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News
from Uganda
Professor
Wolfgang Thole
KAMPALA SERENA HOSTS SKAL
The
Skal International Kampala Chapter held its monthly
function at the newly opened luxurious Kampala
Serena Hotel during the week. At hand were Serena's
Group Marketing Director Mr. Peter Mbogua and
Regional Sales Manageress Ms. Rosemary Mugambi,
ably introduced by the hotel's General Manager Mr.
Killian Lugwe.
Said
Peter Mbogua in his welcoming address: 'the Kampala
Serena is now the flagship of Serena's operation
and we are in the process of having the Kampala
Serena admitted to 'Leading Hotels of the World' as
the Nairobi Serena already is for many years'.
Added Killian Lugwe: 'the soft opening period is
now over and the hotel is fully functional and more
than ready to receive guests'.
Notably,
Executive Chef Mr. John Macharia, formerly of the
Nairobi Serena Hotel, put on the biggest and most
elaborate food spread ever seen by this
correspondent in Kampala during his over 14 years
residence, and the over 80 Skalleagues and guests
were all quick to compliment the kitchen team for
their grand efforts.
Skal
Kampala's annual dinner dance will also be held at
the Kampala Serena Hotel on the 09th December and
Skalleagues from the region and the world are
invited to join the event.
Information
KENYA
AIRWAYS HOLDS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Last
week saw the board of directors of Kenya Airways
face yet another AGM with their main shareholders
at the Bomas of Kenya. Shareholding is now spread
across the East African region and traded in all
three stock exchanges. Participants from all three
countries were at hand to participate in the event.
Elections for new directors proved somewhat of a
challenge as two of the directors, due for
rotational retirement, offered themselves for
re-election for the two vacant slots together with
a third candidate, necessitating a secret ballot.
The results released finally showed that the PS in
the Ministry of Transport Mr. Ikiara and former
Central Bank Governor Cheserem managed to hold on
to their board seats with overwhelming majority
votes, trouncing their sole challengers
soundly.
Some
shareholders also questioned the wisdom of KLM's
influence with holding 26 percent of the shares
&endash; the Kenya government holds about 23
percent of the shares &endash; and by doing so
displayed substantial ignorance over the value of
the strategic partnership between the two airlines.
KQ CEO Titus Naikuni in particular pointed out the
benefits of a close cooperation for the two
carriers, putting the quack questions to a quick
end. Kenya Airways is once again looking at record
results, having enjoyed increased load factors and
success with their new routes opened during the
last financial year. For more information visit
www.kenya-airways.com
UGANDA
MUSLIM SUPREME COUNCIL TRAMPLES MONUMENTS
LAW
Historians
and conservationists have demanded that the opening
of the new national mosque in 'Old Kampala' be
halted until their dispute with the UMSC over the
historical 'Lugard Fort' has been resolved. The
Historic Buildings Conservation Trust of Uganda has
written once again to government, demanding the
following 4 key points to be
fulfilled:
The
HBCT letter said, "In order to put this
transgression behind us, and for us to proceed in a
peaceful and harmonious way for Uganda's future as
a law abiding nation, members of the HBCT demand
that:
1.
The UMSC admit their failure to observe the law and
the agreed apportionment of the land.
2.
The UMSC staff pay the appropriate monetary
compensation to the Department of Antiquities,
National Monuments and Museums in your ministry to
enable the department acquire an alternative site."
3.
The mosque not to be opened before fulfilling the
above requirement and where possible UMSC staff
should face charges of illegality.
4.
Fort Lugard house be used as a museum of national
history."
HBCT's
letter further said, "According to an August 14th,
1998 letter from President Yoweri Museveni to the
Uganda Muslim Supreme Court (UMSC), 10 out of 12
acres that formed Fort Lugard around Old Kampala
hill were allocated for the construction of a
mosque. "The two acres were preserved as gazetted
land where a flag spot would be based and within
which Fort Lugard was to be relocated," said the
letter signed by one Mr. Baganda to the tourism,
wildlife and antiquities minister on Tuesday.
"While
constructing the mosque, the UMSC staff overlooked
the National Monument Statute and the President's
letter related to the apportionment of the land.
They relocated Lugard House but changed its
original structure by using other materials and yet
it was supposed to be a replica of the original
house," HBCT complained.
It
added, "Worse still, the UMSC used the two acres by
building their own residential houses. This
breached Uganda's statute law for the conservation
of National Monuments. Fort Lugard house was the
first museum in Uganda and should be conserved as a
national monument."
HBCT
recalled that the commissioner for antiquities,
national monuments and museums, Dr. Ephraim
Kamuhangire, raised the concern to the sessional
committee of the 7th Parliament and the matter
remained pending. It said on July 27, 2006, Soroti
municipality MP Charles Ekemu tabled the matter to
the committee on tourism.
Lugard,
who died in 1945, was a British soldier, African
explorer and colonial administrator. In 1890 the
Imperial British East African Company sent him to
Uganda, where he secured British
predominance.
PRECISION
AIR SIGNS UP FOR 6 MORE ATR'S
It
has now been established that Tanzania's Precision
Air has made firm orders for 3 ATR 42-500 and a
further 3 ATR 72-500 models. Delivery is slated
between 2008 and 2010 and the contract is
reportedly worth just under 100 Million US Dollars.
The new aircraft will be used to exchange older
one's and expand the fleet. Precision Air is owned
49 percent by regional airline giant Kenya Airways.
The move will be seen with some apprehension by Air
Tanzania, which has gradually been loosing market
share and where negotiations over the dissolution
of the partnership agreement with South African
Airways are still ongoing.
Also
reportedly included in the deal between Precision
and ATR will be training for maintenance personnel
and crew.
RHINOS
SETTLING IN WELL
The
two rhinos which arrived from Disney's Animal
Kingdom last week are reportedly settling in well
in their holding boma and, going by veterinary
reports, are doing just fine in their new home.
They are eating and drinking well so far and the
handlers are reporting that they have calmed down
following their lengthy journey from Florida to
Uganda and subsequent 200 KM road transportation to
the sanctuary. Watch this column for regular news
updates about the two 'immigrants'.
NILE
TREATY OF 1929 AND 1959 TO BE
SCRAPPED
Uganda
is amongst the nine countries which have been
negotiating the replacement of the dictatorial Nile
treaties of 1929 and 1959, which the British
colonial government imposed at independence on the
East African nations, preventing the equitably use
of water sources from Lake Victoria and its
tributary rivers. Following prolonged diplomatic
efforts and political pressure on Egypt and Sudan,
the treaty is now due to be set aside and be
replaced with a new agreement, which properly
recognizes the need of the East African states to
use water for their own increased population and
for agricultural and industrial use, without
requiring consent and prior permission from
Egypt.
This,
if proven correct information, would constitute a
major breakthrough in the long, and often
agonizingly slow series of meetings of the Nile
riparian states. The Nile Basin Commission, which
is to replace the former treaty mechanisms under
the Nile Cooperation Framework, is due to be
located in Entebbe, Uganda and will after its
formal launch act as clearing house for the large
quantities of water to be discharged from Lake
Victoria into the Nile.
TOURISM
STAKEHOLDERS OPPOSE MABIRA FOREST
DEGAZETTING
The
Alam Group of Companies, owners of GeoLodges Africa
(formerly Inns of Uganda) and African Awakening
Limited, the promoters of the brand new ecolodge in
Mabira Forest, have now appealed to government to
halt any attempt to de-gazette over 7.000 hectares
of indigenous rain forest. They have invested over
2 Million US Dollars already in the construction of
a forest lodge, which would open up the area for
sustainable 'green' tourism. The Mehta Group,
owners of the Sugar Corporation of Uganda &endash;
SCOUL &endash; have applied to use the forest land
to expand their sugar plantations and now stand
accused of trampling environmental, corporate and
social responsibility as a leading Ugandan company
in favour of short term
profiteering.
RARE
SHOEBILL 'STOLEN'
One
of the estimated 8 shoebill storks, a greatly
endangered species of birds and rarely seen in the
wild, has been reported missing from its usual
patch at Mabamba swamp. The rare birds are much
sought after by animal smugglers and in demand in
the West, where zoos and rich individuals seek to
entice smugglers with huge fees to take the risk
and capture and ship the birds to life long
captivity. At the same location UWA anti poaching
unit swung into action last year over suspicions
that eggs from a shoebill nest were being illegally
removed for suspected smuggling out of the
country.
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