villagers also reportedly said that residents were not involved in negotiating the contracts between the government authorities and the investors.

The company, meanwhile, pointed to its existing contract, duly executed under existing law with competent governmental authorities and the provisions of the respective conservation laws, of which area residents are aware and subject to. Enforcement is also said to be done by governmental wardens and rangers, but the company conceded that there may be misconception by the villagers, while other sources point to agitators and incitement as the cause of the strained relations. A further comment attributed to the company also points out that area residents are not shareholders nor can they expect profit shares or other hand outs from the concessionaire as they may have been led to believe. Not a good foundation for being good neighbors. Watch this space for updates.

RWANDA TO OFFER COMPENSATION FOR WILDLIFE DAMAGE
An amendment to the existing law is soon to be introduced, which, when passed, will finally offer residents living near the countryโ€™s national parks, compensation packages for damages caused by wildlife to their farms and livestock. This was revealed by the head of ORTPN and deputy CEO of the Rwanda Development Board Mrs. Rosette Rugamba last weekend while visiting the Virunga National Park in the company of the UN Ambassador for the Year of the Gorilla Mr. Ian Redmond. Mrs. Rugamba also confirmed that a new wildlife policy is in its final drafting stages and will likely be presented to cabinet for review within two months. The new policy will address shortcomings detected in the past when dealing with human/wildlife conflict and likely propose wider sharing of proceeds from tourism to the local communities living around the national parks and game reserves.

ORTPN ATTENDS BRITISH BIRD FAIR
The Rwanda Office for Tourism and National Parks, together with private-sector stakeholders, once again attended the British bird fair last week, promoting bird watching as an alternative to the countryโ€™s main attraction of gorilla tracking. Rwanda is home to nearly 650 bird species, several of them endemic to the โ€œland of a thousand hills,โ€ and the gazetting of the Nyungwe National Park has undoubtedly added to the tourism sectorโ€™s range of attractions they can now offer to tourist visitors.

Only recently RDB/ORTPN hosted a sizeable number of specialized agents and operators for bird-watching tours to Rwanda and took them around the main parks and reserves where unique birds, like the red-collared mountain babbler, the shoe bill stork, the ring-necked francolin, and others can be seen with ease.

MADAGASCAR TALKS BACK ON TRACK
Talks resumed during the week between the main protagonists in the Madagascar political crisis in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, where former president Chissano is again chairing the meeting. The conference was earlier thrown into doubt when fresh demands from some of the participants were reported in the media, but it appears that former president Chissano put his foot down and disallowed any changes to the agreed positions at the end of the first meeting round. The powerbrokers are now tasked to name a prime minister, three deputy prime ministers, and a cabinet of 28 ministers to oversee the countryโ€™s transition period before fresh elections will be held in about 15 months. Several former presidents of Madagascar and the two main opponents will try to reach a final conclusion on their talks, which started earlier in the month with a landmark agreement that they now have to make operational. Meanwhile, it was confirmed from a source in Tananarive that occupancy of flights to the island have markedly improved since the principal agreement was reached and that tourists have indeed started to return to the island.

East Africa Tourism Report

PILOT SKILLS AVOID CRASH

PILOT SKILLS AVOID CRASH
A Cessna 182, owned and operated by KAFTC, also known as the Aero Club of Kampala, made a controlled landing on the main road from Masaka to Kampala, when the single-engine plane developed a mechanical problem en-route back from an airstrip near Bwindi National Park to the Kajjansi airfield outside Kampala.

Many of KAFTCโ€™s pilots are also instructors, and the pilotโ€™s skills undoubtedly avoided an accident when he calmly decided to set down the Cessna on the main highway before then getting the plane to stop off the road using a turn off. Reportedly, there were two foreign tourists on board who were eventually picked up by a vehicle and returned to Kampala.

Sections of the local media made, as often the case, a reporting mess out of things, talking of a plane crash, which was, of course, not the case. The scribes alleged that the local residents โ€œfled their homes and farms, howlingโ€ before making an unwarranted reference to the โ€œlast fatal crashโ€ in a disgraceful display of sensational journalism.

KAFTC is said to be fully cooperating with the Civil Aviation Authority to establish the cause of the mechanical problems, which led to the landing of the craft outside designated fields, but since there were no injuries the matter, it is being treated as an โ€œincidentโ€ rather than an accident, a major difference which seems to have escaped the local scribes. Arrangements were underway by the time of filing this report to repatriate the plane to Kajjansi.

UGANDA NOW ALSO SET TO CANCEL RVR CONTRACT
Following the decision of the Kenya government to formally terminate the RVR concession to run its railway system โ€“ incidentally now again in court when RVR obtained a temporary restraining order against being thrown out โ€“ the same process is now underway in Uganda. In Kenya, it was a parliamentary committee which directed government to go ahead with the termination, after RVR had been served with a notice of intended termination earlier in the year, a court order against which has since expired.

The Ugandan parliamentary committee dealing with the RVR concession has also now given government the green light to follow suit and repossess the railway premises and facilities, opening the way to resume either direct management of the railway, seek a private-public partnership, or else advertise for expressions of interest by new bidders to get a fresh concession. The Ugandan government also has issued the prerequisite notices of intent to terminate the concession, and the final termination is now thought to be only days away.

The World Bank president Robert Zoellick, during a visit to Uganda last week, also (diplomatically) expressed his concern over the state of the regional railway system (mis)managed by RVR for the past several years after seeing the railwayโ€™s border installations, and then promptly pledged the support of the World Bank Group to assist in funding for the complete rehabilitation and upgrade of the railway lines between Mombasaโ€™s port via Nairobi to western Kenya, the border with Uganda, the lines from Tororo to Kampala, and also the lines between Kampala and Kasese as well as Kampala to Pakwach.

PAY UP OR ELSE, GOVERNMENT TELLS HOTEL GROUP
The fallout of the Commonwealth Summit in late 2007 continues to make waves, both in political circles where members of parliament continue to press government for answers on contract awards and funds spent, and also for the business sector, from which government in turn is trying to recover money advanced ahead of guests arriving, to secure their accommodation.

The Imperial Hotel Group was, probably unfairly, singled out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for long overdue refunds on accommodation payments advanced but not utilized. While the government now says the rooms were not ready at the time for occupancy by visitors, the hotel in turn claims that the rooms booked and confirmed were ready, but guests either failed to arrive or opted for cheaper accommodation on arrival, subsequently triggering no-show and cancellations fees for the one week summit, according to the hotel groupโ€™s terms and conditions.

With some US$1.6 million claimed by government, this matter may well head to court, while sources from within the hotel group say they would vigorously defend themselves against the claims providing evidence of non-arrivals of booked parties, lower numbers of guests from those delegations which had arrived, and, in particular, members of the media blockbooked at the Imperial Royale Hotel on arrival trying to bargain their room rates down and, failing to do so, walking out โ€“ attracting the very no-show and cancellation fees the hotel now intends to offset against governmentโ€™s prepayment. Watch this space as this saga unfolds.

AIR UGANDA RELEASES NEW SCHEDULE
The upcoming morning flight to Nairobi, effective September 7 and operated by its recently-acquired CRJ aircraft, will leave Entebbe at 0645 hours, with an arrival time in Nairobi around 0745 hours. The return flight will then take off at 0815 hours and is due back in Entebbe at 0915 hours.

This makes U7 the second arrival in Entebbe from Nairobi, as Fly 540 will operate the first frequency out of Kenya, while Kenya Airways โ€“ in order to allow for network traffic to connect โ€“ will be the third to arrive every morning in Uganda.

Air Ugandaโ€™s evening flight will move forward by 15 minutes to leave Entebbe at 1845 hours, arriving in Nairobi at 1945 hours, before returning to Uganda at 2015 hours, landing at 2115 hours in Entebbe again.

This will bring the total flights between Entebbe and Nairobi to 8 on working days, with Kenya Airways operating 4, while Fly 540 and Air Uganda will operate two each.

FLY 540 MOVES KAMPALA OFFICES
Fly 540โ€™s new office for sales, ticketing, and other information is now located within the recently-opened Nakumatt Oasis Mall โ€“ just below the Garden City complex โ€“ on the first floor. Telephone and fax numbers remain the same as is, of course, the email contact. Visit www.fly540.com for more information.

TOURIST BOARD ADVERTISES FOR ALL POSITIONS, AGAIN
In half-page adverts, the Uganda Tourist Board has once more invited applications for all positions, following earlier announcements, reflected in this column, of course, that all current staff contracts were to expire. It is understood that current/past staff are free to re-apply, but some have already indicated to this column that they would prefer not to and are seeking other employment opportunities. The available positions range from CEO over finance and administration manager to secretaries (2), administration and accounts officer (1), marketing and information officers (4), to inspection and licensing officers (2), and drivers. Closing has been set within two weeks after the advert was first published, i.e., early September.

NILE BRIDGE REPAIRS FOR OCTOBER
The long-awaited major repairs and strengthening of the existing bridge over the Owen Falls hydro-electric dam in Jinja is now set to start later in the year after the contracts were put out for tender last week. The repairs are likely to cause one-way regulated traffic across the bridge while work is in progress and total closures, always for a limited period of time, of course, can also not be ruled out.

The dam and bridge across are now more than 55 years old and are reaching the end of its initially-planned lifespan, necessitating upgrade work to be carried out.

A new bridge, with financial support from the Japanese government, is also due to be constructed not too far from the present dam, below the current railway bridge also spanning the Nile less than a kilometer upstream. The cost of the new bridge is estimated to be at least US$40 million, and planning is well advanced, having even identified residents in the area of the new access roads, who will have to make way for the construction and need compensation and resettlement before work can begin.

No information could be obtained, however, about the option of a road/bridge across the Bujagali hydro-electric plant presently under construction, which could also provide an alternative relief route.

KAMPALA SKAL PRESIDENT CELEBRATES 30
Rahul Sood, arguable the youngest ever president of the Skal Club of Kampala, last weekend celebrated his 30th birthday amongst his friends at Kampalaโ€™s Khana Khazana restaurant, where it snowed food and rained drink on his guests. Several prominent Skal members were also present for the birthday bash, including several past presidents. Through this column, a very happy birthday, once again, to Rahul and many more to come.

FLY 540 UPDATE
No sooner had this column gone into print last week, when confirmation was received from Fly 540 that they are, in fact, getting three of the sleek modern CRJ200LR aircraft, adding to its present fleet of ATR 42s and ATR 72s in Kenya, its Fokker 27 freighters, and a dedicated Beech 1900 โ€œsafari birdโ€ based in Arusha.
This strong signal of confidence in the future of the eastern African aviation market will undoubtedly rock the industry in coming weeks, as other airlines, especially those with aged aircraft, will face stark choices โ€“ to either replace fuel-guzzling old โ€œsky howlers,โ€ or else become aviation history rather than continuing to make it.

Fly 540โ€™s biggest single shareholder, LonZim, formerly Lonrho Africa, is without a doubt instrumental in raising the financing for this development, as its entry into the African aviation sector has already driven Fly 540 beyond the east African shores to start sister airlines in Angola and Zimbabwe.

Fly 540 presently operates in its original home country of Kenya, but has, of course, expanded to Uganda and Tanzania, while reportedly also preparing entry into the Mozambique aviation industry.

Watch this space for regular breaking news updates of aviation developments in eastern Africa.

KAJJANSI AIRFIELD UPDATE
The long-awaited helicopter, to be based by KAFTC at the Kajjansi airfield, has now been purchased in Canada and will soon to come to Uganda after some required maintenance. The Bell Ranger 206 will be used by KAFTC to provide both medivac as well as commercial charters. Visit www.flyuganda.com for more information about KAFTCโ€™s air charter operations and its licensed flying school.

Meanwhile, it was also learned that the long overdue and often promised AVGAS facility by Shell has still not taken off, according to reliable sources as a result of constantly โ€œchanging goal postsโ€ and not implementing agreements reached between the air operators using the Kajjansi field and Shellโ€™s Uganda management.

KENYA AIRWAYS TO ADD NDOLA
Having recovered from a two day strike over the last weekend, the Kenyan national airline has gone on the offensive again and announced flights to Ndola, THE copper belt city and major administrative center in northern Zambia, not far from the border with the CR Congo. Starting in mid-September, the โ€œPride of Africaโ€ will initially fly twice a week from Nairobi, making it the 36th destination on the African continent. The airline aims at the substantial business community not only in Ndola but the entire copper belt region, offering easy connections into the extensive KQ network via Nairobi, sparing them the extra trip to Lusaka or airports even further away for connections.

KENYA BUZZ PROVIDES EXHIBITION AND EVENT UPDATES
The leading Kenyan โ€œinsiderโ€ e-guide provides regular updates for art exhibitions taking place in Nairobi or elsewhere in Kenya, as well as publishes an up-to-date calendar of other events like concerts, theatre productions, and sport outings. Interested readers can visit www.kenyabuzz.com and even subscribe to the weekly mailings online.

DAR ES SALAAM AIRPORT SET FOR EXPANSION
Information received from Tanzaniaโ€™s commercial capital Dar es Salaam indicates that the international airport is now finally set for expansion and rehabilitation. However, details available are sketchy at this time, although it is understood that an exercise to resettle and compensate area residents affected by the expansion was kicked off earlier in the week to pave the way for work to start. Watch this space for updates.

RWANDAIR INTRODUCES SECOND CRJ200
As mentioned in this column in recent weeks, RwandAir โ€“ as part of its fleet expansion โ€“ has introduced a second CRJ200 to its fleet earlier in the week, also on a wet lease from Kenyaโ€™s Jetlink. The airline immediately, i.e., August 17, commenced its new flight schedule to Johannesburg, a route they now fly 5 times a week, up from previously only 3 flights.

The departures are also more convenient now for passengers from Kigali to Johannesburg, leaving Kigali at lunch time and arriving in JNB by 1645 hours. The return flight then leaves Johannesburg around 1830 hours for the 3 ยฝ hour flight back to Kigali. The new additional CRJ also operates with 50 economy seats, a sensible configuration considering the relatively short flying times within the eastern African region. The airlineโ€™s other CRJ is now deployed on the routes from Kigali to Entebbe, Kilimanjaro/Arusha and Nairobi, although some flights to these destinations may still from time to time see the Bombardier Dash 8 used, depending on passenger numbers.

No details were immediately available in regard of the arrival of the recently-purchased CRJs, but indications are that the two former LH crafts may first undergo heavy maintenance before delivery, which is expected either late this year or in early 2010.

RWANDA TO DECIDE BETWEEN LEFT AND RIGHT
Traffic in the original core countries of eastern Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda traditionally used the British system of driving on the left while the other countries under Belgian control, i.e., Rwanda and Burundi, used the continental method of driving on the right.
Discussions are now ongoing in Rwanda to harmonize traffic rules with the rest of the EAC and are reportedly considering a switch to the British habits, encouraged by a recent opinion poll, which pegs support for the switch by some 52 percent, while only about 35 percent opted to retain the present side.

Indeed, when crossing into Rwanda by car, it takes getting used to for motorists who have to switch sides at the border, and a number of accidents are attributed to not remaining on the correct side of the road, as required in Rwanda. Should this initiative become reality, look no further than this column to read about it.

FIRE CLAIMS 15 ACRES OF NYUNGWE FOREST NATIONAL PARK
Similar to the recent fire outbreak along the border between Rwanda and Uganda, when dozens of hectares of forest burned down as a result of honey harvesters causing the blaze, a similar incident occurred earlier in the week at the edge of the Nyungwe National Park in southern Rwanda.

Again a fire set to smoke out the bees and access their honey went out of control but was, thanks to the community involvement and swift reaction of security forces and fire services, brought under control before doing more damage. It is understood that ORTPN will engage in a dedicated educational and training program for bee keepers who keep bee hives at the edge of the forest to harvest quality organic honey, to avoid further such incidents.

Tourists on excursions to the Nyungwe Forest National Park were reportedly not affected by the fire, and forest walks continued in other parts of the park while the fire was being extinguished. The frequency of fires in the recent past is at least partly also attributed to the prolonged dry season, during which fires can easily catch on and spread.

TOURISM NEEDS A MAJOR BOOST โ€“ OR DOES IT?
Stakeholders, known to this correspondent, in Kigali have raised issues with a recent article and interview published in an eTN edition, titled โ€œTourism needs a major boost.โ€ Several emails and calls objected vehemently to the opinions expressed by the โ€œofficialโ€ and rather than commenting through the eTN website mechanism, asked this column to voice their disagreement on their behalf. It was generally pointed out that the author in question should have sought internal consultations and engagement with other stakeholders first to assess the status quo and seek and agree on ways forward instead of going public in the international media and lambasting the Rwandan tourism sectorsโ€™ past efforts and achievements.

RECOMMENDED LITERATURE ABOUT AFRICAN DESTINATIONS
Last week the latest Travel Africa magazine arrived in my P.O. Box, together with Travel Zambia and Travel Namibia. In spite of my frequent travels and visits to at times the most remote, unlikely, and yet very photogenic places in eastern Africa, the magazines whet my appetite for more travel to countries and locations not yet seen. For readers of this column, go to www.travelafricamag.com for more information on the range of publications or to subscribe for those priceless hard copies, which retain value and attractions for many years to come. The magazines are an inspiration to travel across Africa, says this correspondent, and worth every penny of the annual subscription.

East Africa Tourism Report

PROBE AIRPORT DEAL, SAYS FIRST LADY

PROBE AIRPORT DEAL, SAYS FIRST LADY
Ugandaโ€™s First Lady Mrs. Janet Museveni MP has thrown her weight behind the chorus of voices demanding a full investigation into recent reports over the alleged privatization of Entebbe International Airport. The first lady, a member of parliament in her own right and also the Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs โ€“ a region in the east of Uganda bordering with Kenya โ€“earlier in the week suggested that a special parliamentary committee be established to investigate the allegations and rumors over the deal before then reporting back to the caucus group of the ruling party NRM. Her intervention has certainly raised the stakes, and her personal involvement, as proven often in the past when she took sides while others continued to sit on the fence, will undoubtedly help to unravel the covert involvement of the masterminds behind the deal. Intriguingly, she was backed by former Minister Jim Muhwezi, himself in court over allegations of misuse of Global Fund money in the health sector he headed, who reportedly said in the house, โ€œSo many issues have come up, and, therefore, there is need for the truth.โ€

CASSOA BILL FINALLY PASSED
The East African Legislative Assembly, the parliament of the East African Community, last week finally passed the regional EAC Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Bill, under which the national aviation sectors will in the future operate. Harmonization is already underway through the respective national parliaments as reported previously in this column. However, until the last moment, there were at times passionate discussions going on between critics of the bill, before in the end finding a compromise and voting overwhelmingly for it.

National private-sector aviation bodies have expressed concerns, however, claiming various observations, recommendations, and objections were still not sufficiently reflected in the final bill and, in fact, some aviators warned of serious fallout for the sector in the future, should criticized sections of the bill be found unworkable, as no fast-track mechanism for the resolution of such problems was in sight. It was also pointed out by well-briefed legislative assembly members that the bill did not reflect much of the EAC spirit but was leaning too much towards the Chicago Convention and ICAO recommendations, without taking into account special local circumstances, as incidentally permitted under ICAO rules to be written in national/regional air service regulations, making it unsuitable for the development of, in particular, general aviation in the region, which provides the majority of air movements across the region.

More notably, however, CASSOA already commenced work some time ago in anticipation of the bill being passed, as one regulatory staff insisting on anonymity confessed to this column, casting some doubts over the legality of any action taken prior to the passing of the bill by the East African Legislative Assembly.

CAA INTRODUCES AUTOMATED ENTRY AND PARKING CHARGES
The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority informed the general public earlier in the week that a new, automated system will come into effect at the latest by October 1 when all visitors to the airport will have to use machines to pay their entrance fee to the airport. Parking also will attract payment through a similar apparatus. Attendants will still remain nearby, however, to assist those visitors unaware of the modus operandi, in the process probably creating a few more jobs. The installation of the machines and the creation of new lanes at the entry to the airport have been ongoing for a few weeks now but has left regular airport visitors puzzled as to why it took so long to make them operational.

HIPPOS MIGRATE TO MUNYONYO SHORES
The classy Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort and its sister property Speke Resort now have nature to thank for an added attraction available for guests to spot and enjoy watching from the lake shores. A small group of hippos is now regularly seen off the manicured lawns of the resort in the lake and the snorting can be heard with ease, when the giant water-based mammals enjoy life on the other side of the resort.

This will be undoubtedly be welcomed news for the assembled speakers, deputy speakers, presiding officers, key support staff, and observers of legislative assemblies and parliaments from the African Commonwealth countries, who were meeting during the week at the prestigious venue, often in the limelight, when hosting major international conferences and meetings.

TOUR OPERATORS CRY FOUL OVER OIL EXPLORATION IN THE PARK
Tour and safari operators have taken their grievance to the media that a section of the Murchisons Falls National Park, between the Paraa and Pakuba lodges, has been blocked off as oil exploration is taking place in this particular area of the park. This column had reported on this issue several months ago and was, in fact, waiting for an invitation to be made good from the oil company concerned, to see on site what, in fact, is going on in this area. However, the invitational trip, while not withdrawn, has yet to come through, denying the company a fair review of its activities in the park, while they at the same time now suffer of the fallout of negative media publicity. Watch this space for updates.

AFRICA TRAVEL ASSOCIATION FOR THE GAMBIA IN 2010
Following a successful world congress held recently in Cairo, the African tourism industryโ€™s best friend โ€“ the African Travel Association โ€“ will meet in May next year in Banjul, The Gambiaโ€™s capital city. Visit www.africatravelassociation.org or www.africa-ata.org for more information about the forthcoming and past congresses and read more about the continentโ€™s fabulous tourist attractions in the ATA Magazine.

ZAIN TELECOM AND ERICSSON PROMOTE LAKE SAFETY
Leading African mobile phone operator Zain, formerly known as Celtel, has teamed up with Ericsson to establish 21 transmission sites across Lake Victoria, several of them powered by solar panels, to permit people traveling across Africaโ€™s largest lake constant communications means. More than 30 million people live around Lake Victoria in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, and many make a living from and on the lake by fishing and operating boats and lake canoes to carry cargo and passengers from one place to another. Violent sudden storms, which often hit the lake with little notice, have claimed many lives in the past in the absence of a reliable means to communicate with rescue teams. The Zain/Ericsson initiative will, hopefully, address this situation and offer hope for rescue of any lake travelers or fishermen stranded on the lake.
Calls will go to a toll-free line, and once call-center staff has established the location of those in distress, a rescue team will be dispatched for a search-and-rescue mission. Well done, to the two companies living up to their credo of being responsible corporate citizens and caring for their communities.

UGANDAN BANKS NOW CLEAR FOREX CHECKS LOCALLY
Following a sharp upswing in foreign currency transactions in the recent past, the Bank of Uganda has given consent to the establishment of a local clearing platform for foreign currency checks drawn on Ugandan banks. Previously, only four banks, upon a prior exclusive arrangement, cleared foreign currency checks locally but excluded dozens of other financial institutions and banks from their deal. Banks in Uganda can now offer foreign currency accounts in US dollars โ€“ the predominant foreign currency used in the country, but also in euros, pounds, and Canadian dollars – the regional currencies used across the East African Community, the South African Rand, and the Indian Rupee. This range reflects the major trading partners of Uganda and the expatriate population using the opportunity to open bank accounts in their own home currency. The changes will be positive for visitors from abroad with local contacts as money transactions will now be easier and, most important, cheaper. Uganda has been a leader in financial reforms and the abandoning of currency restrictions in the region, and this foresight has paid off as financial transactions have supported economic reforms and advancement.

UN TO MAKE ENTEBBE ITS MAIN AFRICAN AIR BASE
It was learned earlier in the week that the United Nations has apparently decided to make the Entebbe International Airport, already its key airbase for the Congo and other regional operations, its primary airbase for Africa. While this will be good news for Ugandans able to apply for locally-sourced job opportunities, the question often asked still remains to be answered: what terms and conditions has the government granted to the UN?

Is it indeed the freedom of the airport, as often alleged amongst aviation industry observers, or will the UN in the future pay for landing, navigational, parking, and general use fees at the airport? The local and international airlines do and the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority could well do with some more income derived from UN operations to sustain its ongoing modernization and improvement projects for Entebbe and other aerodromes in the country, besides being able to service the loans they were compelled to take out after some 68 billion Uganda shillings of government-owed, outstanding dues remain unpaid.

FLY 540 ADVANCES CRJ DELIVERY
East Africaโ€™s regional LCC, now operating in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda (more to follow soon this column is told) has, in the face of the introduction by other airlines in the region, decided to bring forward its acquisition of its first of initially two CRJs. After learning that Air Uganda is not only ditching its loss-making MD 87s in favor of the CRJs and also in the process of re-introducing its morning departure from Entebbe to Nairobi, the carrier was swift in adding its first CRJ in September, i.e., next month, and will then start operating the Nairobi-Entebbe route with its new โ€œbird,โ€ cutting flying time nearly into half, compared with the presently used ATRs.

Fly540 is the first airline every morning out of Nairobi into Entebbe, and the use of a modern jet will undoubtedly add to the airlineโ€™s appeal in the market place. A late afternoon flight from Nairobi to Entebbe, with an early evening return to Nairobi, will also add attraction to fly with them for passengers only visiting for the day on business, now even easier as the time shaved off the two flights will add at least an hour of time on the ground for the one-day visitors.

The second destination after Entebbe is reportedly Dar es Salaam, with Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar still a real possibility once the second aircraft goes operational. On those routes, Fly540 is in direct competition with Precision Air, itself a Kenya Airways partner airline, and the use of the CRJ would again play into the hands of Fly540 in terms of comfort and speed, as Precision, too, is using ATRs as its fleet workhorse aircraft and has reportedly no plans to match this particular jet with new equipment. Keep watching this space for breaking aviation news updates from eastern Africa.

KENYA AIRWAYS GETS STRIKE RELIEF
A court in the Kenyan capital city of Nairobi has thrown a spanner in the works of one of the unions representing sections of the KQ staff, when it issued a temporary order against any strike action or preparations. A hearing was ordered to take place next Monday, when some of the demands, like a 130 percent salary increment, will be examined. Some union officials, however, vowed to go ahead with the planned industrial action, which would set them on a confrontational course with the court and can likely land them in the court cells for contempt. A strike could do serious damage to the financial bottom line of KQ in an already challenged economic environment. The airline suffered a big loss for the last financial year but has, unlike many other international airlines, managed to avoid major layoffs and cutting employeesโ€™ salaries and other benefits, something obviously not appreciated by the union. Visit www.kenya-airways.com for up-to-date information on the airlineโ€™s operational status and watch this space for breaking news early next week.

FLIGHTS TO UKUNDA ON THE UP AGAIN
Two airlines based at Nairobiโ€™s Wilson Airport are now again operating scheduled flights on the route to the south coast resorts along the Diani beach. Safarilink is the latest entrant, following Air Kenya, which resumed regular flights some months ago already, when the trend towards recovery become evident. The two airlines have also agreed on a flight schedule, with one flight each being operated in the morning and afternoon, to avoid head-on departure times and give clients a wider choice to travel at a time of their choosing. Safarilink reportedly uses a Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft, and the flying time between Nairobi and the Ukunda airfield takes about one hour and fifteen minutes. It also permits travelers destined to any of the dozens of beach resorts along this stretch of the coastline to avoid going through Mombasa and having to endure the transfer by road over the unreliable Likoni ferry connection between Mombasa Island and the south coast mainland.

In a related development, it was learned that the present main European travel season, combined with an excellent performance of the domestic market in Kenya, has many of the hotels and resorts recording full houses once again, a bonus for the hotels which suffered severely last year from the political fallout after the disputed elections and the global economic downturn and financial crisis, which led to overseas holiday-makers staying at home.

KENYA AIR OPERATORS COMMITTEE NEWS
Capt. Gad Kamau, the chairman of the Wilson Airport air operators committee, is reported in the local press warning that Wilson Airport is in danger of being slowly but surely swallowed up by unnamed powerful people for purposes other than an airport. He points out many instances of encroachment onto adjoining land that is supposed to remain obstacle-free and raises various safety issues.

Over the past few years, aircraft operators have warned that the “Mitumba” shanty at the end of Runway 14, the new hotel being built near the airport on Langata Road, and several other structures, are safety hazards and indeed accidents waiting to happen. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority and the Kenya Airports Authority have, in some instances, tried to intervene in these construction projects, but usually after a brief pause, construction continues unabated.

A government assistant minister subsequently waded into the debate as well, claiming that all buildings erected in the approach and departure flight paths comply with building regulations, not an issue disputed by users of Wilson Airport, who question the wisdom of building into those areas in the first place, an answer cunningly evaded by the said minister. ICAO reportedly also raised concerns over the continued safety of Wilson Airport in the light of these building activities, which constitute a potential danger to planes landing and taking off from the airport. Wilson Airport is one of the busiest light aircraft airports in Africa. Only days after this information was initially released by the Aero Club, a light aircraft on its approach to Wilson Airport crash into a housing estate when coming in apparently too low, so it is high time to act for the KAA, KCAA, and the Kenyan government.

AERO CLUB OF KENYAโ€™S ORLY CLUB HOUSE NEARLY COMPLETE
It was recently learned that the new project of the Aero Club of Kenya, the Orly Club House on the Kitengela plains outside Nairobi, will very soon be ready, as the long-awaited completion is now really near. The club houseโ€™s veranda and bar are receiving the final touches, and outdoor landscaping has commenced, and furniture, carpets, crockery, and cutlery are being ordered. A “Housewarming Party” is being planned for all members, Orly shareholders, and guests around mid-September.

The new facility will bring relief to aviation enthusiasts who can now fly to and from Orly while avoiding the ever-more crowded Wilson Airport, which is of the original home of the Aero Club. The precise dates will be available soon and can be found in this column.

SHRINKING MAU FOREST NOW AFFECTS MARA RIVER
Information has been received from Kenya that the water levels along the Mara River, much of which is said to originate from the Mau Forest and presently making headlines in the Kenyan media, is substantially lower as a result of both drought and indiscriminate felling of trees in one of Kenyaโ€™s prime water-catchment areas. This column has on many occasions in the past warned of the impact of loss of tree cover, greater use of river waters for irrigation, and related uses and the combined effects of regular drought periods in eastern Africa when reduced rainfall worsens the situation. Wildlife managers and conservationists have expressed their growing concern over the rapidly-evolving situation, which they consider a severe threat to the wildlife in the Masai Mara, Serengeti ecosystem.

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES ANNOUNCES INCREASED PROFITS
Not long after announcing its latest aircraft orders, reported in this column last week, ET also published the financial results for the recently-ended financial year, showing an increase of over 150 percent in profits. Considering the downturn of aviation in many other parts of the world, this is a remarkable achievement and speaks for the airlineโ€™s strategy in the face of adversity for the sector. Ethiopian Airlines presently has some 36 orders pending with Boeing and Airbus for a fleet renewal and upgrade, while currently operating a fleet of 35 aircraft including 5 freighters.

According to usually well-informed sources, Ethiopian Airlines is also set to join the global Star Alliance, which would boost the airlineโ€™s revenue reach and recognition in an ever-more competitive market, while undoubtedly adding to the appeal of international air travelers through wider choices when connecting to the African continent. Already under the Star Alliance banner in Africa are South African Airways and Egypt Air, while Ethiopianโ€™s main regional rival, Kenya Airways, belongs to the Air France/KLM-led Sky Team.

RWANDAIR NEARS AIRCRAFT DEAL
Information was received recently that RwandAir, the national airline of Rwanda, has completed its due diligence for the purchase of several CRJ aircraft from Germanyโ€™s Lufthansa, which is phasing out those jets and replacing them with larger aircraft. The 50-seater CRJs have gained popularity in the region, with Jetlink of Kenya already operating four of the sleek crafts, while Fly540 and Air Uganda are said to be introducing them shortly on their main routes. RwandAir is thought to be adding at least two of the CRJs to its fleet before the end of the year to expand its network and add frequencies to its main destinations in eastern and southern Africa. The CRJ, currently wet leased from Kenyaโ€™s Jetlink, will most likely return to the lessors, when its own aircraft are delivered, registered, and cleared for flight.

In a related development, it was also learned that Rwandan pilots are presently receiving training for the CRJs where they expect to be deployed as first officers and captains. The trainees include one Rwandan lady pilot, following in the footsteps of Kenya Airways, which has employed female pilots now for some time. Other positions open for Rwandese nationals are amongst the technical and maintenance staff. The deal with Lufthansa for the two aircraft is worth about US$15 million, including a basic spares package.

RwandAir is already code sharing with Brussels Airlines on the Kigali-Brussels route, and as SN is now formally part of the Lufthansa family following recent approvals by the European Commission, the deal is now certainly sweeter than would otherwise have been the case. Watch this space for emerging aviation news from the east African region and read the latest developments in the airline sector.

KIGALI AIRPORT UPGRADE ON COURSE
About US$10 million will be spent to upgrade the existing international airport in Kigali, while alongside the planning and preparations for a completely new international airport are also progressing. Following a sharp increase in passenger numbers and cargo shipments in and out of Kanombe International Airport, it was found essential to first improve the facilities for passengers and airlines, while the new airport, Bugesera, is being built. Work at Kanombe is expected to focus on an expansion and upgrade of existing facilities and all work will be done to avoid disruption to arriving and departing passengers, likely in a similar way as the Entebbe International Airport was expanded and upgraded prior to the 2007 Commonwealth Summit.

DUBAI WORLDโ€™S FINANCIAL CRUNCH HURTS RWANDA, TOO
Information was received that Dubai World Africa, a subsidiary of Dubai World, is scaling back its investment plans for the African continent. A major project for the Comorosโ€™ main island has been deferred, investments in wildlife parks in southern Africa halted, and of the initially agreed 8 projects for Rwanda, only two are presently said to have the go ahead, according to sources in Kigali.

Dubai World was due to invest some US$250+ million in Rwandaโ€™s hospitality sector, a figure now apparently greatly reduced. Yet, the company has only recently announced it would make further investments in China, Vietnam, Thailand, and India, leaving Africa wondering if funds meant for investment on the continent are now being diverted towards other projects and if so, then why. When forming Dubai World Africa a few years ago, an initial investment package of over US$1.5 billion was put together to be spent over a 5-year period. Only time will tell now if indeed any of these plans will materialize when the world economy has gotten into gear again or if Dubai Worldโ€™s focus has changed for good, or rather the worse, for Africa.

CLINTON VISITS GOMA
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was back in eastern Africa earlier in the week, albeit on the Congolese side, when visiting the town of Goma as part of her visit to Kinshasa. Goma is at the heart of the festering militia problem caused by the killer Hutu militias, when they withdrew from Rwanda after inflicting one of the most shocking genocides on innocent civilians over their tribe and political stand at the time. Since then, these militias continue to press young males into service in the eastern Congo and have built themselves a cushy little fiefdom based on mineral mining, cutting tropical wood, and poaching.

The US Secretary of State, in particular, expressed her support to the women in the region, who have, in the past, been subjected to abductions and rape by the FDRL militias and other troops active in the area, shouldering one of the heaviest burdens in this conflict. It is hoped, certainly from the Rwanda and Uganda side of the border, that her visit to Goma will send a loud message to the Kinshasa regime that they must sort out these problems on the fast track, and that โ€“ should another regional mission be sanctioned โ€“ they cannot send foreign forces home prematurely this time until the job is done. Congo DR has become notorious for ending military cooperation early, leaving terrorists and militias time and space to escape and regroup, as seen over the past year in joint missions with Rwanda โ€“ aimed at the FDRL killer militias โ€“ but also with Uganda, when they halted the final drive against the LRA in the north-eastern Congo.

The ongoing conflicts have been destabilizing the entire Great Lakes region, on which subject, incidentally, President Banda of Zambia earlier in the week also hosted a regional summit in Lusaka.

Sadly, the visit to Congo was somewhat overshadowed by a media hype over an ill-translated question and subsequent answer by her, for which the interpreters seem to have been responsible. The translation error was prompting Hillary Clinton to reassert her role as THE Secretary of State, causing a media frenzy over this issue rather than focusing on the plight of the downtrodden, poverty stricken, and constantly-threatened women and children in eastern Congo, which was one of the main reasons for her visit to Goma.

Hillary Clinton, after leaving Kenya, has so far traveled through South Africa, Angola, and Congo DR, before she wraps up her present tour of the continent in west Africa, beginning with a visit to Nigeria.

SOUTHERN SUDAN TELECOM LINK CLEARED BY UGANDA GOVERNMENT
News emerged last week that the government got its way in parliament when a telecommunications link with southern Sudan was formally sanctioned. Gemtel, southern Sudanโ€™s original mobile company, had โ€“ after the signing of the CPA with Khartoum โ€“ started building up a network, but has its main link located in northern Uganda. Subsequently, anyone calling into this network from abroad will use the Ugandan country code +256, routing calls via the Ugandan gateway into the southern Sudan.

This was done to stop interference with calls and illegal wire-tapping in Khartoum, through which all other mobile companies now operating in the southern Sudan have to route their voice and data traffic. Considering the close ties between Juba and Kampala, this approval was long expected but had been held up by some parliamentarians suspected to have had ulterior motives. Uganda earns fees for every call made and received on Gemtel numbers as royalties, making the deal not only commercially desirable but also politically necessary.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Ambassador in Kampala has waded into the debate over ICC arrest warrants against Ugandaโ€™s most-wanted terrorist, Joseph Kony, and against Khartoumโ€™s regime leader, Bashir, denouncing the measures taken by the ICC. China is thought to be an ardent backer of the Khartoum regime, with much of the Sudanese oil going to China, and Kony is, of course, thought to be a proxy figure for Khartoum in his ongoing fight in eastern Congo, southern Sudan, and the Central African Republic, where he continues to wreak havoc and massacres on civilian populations after being chased out of Uganda and his erstwhile hideout in the Garamba National Park in eastern Congo. The ambassador also took a holier-than-thou attitude when addressing the media about โ€œwhat we need is a holistic approach to ensure no outbreak of war in southern Sudan.โ€ However, allegations in southern Sudan persist of China rearming the Khartoum regime in violation of UN sanctions.

DJIBOUTI BECOMES NEXT FLYDUBAI DESTINATION
Information received from Djibouti indicates that low cost carrier FlyDubai will shortly commence scheduled flights to Djibouti. The airline will initially fly three times a week to the Horn of Africa, providing much needed seat and loose cargo capacity on the route. Flight days will be Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and depending on passenger loads, the airline could go daily in the not-too-distant future.

Dubai World, a cousin company, is a key investor in the country and also manages the Djibouti port, now the main supply link for Ethiopia and, of course, also base of the naval coalition forces based in Djibouti. The new connection is thought to provide both the business community as well as coalition personnel with easy and affordable nonstop flights into the business and hospitality heart of the Gulf.

East Africa Tourism Report

HILLARY CLINTON ARRIVES IN NAIROBI

HILLARY CLINTON ARRIVES IN NAIROBI
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Kenyaโ€™s capital of Nairobi on Wednesday amid a media flurry of speculations on her โ€œaddedโ€ reason for the visit. Officially, she is heading a large delegation from the US, the US business community, and government representatives to attend the AGOA summit in Kenya, which will bring together public and private-sector participants from many African nations benefitting from the AGOA legislation. Some 2,000 participants are expected to gather in Nairobi for the meetings. At the same time, dire warnings from Washington and London reminded the Kenyan government and others in attendance that accountability and transparency, good governance, and best international practice are a MUST to assure continued economic and political cooperation. This may well be aimed at the Kenyan government, first and foremost, which has been dragging its feet over decisive action against the inciters and participants in the post-election violence a year ago.

There is also speculation that US Secretary Clinton may attend talks over the security situation at the Horn of Africa, where fighting on the ground between AU peace keepers, government troops, and Islamic militants has intensified in the recent past and where acts of piracy have greatly interfered with trade to and from eastern Africa.

CAA OWED OVER US$33 MILLION
Information has emerged that government agencies owe the Uganda Civil Aviation some 68.7 billion Uganda Shillings, while the CAA was compelled to borrow nearly 80 billion Uganda Shillings to carry out improvements and infrastructural developments at the countryโ€™s main airport and other aerodromes across the nation. Sources within the CAA, preferring anonymity, also talked about the UNโ€™s operation at the international airport in Entebbe. The UN apparently pays no landing, navigational, or parking fees, in spite of such requests being made to the government, which apparently granted the UN the โ€œfreedom of the airport,โ€ i.e., gratis use for setting up their main east-African supply base at the old airport in Entebbe. This information was likely made public in light of recent reports about having the international airport concessioned out to private management, a move which raised strong emotions in the public debate over the issue.

โ€œTHE EYEโ€ AVAILABLE IN AUGUST & SEPTEMBER ON THE WEB
Ugandaโ€™s premier visitor guide for the next two months is now available on the web again, an alternative at least for those unable to get a hard copy. Those are distributed for free through hotels, lodges, travel agencies, restaurants, airline offices, and a range of other places, giving the latest updates of where to go, what to do, plus a whole range of other useful information like contact lists for all and sundry. Check out www.theeye.co.ug for more details – must read material for intending visitors to Uganda.

SHELL DROPS KISUMU AVIATION FUEL DELIVERY
Notice has been belatedly received in Uganda that Shell Kenya apparently has stopped the supply of aviation fuel across the lake in Kisumu. The airport there has been a convenient fuel-tech stop for general aviation flights dropping in to load on AVGAS for the next leg homebound to Entebbe across Lake Victoria or while flying further into Kenya or Tanzania.

SAFARI COMPANY GOES CARBON NEUTRAL
In a Ugandan first, the Entebbe-based Classic Africa Safaris has recently gone carbon neutral after purchasing carbon credits through the globally accredited Carbon Trading Bureau Uganda. This initiative covers not only the safari cars that are regularly on the road with clients from around the world, but also the carbon footprint of the companyโ€™s offices, workshops, and private residences. Congrats on this achievement go to Mel Gormley, CEO and principal owner of Classic Africa Safaris โ€“ the well-remembered and much-respected former chairperson of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators. Congrats also to their entire staff and board of directors. Well done indeed! Who is next?

2011 ELECTION DATES NOW AVAILABLE
March 13, 2011 will see Uganda go to the polls again to elect representatives on the local and national level, from local council representatives to parliament to presidential elections. The process, however, will start off much earlier with voter-registration updates, determining where the polling stations will be located, and training of staff of the Electoral Commission before launching the respective campaigns proper. Traditionally, an election period and campaign brings about more excitement in the country but has, in the past, been generally peaceful and orderly, as witnessed by this correspondent since the early 1990s. Intending visitors can be assured that their holiday enjoyment is most unlikely to be impacted in any way by the event.

PORINI SAFARI CAMPS RELEASE GAME NUMBER UPDATES
Gamewatcher Safaris and Porini Safari Camps have recently provided data on the lion population near their camps close to Amboseli National Park and the Masai Mara Game Reserve. The companies attributed the success to closer cooperation with the resident Masai herdsmen, which reduced wildlife-livestock conflicts substantially in areas where Porini operates camps. Several lion cubs were born recently and can now be seen by safari guest of the respective camps.

The company also launched a new product โ€“ lion research safaris โ€“ which mainly focuses on areas in northern Kenyaโ€™s Samburu National Park, the Buffalo Springs, and Shaba Game Reserves, which are split by the main road leading from Isiolo, further north to Marsabit and the Ethiopian border. Guests on such safaris, this column was told, have the opportunity to participate, to an extent, in research and educational activities, like radio tracking those lions fitted with collars, patrolling with and recording data gathered by scouts and rangers, investigating lion-livestock incidents, and helping in carnivore education presentations in local schools and community centers.

Porini Safari Camps are renowned for their efforts to preserve bio diversity and improve community relations through the establishment of wildlife conservancies, revenue sharing schemes, employment, and other related incentives. Visit www.porini.com for more information.

EAST AFRICAN CLASSIC SAFARI RALLY FOR NOVEMBER
Kenya Airways has once again stepped in and became the major sponsor of this motor sport event, which takes place every few years and traverses a different route every time across Kenya and other parts of east Africa. The rally brings together the big names of rally driving of yesteryear and, of course, features the โ€œclassicโ€ rally cars going back to the 60s and 70s, when the main Safari Rally was still on the annual world championship calendar. Check this column in the coming weeks for more information about the event.

RIFT VALLEY LAKES UNDER THREAT
The Kenyan rift valley lakes, most notably Lakes Naivasha and Nakuru, reportedly keep losing size as a result of massive deforestation in the main water catchment area of Mau Forest, over which a major political row and controversy has erupted. Several of Lake Nakuruโ€™s tributaries have started to dry up, partly as a result of the drought, which makes communities living along the river banks take out more and more water for domestic and agricultural use, while at the same time the water discharged from the springs and smaller streamlets has also greatly shrunk. Lake Baringo is also said to be affected, all three of the lakes being major tourism attractions, besides the other well-known lakes of Elementaita and Bogoria. Rising average temperatures are also blamed for increased evaporation of water from the lakes, and in the absence of heavy rainfall, which might fill up the lakes, no relief is in sight any time soon until the next long rains later in the year.

Kenya has, in the recent past, also shut down at least one of their hydro-electric plants owing to low water levels in the dam. Famine is also said to be threatening portions of the country โ€“ of eastern Africa โ€“ as a result of severe drought conditions in marginal areas.

POWER RATIONING HITS KENYAN HOUSEHOLDS AGAIN
In light of the ongoing drought condition in many parts of eastern Africa, the Kenyan power company has announced that power rationing, in local lingo called โ€œload shedding,โ€ has resumed. Priority will be given initially to hospitals, public institutions, industry, and manufacturing at the expense of โ€œordinaryโ€ consumers, to at least minimize the economic impact of the drastic measure. Residential areas can now expect to have at least two days a week without power, undoubtedly leading to a fresh run on inverter systems and back-up generators to keep fridges and lights working at least for some hours during such days.

Like done in Uganda two years ago, the Kenyan government is also considering the introduction and distribution of energy-saving tube bulbs, replacing the conventional light bulbs, a measure expected to save up to 50 MW across the country. Until then, however โ€“ which is when the rains come and restore water levels in the dams โ€“ expensive thermal energy will have to supplement production in Kenya, causing the cost of electricity undoubtedly to rise once again. Water levels in some of the dams are reportedly at a half century low, and unless the next rainy season produces above average rainfalls, the situation may go from bad to worse.

Meanwhile it was learned in Uganda that the Bujagali hydro-electric dam is not expected to begin generating electricity by late 2010. The projected start date has now been pushed into the second half of 2011, causing much speculation, as the company has hyped for a long time now how very much they are within their building time frame. Watch this space for updates.

WEBCAM WEATHER REPORTING SYSTEM GOES “LIVE”
One of the greatest problems with aviation in Kenya is the lack of accurate meteorological data and weather forecasting. A new system being actively pursued by the Aero Club and a number of cooperative aviation enthusiasts and sponsors is a network of “webcams” placed strategically throughout Kenya.

The photographs taken by the webcams are updated every few minutes and online users can look at the latest weather picture in the general area to which they are flying. The following webcam photos are now operating and publicly available on the Internet or 3G Mobile Phone: Kijabe-Rift Valley, Wilson Airport-Aero Club of East Africa, Ngong Hills from Langata, Lamu, and Kilimanjaro-Kampi ya Kanzi.

A webcam at Nyeri should be up and running later this week and more are coming. Bookmark www.kenyawebcam.com as the main page for all Kenyan webcams. You can also use the link on the Aero Club website www.aeroclubea.net. Check it out and tell all pilots. Your suggestions for positioning additional webcams in strategic places are welcome.

Some further information became available from the venerable Harro about the forthcoming Kenya Navex Air Rally to be held in October of this year. The event is open for entries from all corners of the world, as long as participants register in time and visit Kenya with their own planes in good time for the air rally.

AERO CLUB PLANS NAVEX AIR RALLY IN OCTOBER
Plans are well underway for the 2009 edition of the Annual Navex โ€“ the air rally in which the skills of pilots and navigators are tested to the utmost. Participating aircraft are starting the rally at Orly Airpark on Friday, October 9, 2009. They are expected to fly on a given track, on time, and within 250 meters of center line. Secret marshals are distributed throughout the route to verify times when the aircraft flew over and the accuracy. Penalty points are given for any errors, 360 degree turns are forbidden, and GPS is not allowed. The day’s route of about 200 miles will lead north, into the Laikipia area, ending in the afternoon at Ol Malo Lodge where the Francombe family will host the competitors and marshals. Ol Malo is one of the top lodges in Kenya.

Saturday, October 11, is a fun day during which competitors will amuse themselves with parachute jumps, aerobatics displays, spot-landing competitions, and other aerial activities. Then, on Sunday October 12, the air rally will continue back to Nairobi. It is hoped that all private aircraft operators, flying schools, and charter companies will provide at least one or two entries. Please circle your calendars for this aviation delicacy of 2009. Entry fees will be announced shortly, while the team of Dean Hardisty, Ashif Lalani, and Alex Galley will all use their combined powers of connivance to design a route that will put even the most seasoned air rally aficionados off track.

LIGHT AIRCRAFT CRASHES INTO NAIROBI HOUSING ESTATE
Hot on the heels of complaints by aviation experts about the increasing build up in the approach and take-off path of Wilson Airport, came news that a small light aircraft crashed into the โ€œHigh Riseโ€ estate in Nairobi, killing the pilot on impact and leaving reportedly three passengers injured. No information was immediately available if any persons on the ground were injured when the plane crashed, although a fire apparently broke out at the crash site, later put out by the fire brigade.

Sources from Nairobi speak of a flight out of Wilson Airport for the purpose of taking aerial photographs or taking film footage of parts of Nairobi. The plane apparently came down when attempting to return to Wilson Airport as it came down too low.

This is the second such light aircraft incident within a few weeks, after most recently a two-seater plane crashed when landing in Kiwayu along the Indian Ocean beaches.

INVESTORS FIRE BACK AT TRUSTEES
Hotel owners on Tanzaniaโ€™s Mafia Island vowed not to stop their campaign against an increase in fees, imposed earlier in the year for visits to the marine reserves. The trustees had doubled the entrance fees charged to visitors, which the investors opposed in view of the present global economic and financial crisis. When faced with the constructive criticism, the trustees in turn tried to smear the credibility of the resort owners through a blanket accusation that โ€œsome hotel owners evade payment of user fees.โ€ This raised the temperature of the debate instantly, and as one resort owner told this column, โ€œLet the trustees produce evidence to this unfounded allegation and take whomever to court and prosecute,โ€ then added, โ€œbut otherwise stop smearing our names โ€“ is this the partnership they talk about? Doubling fees right now is the wrong way; everyone has started lowering prices, Visa fees have been slashed, and those guys think this is the time to double fees โ€“ let them learn about timing. When tourism [has] picked up again, letโ€™s talk about it then, but not now.โ€

Such public spats, while not unprecedented, are, of course, not helpful to promote tourism to the island, or the country as a whole, and a meeting between the two parties appears the best way forward right now, rather than engaging in public finger pointing and making accusations of profiteering towards one party and incompetence towards the other.

NEW HOPE FOR AIR TANZANIA
The ailing national airline of Tanzania, long overtaken by their private sector competitors like Precision Air and of late Fly540 (T), may have a ray of hope coming across the distant horizon. News broke that the government was still committed to signing a deal with a Chinese company. Initially that was to have taken place over a year ago, but the emerging global economic and financial crisis scuttled that opportunity at the time. With recovery now emerging for the global economy, the deal seems back on the table to restructure the airline, rebrand it, and kick-start operations with as many as 9 aircraft to counter the advance of other airlines on both domestic and regional routes. Accumulated losses and capital requirements to achieve a full turnaround are estimated to be in the half billion US dollar region โ€“ not a mean price for any potential suitor. Up to 49 percent shares are available to foreign investors, while the rest must, under Tanzanian law and aviation regulations, remain in Tanzanian hands to qualify as a Tanzanian airline.

NO BAIL FOR IVORY SMUGGLING SUSPECTS
Six accused were denied bail earlier in the week when a magistrate of a Dar es Salaam court told them it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the application and told the suspects to make an application in the High Court, as the crime they were charged with was both substantial and fell under the Economics Crime Act. The six were also charged with illegal dealings in game trophies without a license. Good news for the conservation fraternity!

RWANDA MOVES TO HARMONIZE AVIATION LEGISLATION
In a move to further align relevant legislation with the rest of the east African member states, the Rwandan cabinet, during the week, agreed on new civil aviation legislation, which is now in line with the respective protocols agreed by the East African Community. The new legislation is expected to be tabled before parliament for approval, which is currently in recess until early October.

RDB/ORTPN RELEASES DATA
Figures availed by the Rwanda Office for Tourism and National Parks, which is part of the Rwanda Development Board, show that nearly 440,000 visitors came to Rwanda in the first quarter of 2009, a 7 percent increase over 2008. This is all the more remarkable as the global economic and financial crisis has thrown a spanner into the world-wide tourism industry and speaks volumes about Rwandaโ€™s efforts to attract more visitors to the country. Hence, in terms of improving the tourism arrivals, Rwanda has taken the lead across eastern Africa. Business visitors appear to be the biggest segment, closely followed by visiting friends and relatives, dedicated holiday visitors, and others. Well done indeed.

RWANDAIR OFFERS SPECIAL EXHIBITION FARES
Information received from the Rwandan national airline indicates that they will offer special fares throughout the year whenever exhibiting at trade shows in order to attract more visitors to Rwanda. The fares need to be booked on site and paid for right away, but besides this, only a few other terms and conditions apply. Look up www.rwandair.com for more information.

RWANDA PARTNERS WITH STARBUCKS
The US-based global coffeehouse company, already using Rwandan quality coffee in their outlets, has signed a further partnership agreement with textile manufacturers. Soon to be found in the coffee shops across the United States will be cotton bags and other fabrics such as t-shirts for sale, again under a fair trade agreement, which gives cotton farmers and workers in the textile industry added benefits. Rwanda is presently the home of the only Starbucks office on the African continent and is aimed at furthering trade links, influencing branding and marketing, and most importantly, ascertaining consistently good-quality products reaching the global markets. Now, if every Starbucks customer could see, while in the shop, some DVD presentations about the natural wonders of Rwanda and the whole of Eastern Africa, might that then entice a couple of ten thousand more visitors? While waiting for this development, well done in the meantime!

RWANDA TRAINS TRAINERS FOR ECOTOURISM
Information was received earlier in the week from Kigali that 17 future trainers have started a course about ecotourism planning and wetland management at the Kitabi College for Conservation and Environmental Management. During the month-long course, participants will hear from a variety of experts in environmental management on how best to counter a deteriorating environment and restore it to best serve its intended purpose. Some 10 percent of the country is considered to be wetlands and needs extra protection in view of the growing population pressures. Once graduated, the course participants are expected to be deployed to sensitive areas to begin their work in earnest.

CLEAN UP COMING FOR NYABARONGO RIVER
The Nyabarongo River, a major tributary to the Kagera River, which empties into Lake Victoria, is due for a major cleanup operation, according to information given by the Rwanda Environment Management Authority. Funding is provided by the United Nations Development Program, and several hundred young people are expected to assist in the operation. Over 40 kilometers of river banks will be re-cultivated with bamboo and reeds to improve soil retention, while stricter measures against uncontrolled discharge of waste water into the river will also be enforced. The overall cost is expected to reach US$6 million.

East Africa Tourism Report

PROTECTING FORESTS COSTS MORE LIVES

PROTECTING FORESTS COSTS MORE LIVES
When I often hear, and on occasions say so myself, that conservation has its price, no one could have foreseen exactly how heavy that price could be for those on the frontline of enforcement. A recently-recruited forest officer, deployed at the Nakalanga forest reserve near the township of Mukono as his first assignment, was cruelly murdered along with his pregnant wife and three-year-old daughter, when suspected forest encroachers and illegal loggers set their house on fire in an apparent act of revenge. Earlier in the day, he had detained timber suspected to be from the illegal felling of trees, which must have caused the ire of the loggers. Only last month, also in the Mukono district, illegal loggers incited a riot against two forest officers, killing one and seriously injuring the second one before making their escape. Illegal logging is said to be a lucrative business, and the NFA has been fighting an uphill struggle to evict squatters from the central forest reserves. Earlier in the year, also reported in this column, a similar killing took place in a forest near Masaka, where again NFA officers performed their duties according to the law.

Calls have been on the increase to provide armed security for forestry officers on patrols to not only ensure their safety but also prevent forest encroachers and illegal loggers from getting away and avoiding prosecution. Some sources also called for the government to be clear in its policies and stop interfering with the work of the NFA, and UWA for that matter, when evictions of illegal encroachers are undertaken. At least six suspects have since been arrested and the police are still searching for others suspected involved in the illegal timer racket. This column offers condolences to the NFA, friends, and family of the recent victims and hopes government will do all in its power to successfully prosecute the culprits and act decisively to stop further attacks on forestry wardens and staff.

UWA INSTALLS MORE CLIMATE MONITORING EQUIPMENT
Gadgets worth over 100 million Uganda Shillings were recently purchased and installed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority at the Rwenzori National Park, to keep tabs on the receding glaciers, the weather pattern, and in particular, average temperatures recorded on a regular basis, which can then be used for further research into the causes and impact of climate change in the region.
Some time ago, the Italian Alpine Club had donated equipment for the same purpose, and the extra capacity will undoubtedly add more information for the researchers.

GOVERNMENT DENIES SELLING OF AIRPORT
Sources attributed to the government have denied that there is any intention of selling the countryโ€™s only international airport, but sources conceded that discussions were ongoing about concessioning out the facility to an investor. The assurance, however, did little to calm the stormy waters earlier reports have caused across the aviation fraternity and society at large. Demands continue to be raised by the public through call-in, radio-talk shows and other media to have an open transparent process put into place with an international tender, if at all it is found necessary to take the airport management away from the Civil Aviation Authority. For that decision, a public discussion was also demanded by members of the aviation fraternity and leading business association members, saying that a policy decision of this magnitude must only be taken after an extensive and all-inclusive consultative exercise and not by government alone, considering the value of this public asset and the ongoing press reports and allegations made by investigative reporters.

Meanwhile, the Presidentโ€™s office also rubbished suggestions in sections of the media that the president was in any way, shape, or form involved in these developments, and that categorically no directive or instruction was ever given to sell the airport or find managers for it. Watch this space as the saga continues to raise the heat in public debate.

ICAO MEETING SET FOR KAMPALA
As reported in this column a few months ago, ICAO โ€“ the International Civil Aviation Organization, is holding one of their regular global meetings between August 17-20 at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala. Additional meetings dedicated to African aviation regulatory bodies are also scheduled to take place at the same time to discuss further steps of liberalizing continental air traffic as provided for under the Yamoussoukro Declaration.

EGYPT RESORTS TO THREATS AGAIN OVER NILE WATERS
Negotiations between the eastern African countries producing the Nile waters, and in particular Egypt, have hit another snag after Egypt, in a departure from previously-negotiated positions, once again insisted on the old treaties of 1929 and 1959 to be respected. Those treaties were entered into by the colonial masters Britain with Egypt at the time, and on independence forced down the throats, of the newly-independent countries like Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The latter has for quite some time now already ignored those treaties and uses water from rivers emptying into Lake Victoria for irrigation, as well as industrial and domestic uses, claiming that those treaties were illegal and irrelevant in todayโ€™s situation.

Uganda, from where the Nile startโ€™s its long journey to the Mediterranean Sea at the โ€œSource of the River Nileโ€ in Jinja and also Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia โ€“ where the โ€œBlue Nileโ€ starts its journey to meet the โ€œWhite Nileโ€ in Sudanโ€™s capital of Khartoum โ€“ are all ready to negotiate a new treaty with Egypt, as long as their fundamental rights are acknowledged. That acknowledgment would say that these waters are a resource of these countries first and foremost, and that the downstream countries of Sudan and Egypt can only use a negotiated and agreed-upon portion of those waters, without their current veto powers over the use of this natural resource in upstream countries.

One Boutros-Boutros Ghali (former UN secretary general), while still serving in the Egyptian government in the 70s, is reported to have made it clear that Egypt would go to war over water if necessary โ€“ a vile threat never fully recanted or withdrawn by subsequent Egyptian administrations.

During recent negotiating sessions, there were already spats of disagreement when it became clear for Egypt that they could not break the unified agreed position of the eastern African countries, and on one occasion they were left to hold on alone in the negotiating panel, after the Sudanese delegation had prematurely left for home. The forthcoming referendum on independence for southern Sudan in early 2011 will also play a major role, as in the case of independence for the south. If another entity would enter into the equation, it would be no wonder that Egypt has already overtly and covertly worked against the likely outcome of this vote, only recently saying that southern Sudan would not be viable as an independent country. Watch this space for updates.

CAA SEEKS TO ACQUIRE MORE COMPETENCE
In a recent full page advertisement, the Ugandan aviation regulator advertised for open positions within their regulatory and supervisory department. UCAA intends to employ airworthiness inspectors specialized in avionics, power plants, and airframes, while also looking for a senior flight operations inspector, the latter of which requires an ATPL and at least 3,000 hours of flying experience. More information can be found via www.caa.co.ug or by writing to [email protected].

FORMER HOTEL ASSOCIATION CHAIRMAN PASSES ON
Edward Nsubuga, founder chairman of the Uganda Hotel Owners Association, passed away a few days ago in a hospital in Nairobi. Nsubuga built the Ranch on the Lake resort, located off the main road to the airport in Entebbe, in the mid 1990s, which after changing hands, is now set to reopen shortly under Serena management with the present working title, โ€œThe Citadel.โ€ Condolences are extended by this column to the late Edwardโ€™s family and friends for their loss.

EAST AFRICAN SCRIBES SET TO MEET IN KAMPALA
A dedicated media forum will take place in Kampala next month, bringing together the east African media houses and their leading journalists, columnists, and photojournalists. No specific details about the agenda or the dates of the meeting, however, could be verified at the time of going to press, in spite of relentless efforts by this column, which does not speak well for the media promoting itself.

MORE CONFERENCES FOR NAIROBI
Hotel room occupancy in Nairobi during this week and next week reaches near full house as first the East African Community held an EAC investment conference in Kenyaโ€™s capital to attract more investments into the region. This meeting is to be followed next week by the AGOA conference, when US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to lead a large delegation from the United States to discuss AGOA-related matters with participating countries. A large number of private sector participants are expected in Nairobi for the meetings, and intending travelers to Kenyaโ€™s capital city are advised to check their hotel bookings and not rely on booking on arrival.

KENYA AIRWAYS UPS MOMBASA FLIGHTS
Following the increase in flights from Nairobi to the coastal city of Mombasa by both Air Kenya and Fly 540, Kenya Airways has reportedly added more services, bringing the total flights per week to no less than 58, an average of 8 flights per day.

This more than doubles the number of flights KQ has operated on the route until last week. The airline also announced special fares of KShs 2,750 one way, plus taxes, or 5,500 KShs for a return, again plus taxes. Larger aircraft such as the B 767 will also be used on weekends and for high-demand, mid-week flights to accommodate the growing number of passengers expected in the coming months. Flying time, depending on the type of aircraft used, varies between 50 minutes for jets, to about 1 hour and 25 minutes with turboprop aircraft, sparing air passengers the arduous journey by road from Nairobi to the coast, which can take up to 8 hours for the nearly 500 kilometers. The route by road, however, is not without its own highlights, as it passes through the Tsavo East and West game parks, permitting on occasions, a glimpse of wildlife along the main highway. The route is also considered scenic in its own right, as it descends from the Athi plains near Nairobi, progressively towards the Indian Ocean.

KQ ADDS GABARONE
Effective early September, Kenya Airways will begin three weekly flights between Nairobi and Gaborone, Botswana, adding yet another African destination to their growing continental network, now comprising 35 airports across the continent. The newly-introduced flights will route via Lusaka, Zambia and will be code shared with Air Botswana. This makes Kenya Airways the industry leader for connections across Africa with conveniently-timed flights via their Nairobi hub. Visit www.kenya-airways.com for more information on their network, fares, and schedules. Bookings through their website are also possible for would-be passengers, although KQโ€™s flights can also be booked through their own sales offices and, of course, through traditional travel agencies.

Meanwhile, it was also learned that the Aviation and Allied Workers Union in Nairobi has issued a strike notice against Kenya Airways to the Ministry of Labor, as now required under the latest amendments to the labor laws in Kenya. This shows a distinct lack of appreciation and comprehension over the extremely difficult financial situation of the airline, or the aviation sector worldwide in general, as the airline during the last AGM posted a substantial loss. Elsewhere in the world of aviation, airline personnel are not just having to contend with salary cuts, cuts in benefits, and increased working hours, but also, to a large extent, a loss of jobs altogether, while KQ has so far been able to refrain from such harsh measures to ensure financial survival. The airline management pointed out that in a total lack of courtesy and usual practice, they learned of the intended strike notice through the media and not by letter or other means of direct communications from union representatives. Further information provided also shows that while some 25 meetings had been held to progress the negotiations, the demand of a 130 percent salary increase was simply not viable nor did it reflect global trends in the aviation sector.

MORE WOES FOR AFRICAN B787 CUSTOMERS
Both Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways are now left pondering about their pending orders for Boeingโ€™s Dreamliner turned nightmare 787 as reports received from the US indicate yet another delay in the production of the latest addition to the Boeing aircraft family. There are now some indications that the first test flight may be delayed a further 3-4 months. This could result in the expected delivery of the ordered planes to be pushed back once more, all the time considering that Boeing may be facing heavy penalties, while Ethiopian and Kenya Airways are made to look either for alternatives or have to continue flying their ageing B767 fleets, which were due to be replaced with the much more cost-efficient 787.

Related to this development, and in an unusually candid comment from the CEO of Qatar Airways, a customer with plenty of orders to worry about for Boeing, Mr. Al Baker over last weekend said heads would roll were he the CEO of Boeing. Qatar Airways, with over 30 Dreamliners on firm order and a further 30 options, is one of the largest B787 customers and has previously already made strongly-worded statements about a possible cancellation of the order and a switch to Airbus. Watch this space for updates.

EU โ€“ AFRICA BUSINESS FORUM SCHEDULED FOR NAIROBI
Nairobi will host the forthcoming EU โ€“ Africa Business Forum between September 28-29 this year under the theme, โ€œAfrica and Europe: On the road to a new win-win partnership.โ€ Governmental bodies and representatives, the business community, and the respective diplomatic representatives are all expected to mingle and discuss ways and means to bring entrepreneurs from Europe and Africa together.

Only recently was the Asia-Africa Business Forum held at the lakeside resort of Munyonyo, just outside Kampala, where the meeting focused entirely on tourism, while the Nairobi meeting is thought to have an agenda mainly focusing on investments, trade, and related issues.

FORMER TOURISM PS AND FORMER KTB CEO IN COURT
The legal case over alleged misappropriation of funds, this column has reported about it in the past, has now opened in court in Nairobi. After hearing statements from some witnesses, going to the core of the allegations, the case was eventually adjourned until early October, causing yet more suspense for the accused and those eagerly awaiting a final outcome and verdict.

OUTCRY OVER COLOBUS MONKEY DEATHS
Reports in the Kenyan media suggest that over the past couple of months, nearly 30 black and white colobus monkeys have died in traffic accidents and by high-voltage power lines, reducing the rare animals even further. Their normal habitat has already shrunk considerably since the 1970s, when this correspondent first visited the area and found a still largely intact forest along the Diani Beach side of Ukunda, Mombasa South Coast. In spite of all conservation efforts, the population has since then shrunk considerably, caused by the forest being encroached and increasing traffic along the road, which often recklessly knocks crossing animals down before speeding off, as well as other habitat changes reducing breeding of the rare monkeys.

The Colobus Trust at Diani has, over the years, constructed multiple devices allowing the monkeys to cross the road from above, from one side of the forest to the other, but the latest spate of dead animals has sounded a warning to conservationists and the Kenya Wildlife Service to do still more to preserve the animals, such as adding speed bumps along the road and insulating the high-voltage electricity wires on their route through the forest to protect the unsuspecting animals climbing the poles.

FLY 540 OPENS ARUSHA OFFICE
As flights by Fly 540 Tanzania are now also using the Arusha municipal airport, an office was opened last week by the airline for the convenience of travelers boarding at the old airfield and saving themselves a 50+ km drive to the international airport near Moshi. Visit www.fly540.com for more details, schedules, and fares of the new flights from Arusha to the game parks and other Tanzanian destinations, including Zanzibar.

MADHVANI GROUP TO INVEST IN KIGALI HOTEL PROJECT
Earlier in the week, news emerged from Kigali that the Uganda-based Madhvani Group, already engaged in the hospitality sector in Uganda with three safari lodge properties, was about to take over a 3+ hectare piece of land in the Rwandan capital with the aim to build and then manage a 4- or 5-star hotel. The new development would be strategically located next to the proposed new convention center, in combination with which the new hotel would be able to offer synergy effects to their clientele. Rwanda is keenly pursuing the MICE market and intends to triple available 3- to 5-star rated hotel beds in the coming years, as it seeks to carve out a sizeable slice of the global convention, meeting, conference, and incentive markets.

This would be the Madhvani Groupโ€™s second venture into the main stream city hotel business, after owning for some time the Intercontinental Hotel in Lusaka, before selling it off.
In a supporting measure, Rwanda will also start to implement the East African Community guidelines for grading and classification of hotels to ensure the quality which visitors will expect when visiting the land of a thousand hills.

NO CAUSE FOR ALARM IN BORDER REGION
Although fighting in the eastern Congo has of late intensified and tens of thousands of area residents are again on the move to find safe havens, this has no visible effect on the region near the borders with the Congo inside Uganda and Rwanda, although surveillance and patrols have been increased to prevent any problems from spilling across the frontiers. It is, however, not advisable at present to visit the Congolese side of the border in search of gorilla tracking, as this can be safely done in Uganda and Rwanda without running into unnecessary encounters of the guerrilla kind, while searching for the gorillas.

ZAMBIAโ€™S โ€œGUIDE TO THE LESSER KNOWN WATERFALLSโ€
As interest has been expressed in regard of my column item of last week, here is the email contact of Gadsden Books in Lusaka, Zambia: [email protected].

The guide book can be ordered from them and will be shipped subject to advance payment for the book and shipping costs. I can only recommend the guide book, once again, as it provides a treasure chest of information about areas of Zambia, of which otherwise not much is known or published.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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