540 Magazine - Issue 2

ISSUE 02 // AUGUST - OCTOBER 2011

Imani Children: Children in Malindi welcome a special visitor

Conferencing

is BIG business

Ride Out Eat Out SUNDAY LUNCH AT MOUNT KENYA SAFARI CLUB

SOUTH SUDAN

A NATION

IS BORN

WITH THE COMPLIMENTS OF FLY540 - AFRICA’S LOW COST AIRLINE

// 540 Issue 02 // August - October 2011

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COST AIR L : E AT N I ONL com

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contents

AFRICAS L

540 magazine

46 foreword dar es salaam Visitors enjoy Dar es Salaam’s famous hospitality

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east african community news south sudan A nation is born The long road to statehood Key facts about the new republic New republic presents a prime time to invest Former child soldier sings a new song

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the 540 network Location and flight maps

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tusker all stars Tusker All Stars set to entertain East Africa

is published by

LAND & MARINE PUBLICATIONS (KENYA) LTD Suite A6, 1st Floor, Ojijo Plaza Plums Lane, off Ojijo Road, Parklands PO Box 2022, Village Market 00621, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254 (0)20 374 1934 Email: publishing@landmarine.com www.landmarine.com Editor: Denis Gathanju Sales Manager: Linda Gakuru on behalf of

FLY540 Riverside Green Suites, Palm Suite, Riverside Drive PO Box 10293-00100, Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254 (0)20 445 2391/2/3/4/5 Email info@fly540.com www.fly540.com The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor, or any other organisation associated with this publication.

No liability can be accepted for any inaccuracies or omissions.

©2011 Land & Marine Publications (Kenya) Ltd

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Vipingo ridge Premier golf location is a sporting wonder

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imani children Orphanage kids welcome a special visitor

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fly540 fleet sunday lunch Ride out, eat out

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conferencing Conference tourism is big business

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travel information for east africa getting around in east africa Kids’ corner Kenyan lakes Unesco recognises key status of Rift Valley lake system

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contact information Africa’s low cost airline

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// foreword

Welcome

aboard!

Welcome to our second edition of ‘540’ – our in-flight magazine

T

he timing of this magazine coincides with some exciting new developments at Fly540.

Two new Bombardier CRJ 50-seat aircraft have joined our fleet, allowing us to strengthen the airline’s key internal services in Kenya and Tanzania.

Our six-times-a-week flights between Nairobi and the South Sudan capital, Juba, are now fully operational. We view Juba as a vitally important new destination for our rapidly expanding international network.

This service began in May, just ahead of the new nation’s birth in July.

Juba follows the domestic introduction of our three-times-a-week Vipingo route, which operates from Nairobi Wilson Airport and continues on to Malindi.

Vipingo opens up a new market for those living travelling to and from Kilifi and Mombasa’s north coast.

Other improvements to our service include a VIP lounge at Nairobi’s Wilson

Airport. Passengers in the lounge can relax and read the day’s newspapers or work on their laptops while waiting for a flight. We believe this service will create a better experience for both business and seasoned travellers.

Objectives

with the work we have done in terms of planting 10,000 saplings in the Ngong Hills, near Nairobi, and a further 1,000 saplings in Kenya’s Mau Forest. We were also one of the sponsors of the recent ‘10 to 4’ event, a bike ride down the slopes of Mount Kenya, in aid of the Mount Kenya Trust.

Our key objectives have always been to provide top-quality service and value for money to all our customers. We also want to make their flying experience with us as hassle-free as possible.

Fly540 has recently joined forces with M-Pesa to allow passengers to pay for their tickets using a mobile phone based money transfer system. Now individuals can conveniently book flights in the same way many already use M-Pesa to pay for other services like buying goods in supermarkets, school fees and paying electricity and water bills.

After a period of rapid development and in view of high aviation fuel prices, I believe that second quarter 2011 will be a time of consolidation for Fly540. Nevertheless, our medium-terms plans are unchanged as we look to exciting new markets in Zambia, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and Egypt.

As a responsible airline, we believe we must make a concerted effort to offset our carbon emissions; and I am delighted

Don E. Smith

So I very much hope you enjoy reading our magazine and that you have a pleasant flight with us today. We look forward to welcoming you on board again soon.

Chief Executive Officer East Africa

Africa’s low cost airline

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Dar es Salaam //

VISITORS ENJOY

DAR ES SALAAM’S

FAMOUS

HOSPITALITY

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‘KariBu dar’ (‘WelcOme tO dar’) ‘540’ contributor James maina takes a tour of this bustling city, where the ancient world blends with the modern

d

ar es Salaam, the bustling commercial capital of Tanzania and the main gateway to this vast East African nation, is a dynamic and colourful destination full of life and culture.

The name Dar es Salaam is believed to originate from the Persian-Arabic phrase ‘Bandar-ul-Salaam’ meaning ‘haven of peace’. While no longer the administrative capital of Tanzania – following the decision to make Dodoma the national capital – Dar es Salaam still contains government ministries and agencies, while both local and international businesses have their head offices in the city.

rich history Dar es Salaam began life as a fishing village on the Indian Ocean. Then known as Mzizima, it was located at what is now the Ocean Road Hospital. The village expanded into the Magogoni area (present-day Kivukoni) and was inhabited mainly by native Wazaramo people and Arab traders from the Gulf.

The city, also fondly known as Dar, was founded in 1862 when the Sultan of Zanzibar, Seyyid Majid, moved his political base from Zanzibar Island to mainland Tanganyika. The sultan purchased land from the Wazaramo people to build his

house. He changed the name of the fishing outpost to Dari Salaam (‘Dari’ meaning ‘upper roof’ or ‘terrace’ and ‘Salaam’ meaning ‘haven’).

The scramble for Africa after the Berlin Conference of 1884 saw the German colonial masters occupy Tanganyika, then known as German East Africa. Initially, the Germans focused their trading activities on Bagamoyo, further north, but switched to Dar es Salaam in 1887 to take advantage of the superior harbour there.

Dar es Salaam began to expand after the first German governor arrived there in 1891 and ordered the construction

The ferry service to the spice island of Zanzibar provides an inexpensive form of transport between the commercial capital of Tanzania and its tourist capital. There are also regular domestic flights from

a city full of history, dar es salaam has plenty to offer the leisure and business traveller of buildings and other infrastructure.

Thus began the transformation of Dar es Salaam from a one-time fishing village to the great city it is today. This period also witnessed the construction of a railway from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma, deep in the interior.

getting around A city full of history, Dar es Salaam has plenty to offer the leisure and business traveller. Although not principally a tourist city, compared with Arusha and Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam is a major transit point for leisure tourists from all over the world.

The city has the largest and most modern airport in Tanzania, while its seaport handles cruise ship visits. The famous Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA), linking Dar es Salaam with Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia is another key mode of transport that offers visitors a great way to see and appreciate Tanzania.

Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) to major destinations such as Zanzibar, Arusha, Mwanza, Tabora and the safari circuits that include Serengeti and Ngorongoro.

Dar es Salaam has a comprehensive road network and getting around the city is easy, although the roads are narrow in places and traffic snarl-ups can occur.

The city has a large number of taxicabs.

Make sure you negotiate the price with the driver before you set off, as taxis are not metered. It is cheaper to get around if you are accompanied by a local person, because fares are lower for Tanzanians.

Taxis are required by law to have a yellow or green stripe along their sides.

A well known feature of Dar es Salaam’s transport network is the public minibuses and minivans popularly known as dala dala. They are a cheap form of transport, with fares ranging from TSH 100 to 350.

Travelling by dala dala is also a great way

Africa’s low cost airline

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Dar es Salaam //

to learn more about the people of Dar es Salaam. The helpful drivers and ‘touts’ will direct you to the right bus and even tell you where to disembark. There are many bus stops, known as stendi, along the routes and the touts will always shout the name of the stendi. The dala dalas can get very crowded in the morning and evening rush hours.

Tourist attractions Dar es Salaam has a lot of interesting places to see and visit. One is the Askari Monument in the city centre, a few blocks from Posta, in the central business district.

Originally, the Germans put up a statue in honour of Major Herman Von Weissman, who quelled the Arab revolution in 1888; but that was removed in 1927 by the British, who replaced it with an Askari bronze statue in memory of native men

The Nyumba ya Makumbusho or Village Museum on Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road is yet another key attraction. Here, visitors can sample the rich cultural heritage of

Shopaholics are spoilt for choice in Dar es Salaam, which has a range of large and small shopping malls with prices to suit every pocket who fought and died in the service of the British Army in the First World War. Also worth a visit is the Uhuru Torch in Mnazi Mmoja, in the central business district, which commemorates Tanganyika’s independence on 9 December 1961.

Meanwhile, the National Museum, in Shaaban Bin Robert Street, is home to fascinating historical, cultural and archaeological exhibitions, rock paintings and musical instruments that tell the history of Tanzania and its people.

Tanzania’s tribal communities including examples of traditional huts. Visitors can also see cultural dances performed. A visit to the museum is like visiting the whole of Tanzania in a few hours.

Another good place to visit is the Nyerere Cultural Centre, also known as Nyumba ya Sanaa, in Ohio Street. Here, visitors can see local artists at work. The centre also hosts live traditional dances every Friday performed by artists such as the Simba Theatre Arts International, Super Kamambe and Sisi Tambala dance troupes.

Shopping

Beautiful locations and relaxation

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Shopaholics are spoilt for choice in Dar es Salaam, which has a range of large and small shopping malls with prices to suit every pocket. One of the city’s most popular shopping centres is the Mlimani City complex on Sam Nujoma Road near the suburb of Mwenge and the University of Dar es Salaam. Here, visitors will find something for everyone, all under one roof. The complex has a huge car park and is well lit at night.

Yet another major shopping outlet in the heart of Dar es Salaam is the famous Kariakoo Market, a landmark in its own right. Formerly used as an Askari Carrier Corps Camp in colonial times, the market derives its name from its colonial function – Karia (Carrier) and Koo (Corps). Today, this market is the focus of all buying and selling in the city. Here, commotion is the order of the day as the vendors shout about their latest wares and do their best to win customers with their low prices.

For those looking for carvings and other souvenirs, the Mwenge Crafts Market is the place to go. Here, local artists and wood carvers display their wares to tourists eager to purchase quality watercolour and oil paintings and some of the best wood carvings in Tanzania. The mpingo (ebony) wood carvings are a favourite.

Tanzanian nationals and travellers benefit from the low-cost fares offered

by Fly540. The airline operates an extensive domestic route network throughout the country, particularly in Tanzania’s northern tourist circuit.

Scheduled flights operate to and from: • Arusha to Grumeti, Kilimanjaro, Lake Manyara and Zanzibar • Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro, Mwanza and Zanzibar • Kilimanjaro to Mwanza and Zanzibar • Mwanza and Zanzibar.

Acholi set the pace for

tribal dancing Since we fly to more than six countries in East Africa, Fly540 would like to celebrate the people and cultures of this region. With over 300 tribes living in the region, we seek to profile some of these cultures and people.

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// Acholi Tribe

Š Abbie-Trayler Smith

Male dancer performing a traditional war dance

Africa’s low cost airline

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T

he Acholi people of northern Uganda are said to be a product of intermarriage between the Luo and the Madi of South Sudan. Their language and culture are similar to those of the Luo and they are closely related to the Alur of West Nile, the Jaluos of Kenya and the Japadhola of eastern Uganda.

The Acholi are found mainly in Uganda, where they number over 1.5 million. There are also about 500,000 Acholi in South Sudan. Like other Luo sub-tribes, the Acholi trace their origins to Rumbek, in South Sudan.

Acholiland Today, the Acholi inhabit the districts of Agago, Amuru, Guru, Kitgum, Nwoya, Lamwo and Pader in northern Uganda.

This region is also commonly known as Acholiland. The Acholi are also found in Magwe County in South Sudan.

The Acholi speak a language of the same name that is closely related to Luo. The

Young Acholi Dancers in Lamwo

Song of Lawino, a famous work of African literature, was written in Acholi by Okot p’Bitek and later translated into English.

The traditional dwelling of the Acholi people was a circular hut with a high peak. These huts were furnished with a mud sleeping platform, jars of grain and a sunken fireplace. The walls were decorated with geometrical or conventional designs in red, white or grey. The Acholi were skilled hunters, using nets and spears to hunt wild game. They also kept goats, sheep and cattle. When they

Š Joel Musaasizi, Wildlife Clubs of Uganda

Acholi Tribe //

Another type of hunting, dwar obwo, involved the use of spears and nets. Yet another, kirange, was practised early in the rainy season when the rivers were

Today, the Acholi inhabit the districts of Agago, Amuru, Guru, Kitgum, Nwoya, Lamwo and Pader in northern Uganda went to war with other communities, they used spears and long, narrow shields made of giraffe or ox hide.

slightly flooded. The Acholi would drive the game into the river and go for the kill in the water.

The Acholi practised various types of hunting. One, known as dwar arum, took place in the dry season when there was no grass. This involved a lot of hunters.

It was difficult for the Acholi to hunt during the rainy season because organised hunting could not take place in such cold and wet conditions. During these

seasons, only the okai (trappers) could go out after the animals. The task of the okai was extremely difficult because they worked alone. They would use various kinds of traps according to the type of animal they were hunting: • Okol: featuring a noose attached to a log of wood

• Twok: a falling spear trap used to kill elephant and other big game. The trap was passed under the tree from which the spear would be suspended • Bur: featuring a pit dug in the game’s path.

The Acholi believed in a supreme being called jok. They erected a shrine known as abila at which all sacrifices, private and public, were offered. The Acholi believed the spirits of their ancestors would appear near the abila. They worshipped the spirits of the dead so they could assist the bereaved or exercise their power to make hunting successful or scare away evil spirits from the village. To appease the spirits of the dead, the Acholi would offer meat sacrifices. They also offered simsim and beer at appropriate times during sacrifices at the abila.

© Juraj Ujhazy, Wildlife Conservation Society

• Tekke: a circular foot trap

The otiti dance involved all the male dancers carrying shields and spears. The dancers would encircle drums that were attached to a post in the middle of the arena.

The bwola was the most important dance of the Acholi. It was also known as the chief’s dance, because it could only be performed on his orders. The men formed a large circle and each carried a drum. The girls danced separately inside the circle.

As in any African cultures, dance was a central feature of the Acholi way of life As in any African cultures, dance was a central feature of the Acholi way of life. They often sang about day-to-day incidents, while other songs referred to past occurrences in their community. The Acholi had eight types of dance: lalobaloba, otiti, bwola, myel awal (winyela), apiti, ladongo, myel wanga and atira.

The otiti dance had a definite leader who would move within and without the circle. He would also set the time and lead the singing. The leader of the otiti dance was considered an important person in the community and by tradition was among the few who were allowed to wear a leopard skin.

Performances

The myel awal was a funeral dance. The women wailed around the grave while the men, armed with spears and shields, danced lalobaloba.

The lalobaloba was performed without drum beats. The people danced in circles, with the men forming an outer ring and each holding a woman’s hand high above their heads. There was no special occasion for this dance, which was performed using sticks.

Apiti was a women-only dance in which the girls danced in a line and sang. It was usually held in the middle of the year when the rains were good.

Ladongo was performed after a successful hunt when the hunters were still away from home. In this dance, men and women faced each other in two lines and jumped up and down clapping their hands.

Celebrations In the myel wanga, the men sat and played on harps called nanga while in front of them the women danced apiti. This dance was usually held after marriages or at beer parties.

Then there was atira dance, now obsolete, which was held on the eve of a battle. All the dancers were armed and they went through the motions of spear fighting and thrusting.

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) supplied the photos used in this story.

WCS manages several programmes to support wildlife conservation across the world and is currently working on a tourism promotion project in northern Uganda. Recent research shows that 91 per cent of visitors to northern Uganda would recommend the area to a friend, family member or colleague.

For more information please visit: northernugandatourism.blogspot.com

Africa’s low cost airline

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news //

FLY540 NEWS

New VIP lounge at Wilson Airport

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assengers taking a Fly540 flight from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport now have access to a VIP lounge next to the airline’s checkin area at Langata House.

The new lounge is a feature of the airline’s Safari Circuit services. It consists of a large waiting area furnished with comfortable leather seats, coffee tables and a TV set connected to DSTV and local stations. It also has conference rooms, each with a capacity of 15 people, for pre-flight meetings.

Stress-free Passengers in the VIP lounge can relax and read the day’s newspapers or work on their laptops while waiting for a flight.

They can order refreshments from the Fly540 cafeteria or even take a shower before boarding.

Jeni Stow, the airline’s Safari Circuit co-ordinator, said: “The VIP lounge is primarily for specific passengers including diplomats, dignitaries, senior government officials and customers who have chartered the airline’s aircraft. These passengers often require additional security, which is more easily provided using a separate waiting area.”

Privacy She said the new facility would give these travellers a restful environment and privacy before taking a Fly540 scheduled flight from Wilson Airport to Masai Mara, Amboseli, Nanyuki, Samburu, Meru, Vipingo Ridge, Malindi and Kilimanjaro.

The Safari Circuit is a division of Fly540 which runs scheduled tourism routes and offers charter services for customers who select their own destinations.

the new facility will give travellers a restful environment and privacy before taking a Fly540 scheduled flight from Wilson Airport

Last year, Fly540 opened a purpose-built check-in facility in Langata House at Wilson Airport. There is a comfortable lounge for passengers with a cafeteria and washrooms, as well as a baggage holding area; operational and engineering offices; and a radio control room.

Tickets for Fly540 destinations are available from travel agents and the airline’s own offices at Wilson Airport and at Nairobi’s ABC Place and the Laico Regency.

Full information on fares and services can be obtained from the Fly540 website (see below) and passengers can book their flights online. www.fly540.com

VIP LOUNGE  Passengers taking Fly540 flights from Wilson Airport now have access to a VIP lounge next to the airline’s check-in area at Langata House. Here, Jeni Stow, the airline’s Safari Circuit co-ordinator, discusses the airline’s scheduled flights from Wilson Airport with passenger James Boorman

 Nina Musili, a Fly540 reservations agent, hands a complimentary newspaper to James Boorman in the airline’s new VIP lounge at Wilson Airport

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Two more 50-seaters join airline’s jet fleet

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ly540 has expanded its passenger jet fleet with two additional Bombardier CRJ 50-seat aircraft. One of these popular twin-jet aircraft will be based in Nairobi and the other in Dar es Salaam. They will strengthen the airline’s key internal services in Kenya and Tanzania and its regional flights to Burundi, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

The CRJ for Kenya will be used on the Mombasa and Kisumu routes. In Tanzania the aircraft has been deployed on the Dar es Salaam to Mwanza sector and the recently introduced service to Mtwara in the south of the country.

Improvements Turning to other developments, Nixon Ooko, operations director of Fly 540, said: “We have added a lounge to our passenger check-in facility at Wilson Airport and we also have special rooms to enable passengers to hold pre-flight business meetings.

“In response to customer demand, we have introduced direct flights between Wilson Airport and Ukunda. Earlier

Bombardier CRJ

this year we added Vipingo Ridge to our route network to serve this important golfing and residential facility together with Kilifi.”

In response to customer demand, we have introduced direct flights between Wilson Airport and Ukunda

Growth Fly540 began operations in November 2006 with a daily flight between Nairobi and Mombasa for local and overseas business and holiday travellers. Its value-

for-money flights won instant popularity and the airline now has 17 destinations in Kenya with regional services to Bujumbura, Entebbe, Dar es Salaam, Juba, Mwanza, Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro.

Future Meanwhile, Fly540 is becoming a panAfrican airline group. In January this year it was licensed by the authorities in Angola to operate scheduled domestic and international flights. Internal services are operated from bases in Luanda and Cabinda.

The next venture to be launched under the 540 brand will be an airline operating in Ghana.

Africa’s low cost airline

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news //

FLY540 NEWS

New scheduled service to South Sudan

F

ly540 has introduced scheduled flights between Nairobi and the South Sudan capital, Juba, from 4 May. Initially, there will be six services a week, with daily departures (Saturdays excepted) from Unit 1 of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Announcing the addition of this new route to the Fly540 network, the airline’s operations director, Nixon Ooko, said: “Entrepreneurs and investors are turning to the Southern Sudan and there are growing trade links with Kenya which are driving demand for more flights between Nairobi and Juba.

Although we are launching this route with six services each week, we anticipate introducing a daily schedule in the near future.”

He said Fly540 would be deploying Bombardier CRJ aircraft on the Juba route. “These 50-seater twin jet aircraft

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Entrepreneurs and investors are turning to the Southern Sudan and there are growing trade links with Kenya which are driving demand for more flights between Nairobi and Juba have proved very popular with our passengers on services to destinations in Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda,” he said.

Holiday network Turning to internal services in Kenya, Nixon Ooko said: “We recently added flights to Vipingo to our holiday network.

This is served from our facility in Langata House at Wilson Airport.

“Our flights to the Mara, Nanyuki, Meru and Samburu have gained a strong following from Kenyans and tourists who appreciate the reduced time needed to drive to and from Wilson Airport and our streamlined check-in and departure processes.”

Fly540 is continuing to develop as a pan-African carrier. The airline introduced operations in Angola earlier this year and plans to do the same in Ghana.

Cell phone ticket system makes life easier for Fly540 customers

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ly540 passengers can now pay for their tickets using the mobile phone based money transfer service M-Pesa. They can buy their Fly540 tickets from anywhere at any time as long as they are M-Pesa registered and have money in their M-Pesa account.

Fly540 joins M-Pesa corporate Pay Bill partners using the service in Kenya. They include educational and financial institutions, NGOs and religious organisations, transport providers, insurance agencies, the hospitality industry, health management providers and hospitals.

The airline’s operations director, Nixon Ooko, said: “M-Pesa will ease the procedure of buying tickets for our customers, many of whom are already familiar with using M-Pesa to pay for other services like buying goods in supermarkets, school fees, and paying bills for electricity and water.

“The process is simple. Call Fly540 and make a reservation to any of our 23 destinations. You will receive a reference number. Go to the M-Pesa Pay Bill option and key in the number 540540. You will be asked for your reference number, upon which you will receive a confirmation and thereafter a ticket.”

Convenient Fly540 operates scheduled flights to 17 destinations in Kenya, with regional services to Entebbe, Dar es Salaam, Juba, Mwanza, Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro. The airline operates from both Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Wilson Airport.

M-Pesa was launched in 2007 by Safaricom. This SMS money transfer system allows individuals to deposit, send and withdraw funds using their cell phones. M-Pesa has grown rapidly and now reaches over 65 per cent of Kenya’s adult population. It is seen as the most successful mobile phone based financial service in the developing world.

The M-Pesa Pay Bill service enables corporate organisations to receive funds from their customers or subscribers for goods and services rendered. It is aimed at organisations which have many transactions with customers and need a convenient and timely method of payment.

Africa’s low cost airline

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// South Sudan

South Sudan:

a nation is born F

reedom is here! The struggle for freedom has been long and bitter, but it tastes good.

On 9 July 2011 a new nation was born. It is the 193rd nation in the world and the 54th African state: the Republic of South Sudan.

In the streets of the capital, Juba, the mood was ecstatic as almost every South Sudanese was draped in the national colours of the new republic. The city’s streets had been swept clean in preparation for the momentous day when the South Sudanese national anthem would be played and the national flag would be hoisted.

portrait of one of the heroes of the South Sudanese struggle for independence and nationhood. Another read: ‘Celebrating the birth of a new nation’. Another billboard next to the University of Juba depicted soldiers of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and boldly declared: “We fought, suffered, survived and won the freedom together from the oppressor.”

Peace agreement At the John Garang Memorial Park, where the Declaration Day celebrations took place, a huge billboard declared: ‘The Final walk to Freedom. Our Martyrs,

In the streets of the capital, Juba, the mood was ecstatic as almost every South Sudanese was draped in the national colours of the new republic Across the capital and in other major towns such as Rumbek, the mood has been celebratory. The streets were littered with billboards of all shapes and sizes, each carrying a unique message to mark what the South Sudanese call ‘Declaration Day’, the day their new nation was born.

In Juba, one billboard read: ‘Thank you, Dr John Garang de Mabior’ with a huge

Our Freedom’. It surely captured the long walk to statehood for Southern Sudan after more than two decades of civil war with the north that claimed over 1.5 million lives and displaced millions of southerners.

Kenya has played a critical role in the signing of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the government of Sudan

and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), which was led by the late John Garang; and the Kenyan government has continued to play a critical role in the preparations for independence.

Freedom The Kenyan military helped take the South Sudanese forces through marchpast drills and other military protocol for the big day.

As Declaration Day drew closer, radio stations in South Sudan played the new three-stanza national anthem, which was officially launched at the celebrations in Juba. The new government unveiled a coat of arms bearing an image of the African fish eagle, thus underlining the new nation’s statehood and independence from the oppressive northern regime.

Unite Some 2,000 dignitaries, including heads of state and government, had come to Juba to join in the celebrations. Among the guests was the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, while Kenya sent one of the largest delegations, led by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Africa’s low cost airline

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South Sudan //

The long road to statehood T

he road to statehood for South Sudan has been long and treacherous. Many souls have lost their lives, innocent blood has been shed and millions of southerners were scattered across the world as a result of protracted civil war between north and south.

After numerous efforts to secure a lasting peace in Sudan, the tipping point finally came that resulted in a succession of peace initiatives and signing of accords.

This began with the signing of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between north and south. The guns fell silent for the first time in 20 years and the elusive peace was finally a reality.

Negotiation The CPA was negotiated by Ali Osman Mohammed Taha, vice president of Sudan, and Dr John Garang de Mabior, chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A). Under the supervision of the regional InterGovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the agreement was signed at a colourful ceremony in the Kenyan capital,

Hilary Benn from the United Kingdom, Hilde Johnson from Norway, Alpha Oumar Konare from the African Union, Jan Prink from the United Nations, Charles Goerens from the European Union and Amre Moussa from the Arab League.

The CPA was unique in being drafted for one nation with two systems of governance whereby the government of the north would operate under Sharia law

After numerous efforts to secure a lasting peace in Sudan, the tipping point finally came that resulted in a succession of peace initiatives and signing of accords Nairobi, on 9 January 2005. Among the witnesses were President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda, United States Secretary of State Colin Powell, Ahmed Aboul Gheit from Egypt, Senator Alfredo Mantica from Italy, Fred Racke from the Netherlands,

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while the government of the south would be secular. The CPA allowed the two governments to operate their own armed forces in addition to a third military organisation known as the Joint Integrated Units (JIUs). These consisted of equal numbers of personnel from the Sudan Armed

Forces (SAF) from the north and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) from the south. The security protocol was signed by the two parties in September 2003.

Prior to the signing of the security protocol, a self-determination protocol was signed in July 2002 in Machakos, Kenya.

The protocol stipulated that Southern Sudan would hold an internationally monitored referendum at the end of the six-year interim period. It also exempted the south from Sharia law.

In January 2004 the two sides signed a wealth-sharing protocol that set up mechanisms to manage the oil finds in the country, manage land and natural resources. The protocol also made provisions for a dual banking system whereby the north would operate an Islamic system while the south adopted the conventional system.

In May 2004 a power-sharing protocol made provisions for the Sudan People’s

Liberation Movement (SPLM) from the south and the National Congress Party (NCP) from the north to form a Government of National Unity (GoNU) using a decentralised administrative system. Under the agreement, the SPLM also set up a separate semi-autonomous administration in South Sudan. This resulted in John Garang, leader of the SPLM, becoming the first vice president of the GoNU and the first president of the semi-autonomous Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS).

Referendum In the same month, the Abyei Protocol was signed. This gave the oil-rich Abyei region special status under the presidency. An administration of a local executive council elected by the Abyei residents would also be formed. The residents of Abyei include citizens of Southern Kordofan and Warrap states in the north and south respectively. The protocol dictated that the residents of Abyei would hold a referendum to determine if the oil-rich region would maintain its special administrative status in the north or become part of the new Republic of South Sudan by joining Warrap State in the south.

On 9 January 2011, after the lapse of the six-year window agreed under the CPA, the southerners held a referendum to determine if the South Sudan would remain under a united Sudan or secede to form a new independent republic.

The referendum was organised by the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission (SSRC) based in Khartoum in collaboration with the Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau (SSRB) based in Juba.

For the referendum results to be valid, a 60 per cent turn-out of voters was required. This was met when a record turn-out of 97 per cent was recorded.

The people voted by an overwhelming 98.83 per cent to secede and form a new independent Republic of South Sudan.

The new republic was to be formed six months after the January plebiscite and on 9 July 2011 the Republic of South Sudan was born.

Key facts about the new republic

T

he Republic of South Sudan was born on 9 July 2011 after its citizens overwhelmingly voted to separate from the north in a referendum on 9 January 2011. Here are some key facts about the new republic:

(SPLM-DC); the Sudan African National Union (SANU); the Union of Sudan African Parties (USAP); the South Sudan Democratic Front (SSDF); the United Democratic Front (UDF); and the United Democratic Salvation Front (UDSF).

Official name: Republic of South Sudan

National flag: This flag was initially used by the SPLA/SPLM during the freedom struggle. It was adopted as the national flag with the support of all political parties, the South Sudan cabinet and the national assembly.

The colours symbolise the following:

Surface area: 619,745 sq km Boundaries: Sudan to the north, Ethiopia to the east, Kenya to the southeast, Uganda to the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to the south-west and the Central African Republic (CAR) to the west.

Black: African skin (the people of South Sudan)

Independence day: 9 July 2011

White: Peace

Capital: Juba

Red: Blood shed during the civil war

Official language: English

Green: The country’s natural resources and wealth

Currency: South Sudan pound (SSP) Population: 8,260,490 (2008 census) Religion: Christianity. Other religions include traditional African religions and Islam.

Constitution: The Transitional Constitution of South Sudan 2011.

States: The new republic has 10 states.

State State capital Central Equatorial Juba Western Equatorial Yambio Eastern Equatorial Torit Jonglei Bor Unity Bentiu Upper Nile Malakal Lakes Rumbek Warrap Kuajok Western Bahr el Ghazal Wau Northern Bahr el Ghazal Aweil Political parties: The ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM); the National Congress Party (NCP); the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – Democratic Change

Blue: The waters of the Nile River Yellow: The star that guides the country and its people.

Coat of arms: The coat of arms of the new republic depicts the African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer), found in most parts of South Sudan.

It symbolises clear vision, resilience, strength and majesty. The coat of arms also shows a traditional shield and a crossed spear and spade, symbolising the people’s resolve to protect their sovereignty and work to build a new republic.

National anthem: This was composed in August 2010 by students at the University of Juba and is titled: ‘South Sudan Oyee [Hurray]’. The anthem has three stanzas. The first expresses gratitude for the abundant natural resources that the new nation enjoys; the second celebrates its new-found freedom; and the third epitomises the struggle for nationhood

neW rePuBlic PresenTs a

PriMe TiMe

To inVesT

By denis gathanju

T

he birth of the Republic of South Sudan presents many commercial opportunities both for regional economies and for the new nation.

In addition to oil, which continues to attract investors from the region and from across the world, South Sudan has other natural resources, virgin lands and numerous business and investment opportunities, all of which are set to spur the economic growth of Africa’s newest country.

transport After more than two decades of civil strife, the lack of a proper infrastructure is a key issue that needs urgent attention.

The challenge for both the government and the business community of South Sudan is to rehabilitate and rebuild the nation’s crumbling infrastructure. The country’s road system is almost non-existent. Apart from a few hundred kilometres of tarmacked roads in the capital, getting to other major towns in the south can be

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a nightmare. The earth roads are awful to drive on, while some areas have no roads at all. So far, only a few urban centres, such as Juba, Yambio, Wau, Malakal and Yei, have had their roads mended. Roads in most other parts of the country are being built from scratch.

national services. The largest airport iis Juba International, which is undergoing a major reconstruction including a new passenger terminal. There are also plans to extend the runway and install ground lighting to allow aircraft to take off and land at night.

In addition to the road network, there are plans to extend the railway that links

With the River Nile flowing through South Sudan, the new country has three

the challenge for both the government and the business community of South Sudan is to rehabilitate and rebuild the nation’s crumbling infrastructure the north to the south. Currently, the line reaches as far as Wau. Now there are plans to extend the line to Juba and to provide rail links to neighbouring countries, especially Kenya.

Today, the most widely used mode of transport within South Sudan is air, with over 15 carriers providing local and inter-

ports: Mangala in the Central Equatorial State, Diam Diam in Jonglei State and Shambe in Lakes State. The three ports have been upgraded recently and the Ministry of Roads & Transport plans to carry out dredging work to allow vessels to navigate the White Nile more easily.

The port of Juba is to be expanded, and navigation facilities are to be installed at

// South Sudan

the Bor-Shambe Sudds. South Sudan is also sending some of its personnel for further training at Bandari College in Mombasa.

tourism South Sudan has the potential to become a leading tourism destination once the relevant wildlife and tourism policies are implemented. The country has seven national parks and 12 game reserves. A recent survey by the Wildlife Conservation Society in collaboration with the Government of South Sudan revealed a great diversity of wildlife in the game parks and national reserves.

Owing to the long civil war, most of these parks and reserves have been inaccessible to visitors and today they are teeming with wild animals such as kob, hartebeest, bongo, topi, giant and red river hog, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, chimpanzee, hippo, hyena, gazelle, lion, zebra, ostrich and mountain monkey.

South Sudan is also a birdwatcher’s paradise. Over 400 bird species can be found in the area known as the Sudd. Located in the heart of South Sudan, the Sudd is the world’s largest swamp. It measures about 500 km in length and 200 km in width and stretches from Mongalla in the

south to Malakal in the north. During the rainy season, the Sudd doubles in size to cover an area larger than England.

setting up in South Sudan. They also offer protection for industrial and intellectual property.

In addition to its birdlife, the Sudd attracts game such as the endangered Nile lechwe, tiang, reedbuck, and the world’s largest population of white-eared kob, estimated at 1.2 million.

According to an International Finance Corporation (IFC) and World Bank report, it takes less than 15 days to register and start a business operation in South Sudan. This compares with about 13 days in countries wih developed economies.

But it is the little-known Badingilo National Park that could be a significant crowd puller and dollar earner for South Sudan, because this is the scene of a huge annual migration of wildlife that is considered to be even greater than the wildebeest migration in the Masai Mara. It is an epic migration of millions of antelope through some of Africa’s most pristine wilderness. Covering more than

Prosperity With independence, more businesses and companies will start up in South Sudan.

The Kenyan government has played a key role in the peace processes, and Kenyan companies were the first to set up shop even before the south gained its independence.

South Sudan has the potential to become a leading tourism destination once the relevant wildlife and tourism policies are implemented 10,000 sq km, the Badingilo wilderness is the largest area of intact savanna ecosystem in East Africa.

The new republic’s Ministry of Wildlife & Tourism plans to develop and review its policies and laws in order to regulate wildlife conservation as well as developing wildlife management plans for protected areas while at the same time educating the public on conservation.

opportunities The birth of the new republic presents huge opportunities for investment in sectors such as infrastructural development, telecommunications, mass media, housing, manufacturing, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, mining, education, tourism, power generation and fisheries.

In order to create a favourable environment for investors, the government has set up the South Sudan Investment Services under the Ministry of Investment to aid in the enactment of new investment laws. These laws provide attractive fiscal regimes and tax holidays for companies

Kenya Commercial Bank, Equity Bank and UAP Insurance were among the first companies from Kenya to start operations in the south. The Co-operative Bank of Kenya is looking to set up in South Sudan, while Bidco Oil Refineries, which has a dealership in the south, is expected to establish a physical presence in South Sudan.

kenya airways Other Kenyan companies operating in South Sudan include the national carrier, Kenya Airways, and the regional budget carrier Fly540. This is in addition to the thousands of small and medium enterprises run by Kenyans in Juba.

And, with South Sudan having joined the community of nations, it is believed that the new republic will be the sixth nation to join the East African Community (EAC), a move that will enhance trade and co-operation between member countries. Other members of the EAC are Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi.

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Former child soldier sings

a new song ŠGeoff Pugh

By Denis Gathanju

// Emmanuel Jal

T

he protracted war between north and south in Sudan created heartless, triggerhappy humans who found pleasure in killing and feeding on their fellow men. It was a ruthless war that claimed many lives. At the centre of it all were child soldiers who witnessed violence and human atrocities at their worst. While many perished in the war, some were lucky enough to escape with their lives and now tell their story as they join millions of southerners to celebrate the birth of the Republic of South Sudan.

Emmanuel Jal is perhaps the best known former child soldier from the south. Now an internationally renowned hip-hop artiste, he has achieved worldwide acclaim for his unique style of message of peace and reconciliation born out of his personal experiences. His latest single, We Want Peace, from his upcoming album, See Me Mama is heavily influenced by this background.

Emmanuel is the same age as me. He was recruited at the age of seven in the early 1980s after the Second Sudanese War broke out. While I carried pencils and erasers to school and learned to read and write, Emmanuel carried a gun and magazine to the bush and learned to shoot and kill. In the wild bushland of the south, Emmanuel joined the ranks of thousands of other child soldiers who had been abducted in the villages of the south and forced to carry guns and to maim and kill innocent people.

Early years While many did not live to see their next birthday, Emmanuel Jal was one of the few who survived the violence and nightmare of war to tell his story. As a child soldier, he lived through the horror of the Sudanese war. He trekked for miles through bush, valley and desert towards Ethiopia. On the way, he passed human skeletons and stepped over the decomposing bodies of children who had died of starvation. He witnessed the killing of friends and family members and starved to the point of near-cannibalism. He

even contemplated suicide. For young Emmanuel, the horrors were real.

He was rescued and adopted by Emma McCune and, with time, the former child soldier found solace in music. He found his voice in hip-hop, through which he told the compelling story of his life, and in 2005 he shot to international stardom with the hit single ‘Gua’.

Inspirational His music can also be heard alongside Coldplay, Gorillaz, and Radiohead on the fundraising ‘Warchild – Help: A Day in the Life’ album, and in the feature film ‘Blood Diamond’ starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Emmanuel’s live appearances have included Live 8 and Nelson Mandela’s 90th Birthday Concert. He has performed with acts such as Faithless, Razorlight, Supergrass and Fat Boy Slim in Europe and more recently, with Alicia Keys at her Black Ball in New York.

Emmanuel is in demand as a speaker and has addressed the United Nations, the US Congress and the highest tiers of several governments. In 2010 he was

Emmanuel Jal witnesses the birth of a new nation, his homeland: the Republic of South Sudan

of the same title that follows him from a school lecture in Washington DC to a performance in London to a moving family reunion in Southern Sudan after 18 long years. Despite his accomplishments in music and film, one of Jal’s biggest passions is Gua Africa, the charity he has founded to work with individuals, families and communities to help them overcome the effects of war and poverty.

He was rescued and adopted by Emma McCune and, with time, the former child soldier found solace in music involved with the British Council, the Clinton Global Initiative, the Adolescent Girls Initiative, the Child Soldiers Initiative and the launch of Ericsson’s Refugees Reunited Software. He was one of the faces of Amnesty International’s 2010 World Refugee Day Campaign and this year alone he has taken part in the Oxfam Climate Change Campaign and the CNN Freedom Project and has spoken alongside Kofi Annan and Martti Ahtisaari for CMI in Finland and Matt Dillon for Refugees International in Washington DC. Emmanuel’s story is the inspiration behind the book ‘War Child’, the memoirs of a former child soldier. He has also featured in a documentary film

In December 2010, Jal released ‘We Want Peace’ as part of the wider campaign of the same name calling for peace, protection and justice for all in Sudan ahead of the January 2011 referendum, but also calling for an end to all conflicts affecting innocent people around the world.

For more information visit: www.emmanueljal.com

Future tracks Emmanuel is currently recording a new track against ‘Tribalism’ with Juliani Julius, one of Kenya’s biggest hip-hop artists, and this collaboration is destined to be a future hit.

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Network //

The flY540

neTWork

oVeR 30 destiNatioNs thRoughout east aFRica

AFRICAS

OW

COST AIR L

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L

With moRe comiNg VeRY sooN

AT: E N m NLI o O c .

K 0 BOO ly54

f . w ww

aFRic a

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BURUND

SOUTH SUDAN JUBA

LODWAR

UGANDA

KITALE KAKAMEGA

KENYA

ELDORET NANYUKI

ENTEBBE

SAMBURU MERU

KISUMU

NAIROBI MASAI MARA

DI BUJUMBURA

GRUMETI MWANZA

LAMU

AMBOSELI KILIMANJARO

MANYARA

MALINDI ARUSHA

VIPINGO MOMBASA UKUNDA

TANZANIA DAR ES SALAAM

ZANZIBAR

MTWARA

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Tusker All Stars //

Tusker All Stars set to entertain East Africa

E

ast Africa’s highest rated reality TV show is back with a bang. The Tusker All Stars show brings together top-rated music stars from previous editions of Tusker Project Fame.

The Tusker All Stars show dares to bring more fame to the already famous East African music artists, because the winner of the competition will have a dream opportunity to perform with top-rated R&B music artists Usher Raymonds and Keri Hilson on 20 August at the Tusker All Stars concert.

Tusker Project Fame Tusker All Stars contestants were selected according to their popularity and music career path during and after their stints in Tusker Project Fame. The eight contestants include Tanzanian ‘heartbreak kid’ Hemedi Suleiman from Tusker Project Fame, Season II; the energetic vocalist Peter Msechu from Tanzania, best remembered for his stellar performance in Tusker Project Fame IV; the hard-working Davis Ntare from Uganda, winner of Tusker Project Fame IV; and dance-diva Caroline Nabulime from Tusker Project Fame III; From Kenya comes the ever-smiling dance queen Amileena Mwenesi from Tusker Project Fame IV, and Bernard Ng’ang’a, popularly known as Ng’ang’alito, from Tusker Project Fame III. Completing the Tusker All Stars line-up are Patricia Kihoro from Kenya and Rwanda’s Alpha Rwirangira, both from Tusker Project Fame III. The Tusker All Stars started on 26 June and will run until the finale on 14 August. The show is hosted by Kenya’s Eve D’Souza and Uganda’s Gaetano Kagwa. In the Tusker Pub is the straight-talking, no-nonsense Ian Mbugua, who was loved and frowned upon in equal measure by both contestants and viewers of the Tusker Project Fame series.

The show is sponsored by Tusker, flagship brand of East African Breweries Ltd, and is watched across the East African region.

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Amileena Mwenesi performs at Tusker All Stars

// Vipingo Ridge

Premier golf location is a sporting wonder

V

ipingo Ridge, with its perfect hilltop position overlooking the Indian Ocean to the east and the Chonyi Hills to the west, is one of the new wonders of golf in East and Central Africa.

This huge estate, enclosed within a 27 km stone wall, is Kenya’s premier golf location. The estate is modelled on similar

nent’s most prestigious golf resort outside South Africa.

The 2,500 acre estate also contains luxurious holiday homes aimed at high-end customers from both Kenya and elsewhere. Plots range in price from US$130,000 to US$265,000 and are linked by an elaborate network of paved roads that also give access to the

This huge estate, enclosed within a 27 km stone wall, is Kenya’s premier golf location golf properties in Florida. Those who have had an opportunity to visit Vipingo Ridge will agree that this is the conti-

ultra-modern clubhouse, situated at the highest point of the estate.

Luxury villas The clubhouse is in the middle of what will be a 36-hole golf course. At the moment, the 18-hole Baobab Golf Course has been completed, while a second 18-hole course, the Palms Golf Course, is to be constructed.

Some homes overlooking the golf course have been purchased and others are

under construction. Building work has begun on 42 exclusive villas. These fully furnished villas will range in size from two bedrooms to four and will feature a rooftop swimming pool.

Fine cuisine Owners of these exclusive villas will also have the option of renting them out to holidaymakers at the coast or golfers who wish to play the two local courses.

A five-star à la carte restaurant will be built close to the villas so that holidaymakers and villa owners can enjoy fine cuisine within walking distance of their residences.

While Vipingo Ridge is heavily themed on golf, the estate developers are aware that some property owners and holidaymakers will be looking to other outdoor activities apart from golf. To meet this demand, they are developing a new country club on the estate which will feature tennis and squash courts, a cricket pitch, a bowling alley and an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

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The project founder Mama Imani and other members of the Imani family

orphanage kids welcome a special visitor

I

mani Rehabilitation Agency is a non-profit making organisation situated in Malindi, Kajiando and Nairobi. The organisation‘s objectives are to provide care and protection, rehabilitate, educate, provide primary health care and to reintegrate the orphans and vulnerable children in the community.

The project’s founder, Mama Imani, is based in Nairobi and, owing to health

problems, finds travelling by vehicle difficult. Fly540 allows Mama Imani free flights between Malindi and Nairobi.

This enables her to pay regular visits to the children there as well as to carry sick babies to and fro if they need medical help in Nairobi.

The Imani project began in 1992 as a rehabilitation program for the street children. At that time, Nairobi city had more than 60,000 children who were living on

the streets. The organisation has now grown, from a home of 20 children, to an institution catering for an average of 350 children per year.

At Imani, children are rescued almost on a daily basis, from dustbins, sewage sites and from hospitals where, especially young mothers, abandon new-borns. Police desks are equally busy with children found, lost or left on their own without care or protection. All these children of aged five years or

Bring some joy to these children Over 350 vulnerable Kenyan children are now cared for in the four homes run by the Imani Rehabilitation Agency in Nairobi, Ngong and Malindi. If you would like to support this worthwhile project by sending a donation, please contact us: Imani Rehabilitation Agency for Abandoned Children PO Box 71589-00610, Eastleigh, Nairobi Tel: 020-2357433 Cell: 0733 620587 Email: imani@wanachi.com www.imanikids.org

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// Imani Children

below are brought to Imani children’s home for care and protection.

The Imani vision is to rehabilitate these children back into a society where they are able to live a dignified existence with equal access to opportunities in life.

The rescue centre at Malindi cares for orphans and vulnerable children along the coast of Kenya. Far away from the rest of the Imani family and from the main medical centres in Nairobi, the project is also not a permanent home for the children, but a rescue centre for a period of time after which the children rescued are re-integrated into the community.

Fresh vegetables Malindi is also notoriously dry and as a result, locally grown vegetables are in high demand. To ensure the children based at the coast have a healthy and varied diet, Fly540 transports fresh vegetables to Malindi each week.

Some of the children housed at Malindi have sent letters and drawn pictures thanking Fly540 for their support.

THE FLY540

AIRCRAFT FLEET

Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet

ATR 42-320

Type: Twin-engine regional jet

Type: Twin-turboprop, short-haul regional airliner

Number in service: Three

Number in service: Two

Capacity per aircraft: 50 passengers

Capacity per aircraft: 47 passengers

Hawker Beechcraft Airliner B1900C Type: Twin-engine turboprop airplane Number in service: One Capacity per aircraft: 19 passengers

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// Fleet

Bombardier Dash 8 102 Series Type: Twin-engined, medium range, turboprop airliner Number in service: 3 Capacity per aircraft: 37 passengers

Cessna Caravan C208 Type: Single turboprop engine, fixed-gear short-haul regional airliner Number in service: One

Fokker F27 Type: Turboprop cargo airliner Number in service: One Capacity per aircraft: 1336 x 210 x 190 cargo hold

Capacity per aircraft: 10 passengers

ATR 72-500 Type: Twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner Number in service: Two

Fokker F28 Type: Short range jet airliner Number in service: One Capacity per aircraft: 67 passengers

Capacity per aircraft: 78 passengers

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ride ouT

eaT ouT By gary gimson

An experience the whole family can enjoy

32

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// Sunday lunch

suNdaY luNch at mouNt keNYa saFaRi cluB

i

had planned what I had hoped would be a rather agreeable and leisurely Sunday lunch in what I was sure would be a spectacular setting.

But at that point I had not spoken to Niall Cowan, the general manager at Fairmount Mount Kenya Safari Club, and he had other, more ambitious ideas. “Don’t just come for lunch,” he said persuasively. “Why not combine dining with some horse-riding and try something a bit different?”

For me, the chance to visit the iconic Mount Kenya Safari Club, a property created by the legendary Hollywood movie star William Holden, was sufficient.

heading off But the thought of getting on a horse and heading off into Mount Kenya National Park just to eat lunch was a bit beyond my comprehension. What’s more, I had not really ridden since I was a boy and after a couple of falls I had quickly given up any aspiration of becoming a jockey or showjumper. So I was naturally apprehensive.

On arrival, I was greeted by a smiling Charles Gichuhi, the Club’s F&B service manager. After a brief chat about

He provided a helping hand as I inelegantly clambered on to my mount, and then we were off and walking, my horse obediently following the one in front and heading out through the Club’s exquisitely manicured grounds.

We soon encountered a broad stream and my horse easily picked its way over the pebbly river bottom and up the steep bank on the other side.

We were now on a narrow track with recent evidence that elephant had also used this route. “What do we do if we meet an elephant coming in the opposite direction?” I asked. But I didn’t really get a satisfactory answer from the two Johns.

We were soon through the gorge and

For me, the chance to visit the iconic mount kenya safari club, a property created by the legendary hollywood movie star William holden, was sufficient Fairmont’s charmingly discreet and surprisingly sympathetic refurbishment of the property, he pointed over to what appeared to be a huddle of reassuringly docile-looking nags. “There is your horse and my colleagues, John and John, will now take you into the national park for lunch,” he said.

into the forest proper and then into an open area that was once the Club’s own airstrip but is now abandoned.

The game viewing was not exactly spectacular, just impressively close-up sightings of waterbuck, bushbuck and a troop of grumpy baboons. But, on a better

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// Sunday lunch

day, guests would hope to spot elephant and buffalo and, if they were especially fortunate, leopard.

Spectacular scenery makes the perfect backdrop

After about 45 minutes of riding, we suddenly encountered a table, a parasol, chairs and a couple of the Club’s impeccably dressed staff. The table was angled to capture the best view of what proved to be a disappointingly cloud-enshrouded Mount Kenya.

As someone who greatly enjoys eating in the bush, I always marvel at the way staff manage to conjure up the most exquisite of dishes with only the barest of facilities.

The staff at Mount Kenya Safari Club were no exception, effortlessly serving a prawn and salmon starter followed by a delicious mushroom soup with a dollop of chive cream.

Fresh As if that wasn’t enough, the main course, comprising both barbecued beef and local Meru chicken accompanied by wonderfully fresh vegetables from the Club’s own garden, then made an appearance.

For dessert, I had the Club’s Mount Kenya forest tasting of wild cherries, dark chocolate and vanilla bean cream with fresh fruit.

A choice of red or white wine was offered throughout the meal as well as a selection of fruit juices (I chose mango) and both sparkling and still water.

for the ride back to the Club on a full (and I do mean full) stomach. The return route is different, but no less attractive.

I became more confident as I honed my rusty horsemanship, with one of the Johns reminding me of the skills I had learnt as a boy but long since forgotten.

Magnificent The rain began to catch up with us, but we didn’t care. This was a magnificent afternoon and a few drops of rain were not going to spoil things.

As someone who greatly enjoys eating in the bush, I always marvel at the way staff manage to conjure up the most exquisite of dishes from only the barest of facilities The meal was completed with either tea or coffee. (The Club has a selection of menus and is happy to discuss any dietary requirements or preferences with guests.)

As dark clouds gathered and the rumble of thunder moved ever closer, it was time to be helped back on to my trusty steed

priced at KES 4,800 for non-residents of the Club: • First, and as I proved, you don’t you need to be an expert to ride in the national park • Visit the bathroom before you leave the Club as there are no comfort stops en route or suitable facilities at the lunch site • Portion sizes are more than ample, so don’t have a big breakfast or a midmorning snack beforehand • Riding a horse on a full stomach is not to everyone’s taste, so there is the option of returning to the Club by car.

As we began to feel damp, the Club hove into view and there was a beaming Charles, ready to hear about my experiences and invite me for a coffee as we looked out once more on Mount Kenya.

One final thought – and this is aimed at the magazine’s male readers – if you are looking to impress a lady friend, or even looking to pop the question, then you are probably on to a winner with this lunch in this romantic location. What’s more, you can always return to the Club some day to marry under its sacred mugumo tree.

A couple of tips for anyone looking to book this superb lunch event, which is

Note: Fly540 operates daily flights between Nairobi and Nanyuki.

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Conferencing //

BIG CONFERENCE TOURISM IS

BUSINESS

A well presented meeting room at the Lenana Conference Centre in Nairobi

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C

onference tourism in East Africa has shown tremendous growth in the past decade. Buoyed by the increase in regional and international meetings, the sector has gone from strength to strength.

This has not only created competition within the sector, but has helped encourage innovation, service delivery and product upgrades.

Nairobi The Kenyan capital is also a regional capital for East and Central Africa. The city is home to the largest conference venue in the area, the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC). Built in the 1970s, the KICC has made a name for itself by hosting some of the most important business and diplomatic meetings in the region.

Among the KICC’s many meeting rooms is The Plenary, the largest conference chamber of its kind in East and Central Africa. Constructed in soundproof grey stone, with natural wood and lofty ceilings, The Plenary has a capacity of 5,000 people and caters mainly for large international meetings, exhibitions and grand balls.

Well-equipped boardroom at the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club

To ensure the success of each event, The Plenary is equipped with the very latest in conference technology. This includes observer galleries; an advanced sound amplification and recording system; and booths for wireless simultaneous interpretation equipment, able to translate into seven languages.

In addition to The Plenary, the KICC has an amphitheatre, designed in the style of a traditional African hut, which is used

mainly for seminars and symposiums.

With seating for about 800 people in three tiers overlooking the auditorium, the amphitheatre has a state-of-the-art public address system, full logic recording systems and sound proofing.

The KICC is also a renowned exhibition centre, hosting expos and trade shows almost monthly throughout the year. The open grounds, overlooking the Kenyan parliament building, have been used for many trade shows, including the largest in the region, the COMESA International Trade Exhibition.

In addition to the KICC, many hotels in Nairobi have been keen to take advantage of this expanding sector. The Nairobi Serena Hotel, for example, has recently launched a TelePresence service. This new facility comes in addition to the video conferencing service already established at the Serena.

Mombasa Away from the Kenyan capital, the coastal holiday resort of Mombasa is another well-known conference venue.

Many of the city’s hotels offer conference facilities and accommodation.

The Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort has some of the finest meeting and confer-

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// Conferencing

The Makutano Hall at the Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort

Spread over 75 acres near the River Nile, the resort has three conference halls, three meeting rooms and a boardroom.

ence services on Kenya’s north coast, with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities to meet every requirement, from large meetings to executive off-sites and board meetings.

conference centres here is the recently opened Munyonyo Commonwealth Retreat, near Kampala, which was originally built to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2007.

The resort has nine meeting rooms ranging in size from small boardrooms and meeting rooms to the spacious Makutano Hall.

At the heart of the Ugandan capital is the imposing Kampala Serena Hotel, home to the city’s premier meeting and conference venue, the Kampala Serena International

Kampala, Uganda

The Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort has some of the finest meeting and conference services on Kenya’s north coast, with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities to meet every requirement

Across the region, the Ugandan capital, Kampala, has also been raising its game.

One of the biggest and best known

Conference Centre. This two-storey, hexagonal complex features the Victoria Auditorium, a state-of-the-art conference facility for up to 1,500 delegates, and the Nile Gallery, which also functions as an exhibition area.

Another important meeting venue in this area is the Jinja Nile Resort at Entebbe.

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital of Tanzania, has recently become a major conference and meeting place in the region. The city recently hosted

the World Economic Forum, one of the biggest conferences to take place in Dar es Salaam.

The opening of the Mlimani City Complex, able to accommodate up to 2,000 people, has underlined the status of Dar es Salaam as a favourable conference venue.

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Information //

FLY540

Visa information Most nationals require visas to enter East Africa. Citizens from the five East African states require no visas while those from the Common Market of East and Southern Africa (COMESA) member states have relaxed entry requirements into East Africa.

However, East African member states have their own visa requirements for various nationals.

Tanzanian visas All foreigners from non-Commonwealth countries are required to have a valid visa unless their countries have agreements with Tanzania under which the visa requirement is waived.

Exemptions: Citizens of Commonwealth countries are not required to obtain visas unless they are citizens of the United Kingdom, Canada, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand or Australia.

Visa-issuing Stations and Authorities

FLY540 VISA

Travel information for East Africa

M FOR ATION N I

South Sudan visas The only authority in South Sudan is the Government of South Sudan, based in Juba. Any visitor going to Sudan through Khartoum requires a valid visa.

Immigration regulations stipulate that anyone going to South Sudan needs a travel permit from the Government of South Sudan Ministry of Regional Co-operation Mission Offices abroad, supervised by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Visas are issued through the South Sudan Embassy. The Republic of South Sudan has missions in Kenya, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Zimbabwe, Nigeria, South Africa, Australia, Norway, Belgium, the UK, Canada and the USA. Foreign missions in Juba include Kenya, the UK, the USA, the Netherlands, Norway, Germany, France, Ethiopia, South Africa, Libya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Turkey, Norway, Nigeria, China, Egypt, Eritrea, India and Italy.

Tanzanian visas are issued by the following: • The office of the Director of Immigration Services, Dar es Salaam, and the office of the Principal Immigration Officer, Zanzibar.

• Entry points to the United Republic of Tanzania: principally Namanga, Tunduma, Sirari, Horohoro, Kigoma Port, Dar es Salaam International Airport, Kilimanjaro International Airport, Zanzibar Harbour and Zanzibar Airport.

• Any other gazetted entry point.

• From Tanzania High Commissions or embassies abroad. For more information on Tanzanian diplomatic missions visit: www.tanzania.go.tz/tanzaniaembassiesabroad.htm

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Ugandan visas The easiest way of getting a visa to Uganda is by purchasing it at the entry point, Entebbe Airport or any border station. This is very possible for tourists coming into Uganda. All you need to do is pay USD 50, fill in the application form with passport dates and information. The visa issued is valid for 90 days.

You can also get a visa by applying online if you a citizen of the following countries, USA, UK, South Africa, Russia, Japan, Italy, India, Germany, France, Denmark, China, Canada, and Belgium. All you need to do is to download the application from the embassy website of your country of origin.

Kenyan visas Visas are required for most nationals and cost US$50. A visa can be obtained on entry, however we recommended one be obtained before arrival to avoid airport lengthy queues. Visa Application Forms are available online.

A visa is required by all visitors travelling to Kenya with the exception of those holding a re-entry pass to Kenya and citizens of Ethiopia, San Marino, Turkey and Uruguay.

Note that the reciprocal visa abolition agreements with Germany, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Spain, and Republic of Ireland no longer apply and nationals of these countries now require a Visa.

KENYA VISA REQUIREMENTS • Valid passport with sufficient number of unused pages for endorsements abroad. Passport must be signed and valid for at least six months.

• A self-addressed stamped envelope for express mail, courier, registered mail, etc., if the visa is urgently required. Metered stamps are not acceptable.

• Home and work telephone numbers.

Please fill out the form correctly and enclose the photographs and payment to avoid delay and disappointment.

Standard Visa fees payable by cash to the Embassy of Kenya.

VISA FEES CHARGES:

Multiple entry: $100 Single entry: $50 Transit Visa: $20 1. Please note that all children below 16 yrs are not charged visa fees 2. The reduced visa fees were effected on 1st march 2009, as directive from ministry of tourism on attracting more tourists in to the country.

• Visa application form duly completed and signed by the applicant.

3. Passengers can pay in US dollar, British pounds, Euro or Swiss franc.

• Two recent passport size photographs attached to the application form.

For more information and to download a Kenya visa application form visit: http://www.immigration.go.ke/index.php

CINATION C I A

Vaccination requirements for international travellers

ORMATION NF

Health

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• Valid round trip ticket or a letter from your travel agent certifying that the applicant holds prepaid arrangements.

• No cholera vaccination certificates are required of travellers coming from all over the world.

• Only valid yellow fever vaccination certificates are required of all travellers over one year old, arriving from yellow fever infected countries mainly in central and West Africa, South and Central America South East Asia, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh.

• Vaccination for international travellers are obtainable from all international air and sea ports, city and major municipal councils NB: Make sure you get your yellow fever shot in good time since the yellow fever certificate is valid for travel use 10 days after vaccination.

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Information //

FLY540

TRAVEL IN 0 F 54

By bus Kenya has a network of long-distance bus services on which speed is limited to 80 kph. Within Nairobi, buses are run by private companies such as Citi Hoppa, whose green-and-yellow buses offer cheap transport (usually about US$0.66) and provide regular services between the city centre and the suburbs. With seating for 20 to 35 passengers (no standing passengers allowed by law), they are a cleaner and less hectic mode of transport than matatus, but they serve many of the same routes.

By 4x4 and hire car You can hire a 4x4 and drive through Kenya, although you need to be proficient at handling such a vehicle.

Most international rental agencies have offices in Nairobi and Mombasa. They offer affordable and reliable cars with a full back-up network. Visitors can also rent cheaper cars from local distributors who are mostly reliable. In addition, there are car rental agencies in Kampala and Dar es Salaam.

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By train The Kenya-Uganda railway starts in Mombasa and goes via Nairobi to Kampala, Uganda. This train service is the famous ‘Lunatic Express’ that featured in the Michael Douglas film ‘The Ghost and the Darkness’.

MATION OR

FLY

Getting Around in East Africa

By matatu

Matatus offer a cheap and quick means of transport in all the major towns and many rural areas. The name matatu hails from the Kiswahili word for the number three – tatu – because some time ago the standard fare was three 10 cent coins.

Matatus have a yellow strip running around the vehicle with the route number on display

In Tanzania, public minibuses are known as daladala.

Unlike in Nairobi, the minibuses in Dar es Salaam are packed and normally exceed their carrying capacity, especially in the morning and afternoon rush hours.

The daladala have the fares displayed on their sides, however, making it easier for visitors to the city to avoid being overcharged.

Also popular in Dar es Salaam are three-wheel motorcycles known as bajaji. In Kenya, they are known as tuk tuks and are popular in the resort cities of Mombasa and Malindi.

In Kampala, the motorcycle taxis, known as boda boda, are the most popular mode of transport. They are not only cheap, but handy when you want to beat the heavy traffic in Kampala during the rush hour.

Hand luggage The following may be carried in your hand luggage only if they are stored in containers up to 100 ml in size and placed in a transparent resealable plastic bag and thereafter screened separately from other items carried in the hand luggage. The capacity of the transparent plastic bag must not be greater than 1 litre.

Liquids, gels and aerosols include: • Water and other drinks • Syrups • Creams, lotions and oils • Perfumes and sprays • Gels including hair and shower gels • Pastes including Vaseline and eye shadow

GGAGE IN LU F

• Pressurised containers such as shaving foam and deodorants

MATION OR

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Matatus are privately run minibuses, typically for 14 or 25 passengers and operating over short and medium distances. Previously, the matatus were usually packed to well over capacity – with up to 25 people in a 14-seater vehicle – but in recent years there has been more government regulation and policing of matatus, especially in the larger cities, and now most of them have seatbelts and care is taken not to exceed the vehicle’s stated capacity.

• Other items with similar consistency.

The following items are allowed in hand luggage: • Medicine needed during the flight • Baby food needed during the flight.

You may buy any liquids beyond the security check points including duty free or in-flight items. Items purchased must be packed in security tamper evident bags and accompanied by proof of purchase when presenting them at the security checkpoint.

NOTE: Kenya Airports Authority implements all ICAO standards and recommended practices on liquids, aerosols and gels.

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’ s KidER N R O C

// Kids’ corner

JOke time! a fish with an eleph

a: Sw im mi ng tru nk s!

SpOt Thnece differe We’ve made five changes, can you

cOLOUR ME IN

cross

u Q: What do you get if yo ant?

spot them?

mOre Jokes...

Q: Why are football players never asked for dinner?

a: Bec aus e the y’re alw ays drib blin g!

Q: Which big cat should you never play cards with?

a: A che eta h!

n you make using all How many words ca s in the word or some of the letter

l a ic m O n O R t s a “

”?

use s lon g. An d you can ’t at lea st TH REE let ter ice tw s The wo rds hav e to be ear let ter app sam e wo rd, un les s the the let ter tw ice in the the wo rd ‘m ott o’ ke ma ’t can you exa mp le, in the wo rd. So, for l bu t you can ma ke the on e T in ast ron om ica bec aus e the re is on ly dy, ste ady, go ! e the re are tw o Os . Rea wo rd ‘m oo n’ bec aus

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UNESCO RECOGNISES

KEY STATUS OF

RIFT VALLEY LAKE SYSTEM

// Kenyan lakes

T

hree lakes in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley have been recognised as a World Heritage Site

by Unesco. With conservation now a ‘hot button’ issue the world over, Unesco has this year welcomed 25 new entrants to its World Heritage List including the Kenyan lakes, which form a vital ecosystem.

The system on the floor of the Great Rift Valley consists of three relatively shallow lakes – Bogoria, Nakuru and Elementaita – which are interlinked. Covering just over 32,000 hectares, the lake system is home to 13 globally threatened bird species and some of the highest bird diversities in the world.

As well as playing host to hundreds of resident and migratory birds, the lake system is the world’s most important foraging site for the lesser flamingo and is a major nesting and breeding ground for the great white pelican.

Lake Bogoria Lake Bogoria is famous for its hot springs and geysers, which erupt as high as three metres into the air and have a pungent sulphuric smell. Watching them erupt is a marvel and it is no wonder that the geologist and explorer J.W. Gregory described Lake Bogoria as ‘the most beautiful view in Africa’.

The lake system is the world’s most important foraging site for the lesser flamingo The lakes system is also home to significant populations of wild animals including black rhino, white rhino, Rothschild’s giraffe, greater kudu, lion, cheetah and wild dog.

Lake Nakuru Famed for its pink-rimmed shores, Lake Nakuru is home to the world’s largest flamingo population. The lesser flamingos are attracted to the lake by an abundance of blue-green algae.

The lake is a major attraction in the Rift Valley tourism circuit. It is part of the Lake Nakuru National Park, which is also home to black rhino and white rhino. The lake is also visited by hundreds of migratory birds – a sight that has been described as the greatest ornithological spectacle on earth.

Lake Elementaita Located midway between Nairobi and Nakuru, the ‘bread basket’ of Kenya, Lake Elementaita plays a key role in the wider lakes ecosystem because it is a breeding ground for flamingos.

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Contact us //

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COST AIR L

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Contact information FIVE FORTY AFRICA - HEAD OFFICE Riverside Green Suites, Palm Suite Riverside Drive PO Box 10293-00100 Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254 (0)20 445 2391/5 Fax/Tel: +254 (0)20 445 2396 Sales: Tel: +254 (0)737 540 540 Email: info@fly540.com

FIVE FORTY CALL CENTRE ABC Place, off Waiyaki Way Tel: +254 (0)20 445 3252/6 Cell: +254 (0)722 540 540; (0)733 540 540 Fax: +254 (0)20 445 3257

LAICO REGENCY - 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS Mezz. floor, Shopping Arcade Tel: +254 (0)20 224 3211/3/4 Cell: +254 727 540 540; (0)737 540 540 Fax: +254 (0)20 224 3219

JOMO KENYATTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE Unit 3 (Domestic Departures) Tel: +254 (0)20 827 523 Tel: +254 20 827 366 Cell: +254 727 532 273 Unit 1 (International Departures) Tel: +254 (0)20 827 521

MOMBASA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE Ground Floor, Mombasa Trade Centre Nkrumah Road Tel: +254 (0)41 231 9078/9 Mob: +254 (0)728 540 540; (0)710 540 540 Moi International Airport, Mombasa Tel: +254 (0)41 343 4821 Tel: +254 (0)32 540 540; (0)722 555 730

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540 TANZANIA DAR ES SALAAM 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE Plot no. 767/39, Samora Avenue Tel: +255 (0)22 212 5912/3 Sales: Tel: +255 752 540 540; (0)788 540 540 Cell: +255 754 292 675; (0)784 292 675

ARUSHA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE Blue Plaza Building, Indian Street Tel: +255 (0)27 254 5211 Tel: +255 (0)784 410 233

KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Tel:+255 (0)756 540 540 Tel: +255 (0)27 255 4282

ZANZIBAR 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE Cine Afrique Building, Stone Town Tel: +255 (0)24 223 5110 Tel: +255 (0)762 540 540

UGANDA 540 (U) LTD KAMPALA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE 1st Floor, Oasis Mall Tel: +256 (0)414 346 915/999 Tel: +256 (0)312 540 540 Sales: Tel: +256 (0)712 540 540; (0)776 540 540

ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE Tel: +256 (0)314 540 540 Tel: +256 (0)315 540 540 Sales: Tel: +256 (0)713 540 540

UKUNDA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS Barclays Centre, Diani Road Tel: +254 (0)20 354 6532 Tel: +254 (0)726 453 246

LAMU - NORTH COAST TRAVEL SERVICE Tel: +254 (0)42 213 0312 Tel: +254 (0)42 463 2054 Tel: +254 (0)725 942 444 Email: nctslamu@swiftmalindi.com Email: nctsmalindi@swiftmalindi.com

KITALE TICKETING & RESERVATIONS Terminal Building, Kitale Airstrip Tel: +254 (0)770 639 429 Tel: +254 (0)724 457 374 Tel: +254 (0)735 540 547

ELDORET 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS Tel: +254 (0)53 203 3570/80

ELDORET INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 540 Ticketing & Reservations Office Tel: +254 (0)53 203 0814 Tel: +254 (0)53 206 3823 ext 658

KAKAMEGA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS Holden Mall - above Nakumatt Supermarket Tel: +254 (0)734 540 550 Tel: +254 (0)711 908 330

540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS WILSON AIRPORT : 540 SAFARI CIRCUIT SALES Ground Floor, Langata House Tel: +254 (0)20 254 0206 Tel: +254 (0)729 540 540 Tel: +254 (0)735 540 540