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DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021
Keepers Of The Forest The Batwa Of Uganda
AFRIGO BAND Tried, Tested and Timeless
NAIROBI • MOMBASA • MOGADISHU • JUBA • DAR ES SALAAM • KILIMANJARO • BUJUMBURA • ZANZIBAR
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CONTENTS
Contents DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021
12 CEO’S NOTE
SPORTS
76
22 THE STATE OF GOLF IN UGANDA
REGULARS 20 BUSINESS TRAVELLER Innovation and the IOT 26 HOW I TRAVEL
74 ANIMAL KINGDOM The Shoebill
76 CELEBRITY PROFILE Trevor Noah 78 CUISINE The Ugandan Rolex 92 ROOM WITH A VIEW
100 TRENDS Classic Blue 104 NG’AALI KIDS
74
115 BOOKSHELF 112 ROUTES
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CONTENTS
DESTINATIONS 38 UGANDA 46 KENYA
52 ZAMBIA 56 JUBA
38
58 MOGADISHU 60 TANZANIA
64 SOUTH AFRICA 68 ZIMBABWE 72 BURUNDI
FEATURES 28 AFRIGO Uganda’s Most Popular Live Band 34 MAPPING TIME A Corona Virus Diary 80 KEEPERS OF THE FOREST
84 GORILLAS IN OUR MIDST
88 THE LORDS OF THE SAVANNAH’S FAMED BEADWORK 96 KIARA KABUKURU
GUIDES AND TIPS 101 TRAVEL PACKING TIPS & TRICKS 102 SAFARI PACKING LIST
103 TRAVEL HEALTH AND WEATHER CALENDAR 114 TRAVELLER REVIEW 116 TRAVEL GUIDE
118 TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
YOUR FREE COPY
DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021
Keepers Of The Forest The Batwa Of Uganda
AFRIGO BAND Tried, Tested and Timeless
NAIROBI • MOMBASA • MOGADISHU • JUBA • DAR ES SALAAM • KILIMANJARO • BUJUMBURA • ZANZIBAR
8
NG'AALI
On The Cover: Gorillas In Our Midst (Pg 84)
DECEMBER 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021
84 Ng'aali, the name of our inflight magazine, is derived from the local Luganda name of the Crested Crane, which is the national bird of the African nation of Uganda. It appears on the flag and Coat of Arms and can be found near the country’s many lakes and rivers. Crested Cranes stand over 3 feet tall, with a wingspan of up to 6.5 feet. They live up to 22 years, but hatch in 30 days and reach maturity in 3 years. These majestic birds practise monogamy - they remain with the same breeding partner for life. Literature has it that if one is widowed, they stay single until they die. They are omnivores, so like humans, they eat both meat and plants.
Contributors KALUNGI KABUYE Kabuye is an award winning writer and photographer, and has been a journalist for more than 20 years. He has been editor of several magazines and newspapers in Uganda.
MARK STRATTON Stratton is a professional full-time travel writer and radio broadcaster. Through his photos and words he strives to immerse himself in the experiences of travel, to communicate through vivid narratives, to inspire and engage readers.
MARK NAMANYA This acclaimed sports journalist has won multiple awards in his field. A former President of Uganda Sports Press Association (USPA), Namanya's command of the sports language is unrivalled.
KENNETH MUHANGI Muhangi is a Lecturer of IP and ICT Law, Partner at KTA Advocates, award-winning author and trainer in IP and ICT. He also advises the Ministry of ICT on innovation and ICT policy development, and is a consultant with the World Bank.
SOLOMON OLENY Oleny is a creative, self driven professional travel journalist. He has worked with CNN to profile tourism in Uganda, and is a recipient of nine Tourism Excellence Awards since the start of his journalism career in 2008.
SARAH MARSHALL Inspired by nature and wild places, Marshall is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the UK. She regularly visits Africa as part of her work for the Tusk Trust Conservation Awards.
HASSAN SSENTONGO Ssentongo is a writer and editor. He lives in Kampala, and currently serves as Creative Director at Satisfashion UG, an online platform that celebrates fashion. He is passionate about fashion and food.
MARK EVELEIGH Eveleigh, a frequent visitor to Uganda, has contributed 750+ full-length features to 100+ international publications, including BBC Wildlife, BBC Earth, Geographical, National Geographic Traveller and The Independent.
Publisher Dora Barungi Administrator Doreen Kabatesi DESIGN Designer Esther Nabaasa EDITORIAL Editorial Consultant Adele Cutler Copy Editor Pamela Nyamato Web Editor Solomon Oleny
Writers Adele Cutler, Kenneth Muhangi, Mark Eveleigh, Kalungi Kabuye, Sarah Marshall, Solomon Oleny, Mark Namanya, Hassan Ssentongo, Sasha Martin, Mark Stratton PHOTOGRAPHY Peter Hogel ADVERTISING AND SALES Sales & Marketing Director Richard Senkwale
Sales Executives Atukwase Clare Murekyezi, Irene Kaitesi, Diana B. Tayebwa, Aggie Ninsiima, Peter Kusiima Social Media Management Premier Advertising & Media Website Management EBC - Epic Business Consult PUBLISHED BY:
The views expressed in Ng'aali are not necessarily those of the editor, staff or publishers. Ng'aali is the registered trademark name of the Uganda Airlines inflight magazine. CONTACT US www.ngaaliinflightmag.com Tel: +256 782 555 213 Address Acacia Mall, 4th floor
www.ngaaliinflightmag.com
9
CEO’s
Note
elcome aboard Uganda Airlines! I greet you at a time when the impact of the coronavirus and the multiple government travel restrictions are being felt throughout the world. It is no surprise that our industry has been hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic having had airports, borders and markets closed since March 2020. After six months of flight suspension, we are back in the skies, fired up and ready to reclaim lost time on what we set out to achieve in our strategic plan. We remain committed in our quest to connect Uganda to the rest of Africa and the world and to make Uganda Airlines your favourite world class airline. We resume operations with COVID-19 still active, which calls for concerted efforts from all of us to manage and stop it from spreading. At Uganda Airlines, we are committed to keeping passengers safe and healthy through strict adherence to approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), in compliance with national and international guidelines for safe air travel. We appeal to our passengers to abide by the guidelines issued by airports across the world, which include the wearing of face masks, temperature checks at various points, frequent sanitisation of hands, and social distancing as far as possible. Passengers will also be required to present to us proof of a negative PCR test result for COVID-19 before being processed for boarding. The test must have been taken no more than 72 hours prior to the date of the planned flight, from a health facility accredited by the host government from which the first flight is taken. As we restart our flights, we are conscious that the health crisis has affected demand for air travel and so we have adjusted our schedules and frequencies. However, we shall continue to add more flights to meet your needs. As we make these changes, we shall endeavor to inform you ahead of time through our website, facebook page, twitter handles and our network of sales offices and travel agents, so that our passengers can plan and book their journeys with us. Uganda Airlines continues to be about our travellers. We will continue to offer you a welcoming, friendly and courteous customer experience across all our touch points from the first contact and booking, through ticketing, check-in, on-board service, arrival and post arrival processes. Our schedules are designed to offer you convenience and flexibility across our growing regional network and we will continue with our plan to add more cities to our network including Johannesburg, Lusaka, Harare, Kinshasa, Goma, Lubumbashi, Khartoum, Kigali, Addis Ababa and others. We are looking forward to receiving our two Airbus A330-800neo aircraft in December 2020 and January 2021, to be used to launch inter-continental flights to Europe (London), Asia (Guangzhou) and the Middle East (Dubai). Our systems are being upgraded to allow for global connectivity and the implementation of a framework of alliances, interlines and codeshare with partners across the industry. Even after COVID-19, our shareholders continue to support and invest in the business and we are well positioned for the future. Thank you for making Uganda Airlines your airline of choice and we look forward to being of service to you again soon. Please sit back, relax and enjoy your flight with us. Cornwell Muleya CEO Uganda Airlines
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Uganda’s First
3 Tesla MRI The country’s first 3 Tesla magnetic resonance scanner (MRI) for clinical use is now available in Kampala at Ruby Medical Center on Lugogo Bypass. The MRI brings with it important tools to help physicians improve the accuracy of diagnoses and treatment of broad categories of diseases including stroke, brain tumours, epilepsy, musculoskeletol and heart disease. With a magnet strength of 3 Tesla or 3T, the new MRI is the most powerful scanner available to patients today in routine clinical use. The technology used has been eagerly awaited by physicians in the region, who often refer patients to India or even Europe for more sophisticated imaging when the need arises. Dr William k. Olwit, a radiologist at the Medical Center, compares the images produced by the 3T scanner to how people might view a television show on an ultra-high definition television. It is this precise imagingthat will help physicians pinpoint disease at the earliest, especially for certain types of cancers. “The outstanding image quality captured by the 3T MRI will help to provide more accurate and timely diagnoses, quicker scans for patients, less likelihood of rescans, and allow us to introduce new important services such as Funtional Imaging,” he says.
MRIs use a magnetic field and radio waves to create cross-sectional images of anatomy. The magnet strength is the key to image clarity - the stronger the magnet, the clearer the image. The strength of the magnet iN a 3T MRI is so high compared to magnets that pick-up junk cars. The latter have a strength of about 1.5T compared to the 3T, which is 60,000 times as powerful as the earth’s magnetic field. The new scanner will also allow radiologists at the Medical Center to introduce a relatively new type of imaging called Funtional MRI, or fMRI. fMRI allows physicians to non-invasively conduct “brain mapping” or, pinpoint to millimeters, areas of the brain that generate specific actions like speech or movement. This information is critical when planning any type of brain surgery (for epilepsy or tumours, among others) that may impact brain tissue near vital movement or thought areas. Ruby Medical Center is now home to one of the most advanced imaging available in the region.In addition to the 3T MRI, the facility also houses a CT Scanner, digital X-Ray and a state-of-the-art Ultrasound.
&
BUSINESS TRAVELLER
INNOVATION
the Internet of Things
Words by Kenneth Muhangi
“Google and Facebook algorithms not only know exactly how you feel, they also know a myriad of other things about you that you hardly suspect. Consequently, you should stop listening to your feelings and start listening to these external algorithms instead. Whereas humanism commanded: ‘Listen to your feelings!’ Dataism now commands: ‘Listen to the algorithms! They know how you feel, when.” ― Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
T
he proliferation of the internet has ushered in an age where we are all dependent on technology to think for us and carry out even the minutest of tasks. While the internet has in most cases brought about a number of challenges, therein also lies a myriad of opportunities. Confronting these challenges requires political will as well as a new approach to utilise the internet and innovative technology not only for profit making and social connection, but for the good of the human race. The link between the internet and the devices that simplify our lives is one such connection that is now being explored to spur human and social 20
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development world-over. This interoperability is what is now referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT is the use of intelligently connected devices and systems to harness data. This data is gathered by non-intrusive sensors and actuators in machines and other objects which, when connected to the internet via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other networks, aggregate data that can be used to improve all facets of life. The Internet of Things essentially brings together advanced software with sensors
and other end-devices on a communications network. Along with advanced data analytics, IoT-enabled devices and sensors are being used to do things such as diagnose communicable and non-communicable diseases, reduce air pollution, improve crop yield, and eliminate traffic jam in large cities. In Spain for example, a citywide Wi-Fi and information network linked to sensors, software and a data analytics platform, enabled the city of Barcelona to provide smart water technology, automated street
BUSINESS TRAVELLER lighting, remote controlled water irrigation in green spaces and water fountains, “on-demand” waste pickups, digital bus routes, smart parking metres, and more. In South Korea, the emerging smart city of Songdo is being built around expansive IoT networks designed to ensure that its buildings, transportation system and infrastructure are as efficient as possible, helping to optimise its resources. In London, where up to 9,000 deaths per year are attributed to air pollution, Drayson Technologies has been testing the use
of networked air quality sensors that are distributed to bicycle couriers and a fleet of fuel-cell cars. The sensors, which transmit data to smartphones via Bluetooth, allow the creation of realtime maps showing air pollution levels around the city. In Oakland, California, an environmental sensing startup called Aclima, partnered with Google, EDF and researchers from UT Austin to create a highly detailed block-by-block map of air pollution, using a fleet of Google Street View vehicles carrying specialised sensors.
In the energy sector, Fenix in Uganda launched ReadyPay Power, an expandable, lease-to-own solar home system that provides lighting, phone charging, TV, and radio; it is financed to low income homes through affordable installments over MTN mobile money. In Agriculture, the backbone of Uganda’s economy, IoT can be harnessed to develop smarter ways to increase crop yield and develop more drought resistant crops. In Israel for example, IoT has combined advanced cameras, sensors, weather stations and artificial intelligence, to help farmers respond quickly to signs of trouble such as crop disease, while boosting productivity by as much as a third. In the medical sector, IoT has been used to help doctors gain faster access to health-related data from patients, collected through continuous monitoring and measurement. Wearable, internet-connected sensor devices that track heart rate, pulse, or even blood pressure are increasingly affordable, compact and accurate. Increasingly, technology is also helping doctors and other healthcare workers monitor the day-to-day well-being of patients who live independently. Sensors mounted throughout the home, or in-home robotic assistants can alert caretakers via text if, say, an elderly patient under their care has not taken their medicine on a given day, or left the bedroom by a set time. In 2015, during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, Scripps Translational Science Institute eased Ebola detection by using integrated sensors to track heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, respiration rate and body temperature. In cancer treatment, those that detect lumps at the earliest stand a better chance of suppressing it. IoT has been used to track changes in temperature in breast tissue over time through non-intrusive sensors implanted in the breast. The data is transmitted wirelessly to the user’s mobile phone and shared securely with a patient’s healthcare provider. By applying machine learning and predictive analytics to this data, doctors can identify and classify abnormal patterns indicative of early stage breast cancer. In Uganda, Malaria is combated with the m-Health application to quickly and cheaply diagnose Malaria using mobile phones. The possibilities for utilising IoT are limitless. But, with internet penetration at 41% in Uganda, there is still a lot to be done to facilitate innovation. The Government has taken commendable steps to improve penetration and spur innovation through projects like the National ICT Initiatives Support Programme (NIISP), which was created to facilitate the creation of an ICT Innovation ecosystem and marketplace for Ugandan innovative digital products. NIISP primarily aims at facilitating the growth and development of software applications and the innovations industry. It is imperative that we constantly seek and discover ways of utilising IoT if we are to keep up with the rest of the world. www.ngaaliinflightmag.com
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SPORTS
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I
n the past, almost every non-golfer in Uganda would profess that the game was ‘for the rich’; too expensive to take up, with subtleties that made it difficult for some interested individuals to try out. Unlike most sports, there are many inherent challenges one must work their way around to start hitting the game of sticks and balls. However, today, more Ugandans are starting to take up the game all over the country. Such a development can only brighten the future of the game, for the best golfers in the world were either discovered young or took up the game at an early age. The Uganda Golf Union has made a deliberate effort to expand the Juniors
Program for both girls and boys to enhance and empower the pool of youngsters playing the game. It was thus rewarding when the National Junior Golf team made history by finishing second overall behind South Africa in the All-Africa Junior Golf Challenge. This runner up slot was enough to guarantee Uganda a slot at the 2019 Toyota World Cup in Japan. The Gems Cambridge Internationalsponsored team comprised Joel Basalaine, Denis Asaba, Michael Alunga and Ibrahim Aliga. Although the team didn’t make a big impression in Japan, Coach Stephen Kasaija’s youngsters showed the world that the game is taking baby steps in the right direction. Today, some of the leading amateur golfers in the country are Joseph Cwinya-ai, who was indisputably the best in the country last year, Godfrey Nsubuga, Daniel Baguma and Rodell Gaita. The four were instrumental in guiding Uganda to victory in the Africa Region IV Golf Tournament held at the par-71 Bujumbura Golf Club course in June 2019. The victory was Uganda’s second in a row after the 2018 triumph at Nyali Golf Club in Mombasa, which was the
inaugural edition of the tournament. While there, the former Uganda Golf Union President, Innocent Kihika, was elected Chairman of the Africa Golf Region IV. The Burundi victory was followed by another one against Kenya in the twonation Victoria Cup tournament that was played at the par-72 Uganda Golf Club course at Kitante. Until last year, Kenya had claimed all three editions of the competition winning 13.5-12.5 points in 2016, 14-12 in 2017 and 19.5-6.5 in 2018. This time around, Uganda, desperate not to lose a fourth straight Victoria Cup, put up a resilient and dogged performance for a 14-12 triumph. With golf now recognised by the International Olympic Committee, and Japan 2020 going to stage the game four years after Rio de Janeiro successfully hosted the first version of Olympic golf in 112 years, the news that the National Council of Sports had awarded the Uganda Golf Union their certificate couldn’t have come at a better time. Golf has not been benefiting from the national cake, but that is because the game had not been cleared for the mandatory certificate from the government arm of sports in the country. In August, 2019, the team competed at the All Africa Golf Championship but finished in fourth place. Yet again, Joseph Cwinya-ai was at the forefront as he produced the best score at the Mont Choisy Le Golf Course in Port Louis, Mauritius. Meanwhile, female golfers hosted the 5th edition of the East and Central Africa Regional Challenge trophy at Entebbe www.ngaaliinflightmag.com
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SPORTS Golf Club in October 2019, but Tanzania was heads and shoulders above her neighbours. They outlasted Uganda by 26 shots to relegate her to second place with Kenya settling for third. Uganda was represented by Irene Nakalembe, Martha Babirye, veteran Gloria Mbaguta and Peace Kabasweka. The four lost to the Tanzanian quarter of Iddi Madina, Angel Eaton, Neema Olomi and Hawa Wanyeche. The Uganda Ladies Golf Union is still searching for the next Flavia Namakula, whose skills couldn’t be used in the competition after she turned professional. The next Namakula can only emerge from the juniors, but this requires patience, dedication and sustained training for young female golfers. With the Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort & Spa now an 18-hole course, local golfers can have a feel of what a world-class course looks like. The putting greens are a beauty, fairways smooth, and the hazards a creation of magnificence - when you aren’t falling in the water. Legendary Kenyan golfer Dismas Indiza told Ng’aali that he was in awe of the Serena Kigo. “I rank it among the best five courses I have played on in Africa,” Indiza observed in September 2019, shortly after finishing fourth in the Uganda Golf Open. With Serena, Kihiihi, Kasese, Entebbe, Lugazi and Kitante, Uganda now has six 18-hole golf courses. Only Kihiihi and Kasese are located in far-flung areas of the country, but there are other 9-hole courses in places like Arua, Jinja, Tororo, Mbale, Mbarara and Lira. The addition of the Uganda, Kitante and Entebbe Opens to the Safari Tour of professional golfers in the region has undoubtedly gone a long way in elevating the standard of the game in the country. Brian Toolit, one of the Ugandan professionals on the tour, is convinced it leaves professional golf in a better state. “The competition gives us a unique challenge of playing among top golfers with varying techniques in the region,” he told Ng’aali. “We get to play on some of the best courses in Kenya and also against golfers who have played all over the world - we get to learn from the best out there.” The Safari Tour events include Nyali Club in Mombasa, Royal Club in Nairobi, Muthaiga, Thika Greens and Sigona, to go along with rounds at Entebbe, Kitante and the Uganda Open. Golf, or any other sport for that matter, has never been harmed by efforts to invest at the grassroots level. As Zambian professional Muthiya Madalitso observed after winning last year’s Uganda Open Professionals title, “You must have in place a committed and structured children’s program to build a bunch of young golfers who can grow into a formidable bunch when they mature.” There are no short cuts to success, and the Uganda Golf Union is aware. 24
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UGU President on the state of golf in Uganda 40-year-old Moses Matsiko was elected the new President of the Uganda
Golf Union, replacing the outgoing Innocent Kihika. He has set his eyes on
growing the game at the grassroots level.
As a father to an 8-year-old son, Banza, who is already showing huge
promise, it is easy to see why Matsiko has a special affection for junior golf. Banza Matsiko plays off handicap 24 and his father, who plays off
handicap 5, knows Banza’s future in the game is well ahead of him.
Matsiko believes that only nurturing and monitoring a generation of child
golfers will stand the game in good stead.
“When youngsters master the game early on, they hone their skills perfectly
and by the time they peak, they can match the best from anywhere. It is our belief as the management of the Uganda Golf Union that we must put a lot
of emphasis on this because it’s the logical thing to do.”
Matsiko served on the previous executive of the Union as manager of the
national team and union competitions, and believes there is a lot of goodwill from stakeholders for the game to go places.
He is keen on enacting measures to raise the level of the women’s
game and says they deserve an equal opportunity. Likewise, he believes professional golfers can be supported to raise their competitive levels
against their rivals from Nigeria, Zambia, Kenya and Zimbabwe.
A member of Mbarara Golf Club, Kihiihi, Palm Valley, Entebbe and Uganda
Golf Club, he is advocating for a close working relationship amongst clubs all
over the country for he believes golfers are a ‘close-knit family.’
“You may have noticed that some of the best amateur players in the
country are from upcountry clubs, which is why I think we must work hard to uplift all clubs, particularly the ones furthest from Kampala.”
This year, the Union received a Certificate of Compliance from the National
Council of Sports (NCS) and Matsiko believes the government’s recognition
of the sport will herald a new era.
“When you have the government on your side, everything becomes more
or less solved because we can do with funding, support for the development
side of the game, course preservation and maintenance, and so much more.” He also hopes to grow the profile of the Seniors Golf Society. “Seniors
contributed to the present-day game and we must remember that we will
be seniors one day, so the competitiveness and vibrancy of their society is a
logical thing to foster.”
travel How I
Babra Adoso
Babra is the Chief Executive Officer of MICE Uganda, a full service
Incentive Travel House specializing in Incentive Travel and Meetings
Planning as a Professional Conference Organizer (PCO) and Destination Management Company (DMC).
What is your favorite destination in the world? I have many but some of the ones that top my list are: Santorini in Greece, Sibenik in Croatia, Casablanca in Morocco and Singapore. What is your favourite Ugandan dish and why? Here too I have a few - I love matooke, kalo (millet bread) with smoked fish in roasted peanut paste and greens, locally called eboo in my language. What particular item can’t you imagine travelling without? My hand luggage into which I chuck a number of necessities, my passport and credit card or cash.
Robert Lakin
Lakin is the Principal/CEO of Gems Cambridge International School, Uganda. GEMS is a worldwide brand that has successfully nurtured
over 152,000 students in its respective campuses in Kenya, Malaysia,
Singapore, UAE, USA and Great Britain; GEMS truly is an international
global leader of education, fulfilling the mission of providing quality learning to every child.
What is your favourite destination in the world? My favourite place is Zanzibar, as it is where one of my favourite music legends (Freddie Mercury) grew up. Secondly, it gave me a first taste of life in Africa. That was about 10 years ago, a visit during which I was fortunate to stay at a tranquil resort on the beach of Stone Town, Zanzibar’s main city. What is your favourite Ugandan dish and why? Sweet potatoes, beans and chicken stew! I am not really a fan of matooke (green bananas), having eaten a stable diet of bananas for over 10 years. This was back in the day when I was still an active rugby player. What particular item can’t you imagine travelling without? I have a red thermal hoodie that I always take with me when I am flying. It is a perfect substitute for bulky suits. It’s so old and getting worn out but I can’t imagine life without it, for nostalgic reasons. I bought it in Paris on a very cold day out with my wife and daughters. 26
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For journeys, not just destinations. You might want to take a trip. Or Twenty
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ENTERTAINMENT
Uganda’s most popular live band
I
Words by Kalungi Kabuye Words by Kalungi Kabuye n April 1979, if you had asked Moses Matovu the prospects of the survival of Afrigo Band, he would probably have told you that they were very low. It was a chaotic time in Uganda after President Idi Amin lost the war against Tanzania and Ugandan exiles. Long suffering Ugandans expressed their suppressed frustrations and anger in an orgy of looting. Afrigo did not survive unscathed. “Because we had been playing at Cape Town Villas, one of President Amin’s favourite spots, all our instruments were looted,” Matovu remembers. “We were left with nothing - not even a guitar or a set of drums. I believed then that it was the end of the band.” More than four decades later, Afrigo is very active and arguably the country’s most popular live band; a testimony of its enduring ability to survive. It has been a journey of surviving incredible odds - reaching incredible heights of success, then down to record lows, and up again! They have seen band members murdered, others fled the country into exile, and others left to form their bands - but Afrigo has survived. By 1974, the Cranes Band was one of the most popular in the land. There was a rivalry with the then Tames Band, led by Peterson Mutebi, but Cranes was the people’s favourite. And then disaster struck. One day, in April of the same year, the band members gathered for a regular 28
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rehearsal, and the management (Sam Kawalya and John Clyde Mayanja) had an announcement to make. “We’re sorry, but we’re closing the band. Things are not going as smoothly as we want,” Matovu remembers Kawalya telling them. “It came as a shock to us; we didn’t know what to do. We had been playing together for a long time, we were like family. Where would we all go?”
Below: The Cranes Band in the early 70s. Members were later to form Afrigo Band
ENTERTAINMENT The ‘senior’ members of the band - Matovu, Charles Sekyanzi and Jeff Sewava - decided they would continue playing on their own. But how was a band without instruments going to operate? This was in 1974 when President Amin’s Economic War was in full swing, which meant that everything was either in short supply or not available. Indian traders, who owned all the music stores, had been kicked out of the country; there were no instruments to buy. But, like it would happen every time the band was seemingly at the bottom, a way out presented itself. Uganda was due to host the OAU summit in 1975 and President Amin bought new musical instruments for all the bands that played at hotels where the delegates would be staying. That meant that those bands’ old instruments were available to be bought. With their ‘new-old’ instruments, they started rehearsing. They had to come up with a name, and Matovu’s Africa Go Black Power took the day. “The 1970s were times of Pan Africanism and activism, so it was natural for us young men to choose a name that reflected that,” says long-time Director James Wasula. On November 5, 1975, the band played at Bat Valley Bar and Restaurant for the first time. The audience easily took to them because they had seen them play with the Cranes Band. The name Africa Go Black Power was a mouthful and was eventually trimmed to Afrigo. Then came the gig at Cape Town Villas that would lead to their instruments being looted. As Matovu tells it, a friend that used to work at Cape Town Villas arranged for the band to play on Sundays. One Sunday, President Amin, who was at the poolside, heard them play.“He enjoyed the music and we were immediately informed that entertaining at the Cape Town Villas was a permanent job,” says Matovu. They didn’t want to stop playing at Bat Valley since the proprietor had been there for them through the hard times. But nobody said no to Amin. And they had to keep in mind that one of the band members, Jesse Kasirivu, lover to President Amin’s future wife Sarah, had ‘disappeared’. The gig turned out to be quite successful because there were not that many places then that sold beer; up to 20,000 people turned up whenever Afrigo was playing. There were some very unnerving moments, especially when President Amin walked in unannounced and wanted to play with them. “Amin would simply walk in and ask to play the accordion,” Matovu says. “No one dared instruct him which key to play. There were times he simply ordered you to play a song you had not rehearsed.” Then came the war, and the band was back to square one, without any instruments. Wasula and other directors decided to buy whatever instruments 30
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Above: Moses Matovu
They didn’t want to stop playing at Bat Valley since the proprietor had been there for them through the hard times. But nobody said no to Amin. And they had to keep in mind that one of the band members, Jesse Kasirivu, lover to President Amin’s future wife Sarah, had ‘disappeared’.
ENTERTAINMENT Left: Joanita Kawalya performing with the Afrigo Band
Right: Rachel Magoola (centre), with Afrigo dancers Jacinta Wamboka (left) and Sarah Nansikombi (right)
they could find on the black market. “It was laughable,” Matovu says, “Most of the instruments that we bought were ours – the same instruments that were stolen from us. Uganda was a controversial country in those days.” In December 1979, Afrigo started playing at Slow Boat Bar over the weekends. Because of the security situation then, they would play from 2pm to 8pm - it was not safe for anyone to stay out late into the night. “We went from playing to a crowd of 20,000 people to less than 50,” Matovu says. The 1980 elections provided the band with an opportunity when Ruhakana Rugunda hired
“
It was laughable...most of the instruments that we bought were ours – the same instruments that were stolen from us. Uganda was a controversial country in those days.
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them to play at President Yoweri Museveni’s then Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM) rallies. “Experience had taught us not to get involved in politics, and the band did not compose any political songs,” says Wasula. But the tough times caught up with the band, yet again. Most of them were arrested and imprisoned during the Obote II regime. At one time, all the band members were arrested and it took the intervention of Gen. Oyite Ojok, who was their fan, to get them released. It was not until late 1986 that the good times returned for the band; they went back to perform at Bat Valley, now renamed Little Flowers. The country’s top musicians, most returning from exile, played with the band. Those were heady days, and the song Afrigo Batuuse was an apt celebration of the good times and sense of freedom that prevailed. But again, disaster struck. The band was too big and their success led to a breakup that resulted in two separate bands - Afrigo I and Afrigo 2. They were fighting for the same audience. Eventually, only the core of the band remained, and they moved to Fairway Hotel for a forgettable period. The band went through an unsettled phase, playing at different places like Sheraton Hotel, then Ggaba Beach and Calendar Guest House in Makindye. They eventually settled at House of Entertainment at Crested Towers for another golden period that lasted from 1993 to the year 2000, when it moved to Club Obligato on 2nd Street, Industrial Area. Over the years, many members left, and only Matovu remains of the original band. He is joined by Saidi Kasule, one of the original members of Cranes Band in the early 70s. Joanita Kawalya and Rachel Magoola joined in the 80s and are still with the band. Afrigo Band made it full circle in 2009 when it moved back to Little Flowers, renamed the New Club Obligato. On weekends, Uganda’s longest surviving band can be found here, playing its unique ‘semadongo’ sound.
Bringing medical care to your doorstep The Medical Concierge Group (TMCG) is a Ugandan based organisation that has efficiently bridged patient access to qualified medical professionals directly through mobile phones, from the comfort of their home. Its foundation is inspired by the need for accessible, quality and affordable health care across all socioeconomic classes. Nobody wants their loved ones or themselves sick. Yet illness befalls us all, and we don’t have a choice but to visit a hospital. Much as this is inevitable, it is such a hassle. First off, you have to put aside work or family time no matter how important it is. On reaching the hospital, you have to queue up for a while before seeing the doctor. But even before seeing the doctor, you have pay a consultation fee, go to the lab, then back to the doctor, all the while queueing up. However, in many cases, it turns out that what you are going through is a minor problem with a simple solution. Knowing you deserve better, TMCG has come up with a solution that could turn things around. TMCG is a digital health and telemedicine outfit that connects patients to healthcare consultations and services via mobile communication technologies. The group is a solution to the increasing demand for healthcare that is personal, value-based and efficient. They do this through a 24/7 telemedicine contact centre staffed with the best doctors to guarantee fast and quality consultations through a mobile laboratory service, where medicines are delivered to your doorstep. TMCG was launched in 2012 and is headquartered in Uganda with operations in Kenya and Nigeria. This service presently serves up to 50,000 active users in Uganda through partnerships with USAID, UNICEF, research organisations and multiple other public health projects. People with health issues can reach out to TMCG through phone calls, SMS and on the various social media and online messaging platforms like Whatsapp, Twitter and Facebook. The group hopes to expand to all corners of Africa, which, considering the impact they have had, will be a much appreciated venture. Have a health question? Contact TMCG’s WhatsApp Doctor today on +256790512074 or call +256417747000, or visit rockethealth.shop
DIARY
MAPPING
TIME A Corona Virus Diary
The start of global lockdown (March 2020) found me in Charlottesville, Virginia. A graduate student, I was knee-deep in thesis work and could not appreciate the sentiments of those – expressed via Twitter – for whom time seemed to be playing a trick. Vanishing. But once the semester was over, and once I’d handed my students’ grades in, things started to change. My labours behind me, I began to have the sensation that I was a complete blank: that my mind was empty, the days – which often I couldn’t fully recall – were empty, and the only time I remembered I existed in a physical way was when I felt pain somewhere in my body. It felt like I was just an empty apartment of flesh. Words by Khaddafina Mbabazi
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I
would only begin to understand what was happening – that time had disappeared from me, too – when one evening, a fed-up friend rang me and said these words: “There’s just no end in sight.” She was lamenting, but she had also unwittingly worked something out on my behalf, something I had been attempting to resolve: the problem with this time, what I’ve taken to calling Pandemic Time, is that it arouses the sense that we are living not just in something unknown, but in something without edges or borders. A world, to borrow from the Book of Common Prayer, “without end”.
Something to think about
We contemporary humans are natural cartographers. Each day, around the world, we make maps of our daily lives using a variety of tools: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Tiktok. We have continued to do this – I imagine we’re doing more of it – throughout this crisis. But if one were to map this inchoate world – the vast and borderless world of Pandemic Time – what would one name it? Terra Incognita? As an idea this feels insufficient somehow – to me at least. But I think the impulse to borrow from ancient Roman cartography is a useful one. Because unlike we – modern people with the knowledge of so much of the world at our fingertips – these ancient mapmakers ran into the problem of unexplored lands more frequently and so developed a lexicon to denote them. There is another phrase that cartographers used on maps of the unknown: hic sunt leones. Here be lions (or: here be danger). In the early 16th Century, this idea underwent a mythical mutation when it was borrowed by European cartographers for the Hunt-Lenox Globe. There, on the southeast coast of Asia, one finds a different inscription: hic sunt dracones. Here be dragons. As I write this – the dead are nearing 800,000. Of the living, over 19 million have contracted the virus. There are those who have recovered – 13 million of them – but scores of them, on online forums, mark their post-virus lives as terrains of damage, of suffering, and of psychological unease. We are many months in, with no vaccine, and no end in sight. And let’s not forget the myriad other singularities of 2020: the explosion in Beirut; the billion-locust plague destroying East African crops; another plague, both old and new – the plague of anti-Blackness; the 4,000
DIARY year old Canadian ice shelf that just melted into the Arctic; and the bushfires that destroyed 18 million hectares of Australian land, and a billion of its animals. To brood over this – this incineration of life, is to see that here be dragons indeed. It is August now. And for the moment – perhaps by crossing time zones or swapping one clime for another (the wet and heavy heat of Virginia, for the more charitably cool Kampala) – time has returned to me. (Or maybe, if I may borrow from the Polish writer Bruno Schulz, I am once more aware of “the passage of (my) own private time.”) Speaking of writers, I can’t help but also think of the Argentine Borges who, in 1941, wrote an essay about time (“Circular Time”). Writes Borges: “I tend to return eternally to the Eternal Return.” There’s a larger point to be gleaned here, and I’ll come to it later, but I’ve been thinking about Schulz and Borges because I’ve been reading (as well as thinking about) books. Earlier, I mentioned how we contemporary humans map our lives, map time, using social media. But our ancestors mapped their lifetimes with the tools of their time. I’m not thinking of history books, but of art and literature. To understand something of a Nigerian woman’s experience of the 20th Century, one could read history books, sure, but one could also read Buchi Emecheta (perhaps beginning with The Slave Girl, a novel set in Nigeria during the time of the Spanish Flu). Similarly, to fathom the ways in which apartheid deformed both its victims and its perpetrators, one would do well to go beyond the history books, and to step into the work of Nadine Gordimer. A year ago, reading Thomas Mofolo’s works for the first time, I wondered what they might tell us about the Basotho of that age. History is a map of time, but so is literature. I wonder, then, what literature this modern pandemic will beget. More precisely: what fiction or poetry. Elizabethan England suffered its share of plagues and produced two writers who dealt differently with that reality. On the one hand, the playwright and poet Thomas Nashe, who in 1592 penned the poem “A Litany in Time of Plague”: This is a poem that gazes directly at the plague and yields to it (“I am sick, I must die”). On the other hand, there is William Shakespeare, whose work doesn’t yield to the reality of plague at all, and instead gazes away from it. (I bring Shakespeare up partly because much www.ngaaliinflightmag.com
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DIARY
ADIEU, farewell, earth’s bliss; This world uncertain is; Fond are life’s lustful joys; Death proves them all but toys; I am sick, I must die. Lord, have mercy on us! Rich men, trust not wealth, Gold cannot buy you health; Physic himself must fade. All things to end are made, The plague full swift goes by; I am sick, I must die Lord have mercy on us!
was made of Shakespeare in the early days of lockdown, and on his productivity during 16th Century quarantine. You remember the tweets – Shakespeare wrote King Lear during quarantine. What are you doing, you lazy dunce? – as well as the inevitable backlash these tweets produced.) So far, I’ve come across a smatter of pandemic poetry penned by writers from across Africa and the globe. Published in a literary journal based out of Kampala, the poems have provided me with comic relief more than anything else. I’m yet to read any of the pandemic fiction in this same journal, but I intend to. Just as I intend to read The New York Times Magazine’s Decameron Project, in which 29 authors – several prolific African ones among them – have authored stories “inspired by the moment”. I suspect most will take the Nashean route – penning worlds of pandemic horror – but I’m more curious to read those works that tread through the present terrain more lightly. There is another reason why art and literature are at the forefront of my mind. In addition to travel, certain cultural artefacts helped to lift me out of the horrid emptiness 36
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of Pandemic Time. No surprise there. “We go to literature”, says Ben Okri, “for that which speaks to us in time and outside time.” The same can be said for other art forms. Presently, I’m in thrall to Middlemarch, the 19th Century beauty by the novelist George Eliot. An early passage reads: “Certainly these men who had so few spontaneous ideas might be very useful members of society under good feminine direction.” At a time when the world feels besieged by male populists (Tanzania, Brazil, Britain, the US, the list goes on) this sentiment feels apposite. But it is also simply funny. Like Middlemarch itself, it brings me joy. Something else: like many a spectator around the globe, I’ve gobbled up the television series I May Destroy You. A creation of British Ghanaian actress and writer Michaela Coel, it is a deep and complex consideration of sexual consent amongst millennials (though it is also more than this). What I admired most about it was its dispensing with this fidelity to moral purity that’s in vogue now and that’s unrealistic in daily, lived life, as well as deforming in art. If you find yourself stuck in Pandemic Time and trying to escape– I highly recommend these two major cultural artefacts. Let me return, briefly and one last time, to Borges, as well as to the question of time. When Borges wrote “Circular Time” in 1941, two great plagues were marching forth: Nazism and The Second World War. In the essay, Borges opines that time is circular, that what has been will be again, and that this is a good thing. “In times of ascendancy,” he writes, “the conjecture that man’s existence is a constant, unvarying quantity can sadden or irritate us; in times of decline (such as the present), it holds out the hope that no ignominy, no calamity, no dictator, can impoverish us.” This is Borges in 1941, but it is also the author (or authors) of Ecclesiastes, thousands of years before Borges, and hundreds of years before Christ. That there is, to quote my friend, “no end in sight” does not mean there is no end at all. That the dragon looms over us, still, is a fact not a fate. Time will disappear again. But we can be sure it will return.
This article was first published by www.voxpopuli.ug
Panoramic view of a crater lake in the Rwenzori Region of Uganda, near Kibale
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Pearl Africa
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Truly the
of
Spanning the equator with an irresistibly beautiful landscape of sun-dappled savannah, tangled forests and great lakes, Uganda is famous as one of Africa’s greatest safari destinations. Mark Eveleigh crosses the equator (several times) to experience the great diversity of ‘The Pearl of Africa’. Words by Mark Eveleigh
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itting at a cafe six kilometres south of Entebbe, I am fleetingly wondering whether it will be more effective to stir my strong Ugandan coffee in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. I realise that I’m pondering the same sort of senseless questions that a visit to the equator provokes no matter where you are. The equator bisects the landmasses of eleven countries (seven African), and Uganda’s equator monument abounds with the same pseudo-scientific experiments that I’ve seen at several others in South America and Asia. “We’ve got basins set up so that you can see how the water drains in opposite
directions depending on where you stand,” says a young man who’s beckoning me from beside the whitewashed arch that’s marked ‘N’ and ‘S’. While the phenomenon, known as the Coriolis Effect, is very real, scientists claim that it is weakest at the equator and that the experiment appears to function merely because of the shape or tilt of the basins. There is another myth that it’s possible to balance an egg on a nail as long as you are standing absolutely on the equator but, take my word for it, you can scramble a lot of eggs trying it no matter where you are on the planet. Nevertheless, there’s a definite thrill in standing with one foot in each hemisphere and few visitors can resist a
photo opportunity here. But then Uganda has more than its share of spectacular geographical claims-to-fame. If Entebbe often strikes first-time visitors to this landlocked African country as a ‘beach town’, it’s for a good reason; it’s built on a sort of peninsula in Lake Victoria, the world’s second-biggest lake (after Lake Superior). Uganda is also home to the spot where the world’s longest river, the Great River Nile – father of African Rivers – begins its record-breaking 6,650km journey to the Mediterranean Sea. For anyone with a fascination for geography, and let’s face it, the subject is an obsession of almost every keen traveller 40
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Opposite page: The Uganda Equator Top, Left and Bottom: Beautiful shots of The Rwenzori Mountains Extreme Bottom: A silverback gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
– Uganda is hard to beat. Who can resist the spark of adventure that’s kindled by names like Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or the fabled ‘Mountains of the Moon’? In fact, these mountains, known today as Rwenzori Mountains National Park, inspired Greek geographers as far as 2000 years ago. The so-called impenetrable forest is surprisingly accessible and attracts large numbers of visitors to watch wild gorillas in their natural habitat – but even today the glacier-cloaked peaks of the Rwenzoris are accessible only to expeditions. I first fell in love with the country that Winston Churchill called ‘The Pearl of Africa’ when I drove across the border
from Rwanda at the start of a month-long safari through the country’s ten national parks. Feeling slightly intimidated by my first overland crossing from a left-handdrive country to a right-hand-drive one, I’d negotiated the Land Rover cautiously through the swarms of motorcycle taxis that are known all over Uganda as boda-boda (from the word ‘border’). When I parked an hour later at the foothills of the Virunga Volcanic Range, it was as if a welcoming committee had been organised: Uganda is one of Africa’s best bird-spotting locations, and it was the courtship season for crowned cranes (the country’s national bird). All over the plains, hundreds of these truly regal birds www.ngaaliinflightmag.com
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I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not happy Ernest Hemmingway
could be seen strutting with their golden headdresses glittering in the sun. At only 33.7 square kilometres, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Uganda’s smallest national park but it falls within the great Virunga Conservation Area, stretching also into Rwanda and Congo. An hour’s drive to the north, Bwindi is home to about 459 mountain gorillas, almost half the world’s population. At almost ten times the size of Mgahinga, Bwindi is very likely the best place in the world to see one of the world’s most iconic and endangered species. “The more you learn about the dignity of the gorilla, the more you want to avoid people,” wrote Dian Fossey, the famous American researcher. The more we began to travel through Uganda, however, the more I enjoyed contact with some of the friendliest and most hospitable people I’d met in Africa. Wherever we drove, it seemed that we had to keep one arm constantly out of the window ready to wave at passers-by. Traders waved at us in the villages, and on the highways, boda-boda riders tooted their horns. Frequently, we passed herds of majestic Ankole cattle with their impossibly soaring horns rising like spires above the clouds of laterite dust, and the herdsmen always yelled in greeting. Eventually, we turned off the highway onto the wilderness trails of Queen 42
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Elizabeth II National Park where herds of a different sort awaited us. Queen Elizabeth, the flagship of Uganda’s savannah parks, is known for its vast numbers of buffalo and elephant as well as for its predators. Entering the park, we also found another equator monument – this one remoter and, for once, devoid of scientific blandishments. I was spellbound by the vast expanses of rippling savannah, tanned the colour of a lion’s hide, that sloped down to the Kazinga Channel with its immense pods of hippos and then climbed upwards again to where the distant Rwenzori peaks were lost in the clouds. As a classic safari destination, Queen Elizabeth has it all; savannah, lakes and forests that are home to 95 species of mammals. These include ten primates, and the Kyambura Gorge area is one of the best places in the world to walk among wild chimpanzees. Uganda’s ‘wild west’ is a spectacularly beautiful wilderness region dotted with forest, savannah and a chain of serene lakes that make you want to spend enough time to get to know them on first-name basis: Edward, George and Albert. At Murchison Falls National Park, the feeling of tranquility explodes as the full might of the Nile River injects itself at a rate of about 300 cubic metres per second through an eight-metre-wide chasm to explode into the ominously named Devil’s Cauldron. This is the
DESTINATION UGANDA Opposite page: Motorcycle taxis, known all over Uganda as boda-bodas, are a commonly preferred quick means of transport. Anti-clockwise from left: A herd of elephants cools off in the Ishasha River, as a pod of hippos takes a swim in the Kazinga Channel, both in Queen Elizabeth National Park. However, the buffalo herds here are dwarfed by the vast numbers along Kidepo’s Narus Valley. Crested cranes are a sight to behold as they dance and flirt during their mating season.
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DESTINATION UGANDA most spectacular waterfall in East Africa and as you stand at the top of the falls, you can feel the thunderous power vibrating up through the rock like an earthquake. ‘I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not happy,’ wrote Ernest Hemmingway, who had some notoriously dramatic adventures in this area in the 1950s. Waking up at Apoka Lodge, in the gorgeous Kidepo National Park, I could share the great writer’s sentiments. I’d woken in the early hours of the morning to listen to the guttural roar of a lion, seemingly right outside my chalet. Sure enough, I’d walked cautiously outside in the morning to find a huge pugmark imprinted deep into the sand within a few metres of my door. One of the marks of a perfectly designed lodge or camp is how not only humans, but also wildlife interact with it. Apoka Lodge is appreciated as much by the natural inhabitants of Kidepo as it is by visitors. While I ate breakfast, I watched zebra and hartebeest at the waterhole and a pair of waterbuck sipping from the swimming pool, and the staff told me that lions regularly used the lodge buildings for shady vantage points over the plains. The words of another Africa writer came to mind: ‘You know you are truly alive when you’re living among lions’, Karen Blixen wrote in her book, Out of Africa. This was not my first visit to Kidepo, and the park had been the setting for all my most dramatic lion encounters. I had been camping here in Land Rovers, with a couple of South African friends several years earlier, when I looked up from atop the landrover to see no less than seven lionesses lying along the top of a long boulder. They were contemplating me with the sort of lazy curiosity that made me realise they had probably been doing so for quite some time, but were too satisfied by the numerous prey to eat me. There are an estimated 120 lions in Kidepo, and they are known for the power and tactical skill that is an adaptation to hunting the vast herds of buffalo that roam here. Even the buffalo herds of Queen Elizabeth National Park were dwarfed by the vast numbers along Kidepo’s Narus Valley when ranger Philip Akorongimoe and I drove out to explore that morning. A group of aged askari bulls – ‘Old Generals’, as Phillip called them – watched us with resentful eyes and horns lowered as a vast herd of females and calves speckled the scrub behind them. There seemed to be buffalo in mind-boggling numbers 44
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Clockwise from top: At the Murchison Falls, the full might of the River Nile injects itself through an eight-metre-wide chasm to explode into the ominously named Devil’s Cauldron. An adult lion strolls by a lodge in Kidepo Valley National Park, whose stunning views can be seen below from Apoka Lodge, and left from a kopje.
wherever I looked. “There are an estimated thirteen thousand buffalo in the park, but the herd we’re looking at here probably adds up to only about four thousand,” Phillip told me. From Uganda’s far southeastern corner (touching Rwanda and Congo), I crossed the equator and travelled to the country’s far northwest tip, and the frontier lands of Kenya and South Sudan. In an article I wrote last year for CNN – a roundup of eight of the ‘best safari destinations in Africa’ – I stated that this Ugandan gem might be the most beautiful park on the entire continent. That afternoon as I watched the ever-changing light playing across the acacia-peppered savannah and across the flanks of sacred Mount Morungole, I was pleased to see that I hadn’t exaggerated Kidepo’s majesty.
How to Visit Kidepo National Park Great Lakes Safaris (www. greatlakessafaris. com) offers a 4-night Kidepo Safari by road from $2390 pp sharing including accommodation, daily game drives, nature walk and a visit to the Karamojong community – expect a 10-11 hour drive from Entebbe International Airport. Where to Stay Apoka Safari Lodge (www.wildplacesafrica. com) – the finest accommodation option in Northern Uganda – offers wonderfully situated chalets overlooking the valley from $471 pp (based on 2 sharing), including all meals, house drinks, park fees, game drives and walks. Locally based Buffalo Safari Camps (www.buffalosafaricamps.com) run a 7-Day Murchison Falls and Kidepo Valley tour with 4x4 vehicles from $950 per person. Kidepo’s Safari Highlights Kidepo Valley National Park is home to 500 bird species and 86 mammals, 28 of which
can be found nowhere else in Uganda, including caracal, lesser kudu, mountain reedbuck and Guenther’s dik-dik. Along with the largest population of buffalo of any park in Africa, there are an estimated 700 elephants and about 120 lions.
CONTACT US: Website: www.ura.go.ug Email: services@ura.go.ug Call center/ Customer care: 0800 217 000, 0800 117 000
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DESTINATION KENYA
MAGICALshy and reclusive encounters with the
Black Rhino A quiet corner of northern Kenya offers East Africa’s first black rhino tracking experience. Sarah Marshall visits the pioneering community-owned project and goes in search of one of the world’s most endangered species. Words and pictures by Sarah Marshall
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rushing my body tightly against a boulder, I’m frightened to even breathe. Like the final moments in a thrilling blockbuster shoot-out, I know at some point I’ll have to move; the question is not if, but when. Behind this haphazardly stacked kopje sits 50 million years of natural history embodied in almost two thundering tonnes of flesh - the size and power of a BMW car with a notoriously volatile grump at the wheel. An intruder in someone else’s wild, coarse environment, I know I’ll soon be rumbled. Yet as I peer over rocks into a crumpled face mapped with more contours than an ancient mountain range, all I want to steal is a glance. Being within arm’s reach – and trampling distance – of one of the world’s oldest and most critically endangered species is humbling. And when heavily pregnant Nadungu detects my presence with her acutely-tuned antennae-like ears, bolting away in a cloud of ochre dust, I’m soberly reminded of how fragile a black rhino’s existence has become.
A species under threat
Between 1960 and 1995, poaching caused a 98% decline of the species, and although the situation has slightly improved, conservationists estimate that less than 5,500 black rhinos survive in the wild. Home to just under 1,000, Kenya is one of the Eastern black rhino’s biggest strongholds, and efforts are underway to preserve and grow that population. What’s more, tourists are now able to observe the animals at a much closer range than ever before, thanks to a pioneering project to return them to a rugged, tribal territory in northern Kenya – uniquely driven by requests from indigenous people living there. 46
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DESTINATION KENYA Launched at the beginning of 2017, Walking With Rhinos is the first black rhino tracking experience in East Africa and the first community owned and managed project of its kind on the continent. “When many of our staff were children, poachers would offer them sweets and ask where the rhinos were,” recalls Sammy Lemiruni, lodge manager at the Saruni Rhino Camp. “They’d innocently point to a few, hiding in the bushes.” By the mid 1990s, black rhinos had been wiped out completely from this remote sector of Samburu County, which now forms the Sera Conservancy. But in 2015, with the help of Northern Rangelands Trust, Kenya Wildlife Service, and conservationist Ian Craig, black rhinos from the nearby Lewa Conservancy and other national parks in the country were translocated to a fenced 41sq mile sanctuary within Sera. The birth of Nadungu’s calf a few days ago raises the current number of residents to 12. Owned by Italian writer and safari guide Riccardo Orizio, the Saruni stable was exclusively invited to set up a lodge within Sera, six miles from the Sanctuary. Although foreign owned, the intimate three-banda (stone cottage) enclave is staffed by
Samburu swathed in handsome shuka blankets and a rainbow of beadwork, making this a business very much rooted in and respectful of its surroundings.
A place that’s still wonderfully wild
A few days earlier, I’d arrived in the neighbouring Kalama Conservancy via a 50-minute bush flight from Nairobi for an overnight stay at Saruni Samburu, a six-villa hilltop camp drowning in views of enormous skies and burning red plateaus, crowned by Mount Kenya on a clear day. At night, stars swelled every available corner and the Milky Way billowed overhead in a long, inexhaustible plume. It was pure, undisturbed wilderness – but only a taste of what was in store. Driving initially along a tarmac road, we soon turned off into the bush for a 45km journey to Saruni Rhino, passing only goatherding pastoralists and camels with bells clanging around their necks. Villages were a collection of mud and animal hide huts clustered together, and the local ‘school’ constituted a gathering of wide-eyed children sheltering below the shady, protective arms of an acacia tree. By the time we reached our final destination, the modern world had disappeared almost completely. Hidden along the banks of a dried-out river bed, where stooping doum palms lazily sweep their fronds along the sandy floor, Saruni Rhino is remote – even by Northern Kenyan standards – and wonderfully so. Sitting in the hull of an upholstered wooden canoe, I watched an elephant family parade to a watering hole, followed by a Somali ostrich wiggling his pom-pom tail feathers like a cabaret dancer in the Folies Bergère. Tracking rhinos is the obvious focus for guests, but there’s so much more to see here besides that. www.ngaaliinflightmag.com
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Tracking rhinos on foot
Rhinos within the sanctuary have been fitted with microchips in their horns, allowing rangers to monitor movements and track their whereabouts. Shy and reclusive browsers, black rhinos thrive in the thickets and can be notoriously difficult to find, but using a telemetry device almost guarantees a sighting. A fleeting glimpse of Nadungu has whetted my appetite for further encounters, and on our second outing into the sanctuary, we go in search of another female, Napanu. Standing on top of a rocky mound, rangers Thomas and Anthony take turns at holding aloft an aerial, hoping to detect clicks from chip 16; each rhino is numbered and has its own frequency. Once Napanu has been located, we travel by foot, led by our guide Sambara who uses a sack filled with ash to gauge wind direction. Although a rhino has poor eyesight, its senses of smell and hearing are astounding. Weaving through fairytale turrets of termite mounds and spiky commiphora bushes, I painstakingly watch every step, tip-toeing through a minefield of brittle twigs and jagged quartz rocks, trying not to make a noise. While closing in on our quarry, we reach a stand-off, frozen for 45 minutes as she grows suspicious of our presence. When she finally moves into the valley, we position ourselves at the base of a hill and marvel as she trots slowly towards us, every fold, crease and skin rumple visible in glorious, magnified detail. This time, there’s no rock to hide behind and with only metres of air between us, her breath almost touches my neck. One camera click results in a mock charge, causing Sambara to intervene by shouting and clapping, leaving me drunkenly dumbstruck as one of the world’s few surviving black rhinos hurriedly scrambles away.
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A community caring for elephants
The return of black rhinos to this region of Kenya is more than a conservation effort and revenue generator – it’s also a source of pride for the Samburu people. The same is true for the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, another pioneering community owned and managed project in neighbouring Namunyak Conservancy, part of the Matthews Range where one of Kenya’s largest elephant population resides. Opened in August 2016 to rescue and eventually release abandoned and orphaned elephants back into the wild, it was set up with funding from various donors including Prince William’s beloved charity, Tusk Trust, with a view of returning the animals to their natural home rather than other parks in the country. Arriving early in the morning after a two-hour drive from Sera, we’re the only tourists privileged to watch a writhing throng of eager trunks reaching for their bottles at feeding time. There are plans to release some of the 13 elephants into their northern Kenya home range towards the end of 2020, along with Reteti’s only rhino, three-month Loijupu, who was abandoned at birth. A bundle of wonder and hope, he curiously stumbles towards me and – perhaps naively - I allow him to get much closer than his elders. Nostrils flared and bottom lip curling, he is unbelievably cute. But an instinctive defiant foot stamp is a firm reminder that he’s wild, belligerent and, above all, a fighter – like every black rhino today should be.
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Mombasa
Don’t forget to enjoy…
Dhow Sailing Tour of Kisite Marine Park and Wasini Island
Mombasa, known as the white and blue city of Kenya, has a population of 900,000. Its beachfront hotels appeal to travellers in search of sun, sand and surf, while its blend of India, Arabia and Africa can be intoxicating. Many visitors find themselves seduced by East Africa’s biggest and most cosmopolitan port. Can’t find a taxi? Travel by tuk-tuk, a three-wheeled auto rickshaw.
Eat @:
Stay @: Jahazi Grill Restaurant
Sitting within a Swahili dhow - that’s the feeling inside this beach restaurant inside the Serena Beach Hotel. They have a fish and seafood based menu; try the tuna appetiser, the grilled snapper, and the crab cakes. The service is attentive and the food excellent.
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Enjoy a full day at Kisite Marine Park for dhow sailing, dolphin spotting, snorkelling, swimming, sunbathing, and a mouth-watering Swahili seafood lunch on Wasini Island. Get a glimpse of local culture while visiting Wasini Village. Duration: 7 - 8 hours.
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Star Villas Nyali
The villas are located in the Nyali Beach area of Mombasa. A perfect environment with excellent service, the caretaker Felix will make your stay comfortable. Great for families, the service, security and amenities are top notch, and the rates are friendly.
Tsavo East National Park and Salt Lick 3-Day, 2-Night Safari
Explore the famous Tsavo East National Park and Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary. Spot herds of red elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, hippos and rare bird species. Duration: 3 days, starting time 8:30am.
DESTINATION ZAMBIA
Ila, Zambia’s greenest eco lodge Words and pictures by Mark Stratton
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DESTINATION ZAMBIA
ou might want to put down your airline snack whilst reading this. At Ila Safari Lodge in Kafue National Park, biogas is harvested from guests’ toilet effluence to be recycled and used in the kitchen to cook meals. But if you’re thinking, ‘oh, that is revolting’, then read on because this biogas production is helping make safaris more in tune with nature. Over the years, I’ve seen some insensitively designed safari lodges. Noisy generators belching out fumes, intrusive concrete structures at odds with the surrounding bush, fences thwarting wildlife migration, and far too much waste like toilet and bathwater, plastic water bottles - all passed on to the local neighbourhood’s often inadequate recycling provisions. So how does one create a lodge that offers a greener, more sustainable safari whilst minimising impact on nature? Ila Lodge is situated on the riverbank of the languorous River Kafue. It is four hours by road from Lusaka – which doesn’t sound like a particularly green way to begin the trip, except Ila operates electric vehicles powered by green energy. The lodge has 10 luxurious river-facing tents and was founded by Dutchman Vincent Kouwenhoven, owner of Green Safaris. He explains that his guiding vision for Ila is driven by conservation. “We create lodges with minimal impact. We were granted a piece of pristine wilderness by the local chieftainess to develop Ila. But this belongs to nature, and if we ever close, we must hand the land back with minimal impact,” he says. He also believes that investing in the local community enhances antipoaching efforts. “We create jobs for local people, which increases awareness in the community about the importance of anti-poaching as tourists pay to see wildlife.” Indeed, I get a rather large eyeful of wildlife when I arrive as a 45-year-old bull elephant enjoys a mud bath very close to the main reception entrance. “Because we don’t fence ourselves in, any animal may wander through the camp,” says Malemia Banda, Ila’s general manager. We slowly edge around the ecstatic jumbo, who is far too engaged in lashing himself with liquid mud to notice us. This sense of being one with nature is reinforced throughout. All night long, munching hippos browse around my tent and during daytime, vervet monkeys covetously eye the fresh fruits and home-baked cakes provided for guests.
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DESTINATION ZAMBIA The main reception is an elegant wooden platform with a bar and restaurant, and comfortable seats for quiet reflection across the olive-green river. The tents extend from the reception area and are built on wooden platforms. All Ila’s timber is locally sourced, and any trees felled during construction have been compensated by extensive tree planting. Besides biogas, Ila is fully powered by solar energy panels . The reception’s walls are constructed from lightly plastered sandbags to avoid the permanency of intrusive steel and concrete. Waste ‘grey water’ from washrooms drains into soakaways to be treated naturally by filtration before re-entering the soil clean. Guests refill reusable water-bottles with purified water rather than single-use plastics. They have also developed a community farm that provides circa 30% of their vegetables. “The farm has created a guaranteed market for the farmers and cut down on the transportation of food from Lusaka,” Banda says. I like how a delicious vegetarian option is offered at mealtimes. Rare for safari lodges, but evidence shows non-meat diets have a less pernicious impact on the atmosphere in terms of methane and carbon production associated with livestock rearing. Food for thought! Of course, Ila’s core business is wildlifewatching within the wonderful 22,480sq. km Kafue National Park. The lodge is enhancing this experience with what Vincent calls ‘silent safari’. Camp guide Lex takes me out on their electric-powered Toyotas and solar-powered boat. “These vehicles create less stress on animals by approaching them quietly,” says Lex, even if I am a little reticent about sneaking up on an elephant and surprising it. Nonetheless, the benefits of our stealthier approach are soon obvious. Taking the e-boat one afternoon, we drift silently close to a herd of bathing elephants. It is magical hearing only their gurgling pleasure without the drone of an engine. Likewise, on land, we find ourselves amidst a hundred-strong herd of buffalo, relaxed at our silent intrusion.
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Right: The solar-powered e-boat
Right: On-deck bath overlooking the Kafue Extreme Right: Luxurious dining in the wild
Right: The beautiful tented rooms are at one with nature
Right: The electricpowered safari vehicles Extreme Right: Organic insecticide elephant dung
Right: Tourists out on a walking safari in the park
DESTINATION JUBA
South Sudan may not be a tourist hotspot right now, but it does have aspects that intrigue tourists enough to lure them to this country which possesses a culture that can’t be experienced elsewhere. The hospitality shown by the Sudanese is inherent in their culture; they are generally very kind, friendly and welcoming.
What to do in South Sudan
Due to ongoing conflict, tourists are advised not to travel to certain parts of South Sudan. Check your local embassy for updates. These are some of the notable places to visit.
Boma National Park
One of Africa’s largest wildlife reserves is in Jonglei State and has a wildlife migration that compares in scale to that of the Serengeti. Between March and April and November to January you can see as many as two million animals on the move.
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The Sudd
South Sudan’s stunning birdlife is best appreciated with a boat trip on the Sudd, one of the largest wetlands in the world. More than 400 bird species can be found here, including shoebills, great white pelicans and black-crowned cranes. Once you’ve had your fill of all things feathered, there are also some excellent fishing spots to try out.
DESTINATION JUBA
Mount Kinyeti
South Sudan’s highest peak lies in the little-explored Imatong Mountains along the country’s southern border with Uganda. Whether you plan to climb the peak (3,187m) or trek through the thickly forested foothills, you can see monkeys, bushbuck and bushpigs, as well as occasional elephants, buffaloes and leopards.
IMAGE: www.junglesafarisuganda.com
Rafting on the White Nile
White-water rafting on the Nile is a new addition to South Sudan’s tourist options. You can enjoy a short splash at Nimule or paddle all the way to Juba. The rapids will make you buzz with adrenaline, especially when you realise how many hippopotamuses and crocodiles are sharing the water, and in calmer stretches, there are great possibilities for birdwatching and fishing.
Nimule National Park
The most easily accessible of South Sudan’s national parks, Nimule lies on the border with Uganda and is therefore a perfect stopover for those entering the country by road. The park infrastructure is fairly well developed and park rangers will take you across the river by boat to Opekoloe Island to see the elephant herds, and then on foot to spot zebras, warthogs, baboons and even the occasional leopard.
When to Go
The weather in South Sudan is typically very hot. The rainy season lasts from May until October. Sandstorms can occur during the dry period, from April until September, so plan accordingly.
Getting In and Around
Visas: A valid passport and a visa are necessary in South Sudan. Transportation: Numerous international airlines fly to Sudan; most airlines fly into Juba International Airport. In South Sudan, travelling by car is
the best option. Driving at the appropriate hours in areas deemed safe is a secure way of getting about. If you’re bold enough to venture into areas that the government labels as dangerous or unfit for travel, you’ll need a travel permit to move around. Mobile Phones: South Sudan has relatively good coverage. Make sure to have or buy a GSM phone with a SIM card.
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Arab, Persian, Indian and Italian nuances, amongst other flavours from the Horn and East of Africa, come to the forefront of Somali food culture. A typical meal will have a combo of Sambusa, Bariis Ishkukari - very similar to a rice dish called pilau, Anjero - which is as easy to make as a pancake and is similar to the Ethiopian Injera, Halwa - a festive sweet treat reserved for special occasions, Sabaayad flatbread - the Somali version of chapati, and Somali chai tea.
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DESTINATION MOGADISHU
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DESTINATION TANZANIA
Discovering the undiscovered in
Ruaha National Park S
ound travels through the air at a rate of 332 metres per second, but in the hot, dusty Tanzanian bush, it seems to move much faster. The gruff barks of baboons combine forces with the urgent snorts of impala to create a sonic signpost leading us to a clearing in the thickets. There sits a leopard, its jaws clinging to the neck of an impala, still breathing and caught only seconds before. The leopard’s glassy eyes dart nervously from right to left as he attempts - and ultimately fails - to safeguard his prey. Two yapping black-backed jackals drive him away, and a pride of lions that, like us, has been drawn to the commotion, moves in to steal the feast. It is true, lions have a good foothold in Ruaha, the largest National Park in East Africa; 10% of Africa’s lion population are believed to roam here. The sprawling wilderness, encompassing rivers, mountains, acacia forest and swampland is also home to a myriad of predators and one of the biggest elephant gatherings on the continent.
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DESTINATION TANZANIA Most of the park remains untouched with only 12 tourist lodges occupying a game-rich 5% of the 20,000km2 area. Realising Ruaha’s potential, the Asilia Africa Safari Group took over operation of the six-tent Kwihala Safari Bush Camp and opened luxury lodge, Jabali Ridge. On my way to Kwihala, I pass a metal sign hanging above the park entrance, which seems to say it all: Discover the Undiscovered. It’s a message of great promise for the days ahead. I’m visiting in October, the dry season, when most of the dense foliage has disappeared, leaving a brittle skeleton of branches and twigs through which game can easily be spied. Cartoonish baobab trees punctuate the landscape, some bulbous and swollen, others gnawed like apple cores by hungry elephants. Their spindly, outstretched branches are begging the sky for rain. We stop at the seasonal Mdonya River, now a dusty sand bed. Only clusters of towering date palms indicate water still flows below the ground, although a herd of astute elephants, busy excavating the dust, has clearly cottoned on. A flock of yellow-throated sandgrouse glides above wispy fronds of thatching grass, while hyraxes scurry into the cracks of granite kopjes, escaping the now searing midday sun. It’s our signal to head directly to camp, where an al fresco communal lunch with fellow guests is followed by a long siesta in the shade. The possibilities for game viewing in Ruaha are undoubtedly rich, yet there’s woefully little data about the number of animals present. It’s one of the reasons why Professor Amy Dickman started her Ruaha Carnivore Project (RCP) in 2009. The wildlife conservationist works closely with lodges in the park to
collect data on predators. Guides are given cameras to record sightings and, as an incentive to work harder, after a year or 125 sightings, they’re allowed to keep the kit. “Ruaha supports some of the most important wildlife populations left in the world,” says German-born Dickman, whose project headquarters is located just outside the park gates. Members of her team can join guests on a game drive or for dinner, to explain how RCP is benefiting both wildlife and communities in and around the park. Much of their work is focused on lions, a species seriously under threat. “There are now fewer wild lions in Africa than rhinos,” says Dickman, quoting a current estimate of 20,000. “That fact is shocking to most people who just don’t realise how sharply lion numbers have dropped in the past 20 years.”
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DESTINATION TANZANIA One of the biggest problems is community conflict, something I learn more about when I visit the RCP camp. There are 22 villages close to the park, with more than 40,000 residents - a mixture of Maasai and Barabaig tribes who are mainly pastoralists. Many have lost precious livestock to predators, and have responded with retaliatory killings, often poisoning carcasses in the hope of preventing any future attacks and as an act of angry retribution. “It took a long time for us to gain the communities’ trust,” says Dickman as we share a meal of beans and ugali around a simple camp table. “Eventually - and somewhat unexpectedly - a breakthrough came with mobile phones. We allowed people to charge their phones here at no cost, and while they were waiting, took the opportunity to discuss problems about livestock and predators.” RCP now assists villages with the construction of stronger wire bomas (livestock enclosures), which have been almost 100% successful. It also offers tangible benefits of education and veterinary medicine, in exchange for cooperation. Traditional killings also pose a serious problem for lions and elephants in Ruaha. In previous years, young men would regularly organise hunts with an ambition to be the first person to spear a target, thus becoming the “owner” of a kill and subsequently being showered with attention by members of the opposite sex. But RCP has come up with a solution and - so far - it seems to be working well. “When we realised that the real attraction of these hunts was an opportunity to celebrate and socialise, we decided to set up an alternative,” says Dickman. Now RCP arranges gatherings completely disconnected from any hunts, which still allow men and women to dance together and form bonds. And instead of a severed lion paw, several young men from the warrior age group now proudly display a GPS unit on their belts, supplied by RCP to collect important wildlife data. Engaging the support of communities is vital to the conservation of predators in Ruaha, and Dickman and her team are doing a good job of strengthening links between the people, wildlife and tourism. Ruaha is still an excellent place to observe lions in Africa, 62
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“
There are now fewer wild lions in Africa than rhinos.. That fact is shocking to most people who just don’t realise how sharply lion numbers have dropped in the past 20 years.
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which is why one professional photographer came to stay at Kwihala for 19 nights to capture prides hunting buffalo. He got the shots he wanted, I’m told by Lorenzo, my Italian-born safari guide, who, like many seasoned naturalists attracted to Ruaha, can’t bring himself to leave. If organised in advance and accompanied by a park ranger, it’s possible to go on night drives in the park, so on my final evening, I stay out long after dark. Once again, sound becomes our key pinpointer, with shrieks, growls and chattering mapping our journey. Now that temperatures have cooled, wildlife is even more abundant, active and hungry. A spotted eagle owl perches on the edge of a branch overhanging the road, its gaze too intently fixed on small rodents to notice our presence. A few metres along the track, we find a lesser spotted genet with a scorpion dangling from its mouth, and a flick of the spotlight illuminates the gleaming eyes of a leopard stalking a scrub hare. We sit quietly as the young cat hunches its shoulders, finally powering forward like a fully loaded spring and giving chase. Predator and prey disappear into the darkness, leaving us to guess the outcome. It doesn’t matter. In Ruaha, it’s the undiscovered and unknown that proves to be equally as thrilling. To find out more about the Ruaha Carnivore Project, visit ruahacarnivoreproject.com www.ngaaliinflightmag.com
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DESTINATION SOUTH AFRICA
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DESTINATION SOUTH AFRICA
SunCity Welcome to
An opulent extravaganza of luxury
Sun City (sometimes called Lost City) is a luxury resort and casino in the North West Province of South Africa. It is located between the Elands River and the Pilanesberg, about two hours’ drive from Johannesburg near the city of Rustenburg. The vast complex, nearly 20km in circumference, is an enormous, opulent extravaganza of luxurious hotels, glittering entertainment centres, restaurants, gaming rooms, shops, discos, Vegas style shows and extensive, beautifully landscaped grounds, all on the edge of Pilanesberg Game Reserve. The reserve is home to an extinct volcano and more than 7,000 animals including lions and elephants.
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S
un City was officially opened on December, 7th 1979, in the Bantustan of Bophuthatswana. As Bophuthatswana had been declared an independent state by South Africa’s apartheid government, it could provide entertainment such as gambling and topless revue shows, which were otherwise banned in South Africa. Those factors, as well as its relatively close location to the large metropolitan areas of Pretoria and Johannesburg, ensured that it soon became a popular holiday and weekend destination. The resort has four hotels: Soho Hotel (formerly known as Sun City Hotel or The Main Hotel), Cascades Hotel, The Cabanas, and The Palace of the Lost City. The resort also has a Vacation Club which is a hotel sold in a timeshare scheme.
At Sun City, there is something for everyone!
The Valley of Waves
This is the best man-made “beach” with mechanical waves, and it makes for great family outings, business and pleasure. A palm-fringed beach lapped by crystalline waters, the Valley of Waves gives you a chance to go from ‘daily grind’ to ‘unwind’ in less than two hours. The legendary Roaring Lagoon is the undisputed main attraction at the Sun City’s famous water park. Here, kids can get their kicks in the designated children’s area while adventure-seekers take their pick of mild to wild rides.
Sun Vacation Club
Since its inception in 1996, Sun Vacation Club has grown to become one of the leading selfcatering accommodations in South Africa, selling luxury units on a 10-year rotating holiday club membership basis. Membership not only allows you to experience a new way to holiday, it gives you unrivalled access to non-stop entertainment and fun activities at Sun City.
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The Gary Player and Lost City Golf Courses
Golfing addicts will be in their element at Sun City with a choice of two exceptional yet very different golfing experiences in the Gary Player Golf Course and the Lost City Golf Course. The Gary Player Golf Course, designed by none other than the legendary Gary Player, is an 18-hole par-72 walking-only championship course that is regularly ranked as one of the leading golf courses in South Africa. The Lost City Golf Course offers a 72-par, 18-hole desert-style course that incorporates 28 000 square metres of water features including a water hazard at Hole 13 that is home to 38 live Nile crocodiles.
Sun City Casino
Experience the legendary glitz and glamour of the Sun City Casino. Opened in 1979, Sun City Casino has evolved with the times, and the latest technology and popular games combine in a spectacle of round-theclock thrills for both experienced and first-time gamers. Recently refurbished, the Sun City Casino features hundreds of exciting slot machines and over 40 popular table games. And if you’re a Sun MVG cardholder, you enjoy even more benefits, including exclusive access to the Salon Privé and VIP gaming.
Sun Central
In an ancient volcanic crater lies an enchanting oasis where unparalleled adventure, joy and delight await the whole family. Two levels of family entertainment await at Sun Central. On the ground level, expect a cacophony of restaurants, retail outlets and entertainment for the whole family. Sun City’s famed Superbowl has also been reinvented to bring you action-packed shows and concerts like you’ve never seen before. Whether you’re looking for a romantic stay with your partner, a fun weekend getaway with friends or a North West holiday with the whole family, Sun City Resort has it all.
For more information on prices and other perks at Sun City, visit www.suninternational.com
DESTINATION ZIMBABWE
Mana Pools Words and pictures by Sarah Marshall
T
witching his nose like a mouse in a pantry, safari guide Henry Bundure tips back his head and inhales the air. It’s a warm morning, and a light wind carries the unmistakable waft of hippos wallowing in the Zambezi River - a putrid perfume with the sweetness of rotting fruit. Distinctive though it may be, it’s not the scent Henry is after. His highly trained nostrils are on the hunt for a different animal, one that has earned Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park international small screen acclaim, and one that attracted the world’s greatest wildlife documentary narrator to pay a visit in early 2019. “I managed to sniff out the wild dogs for David Attenborough,” claims Henry proudly, boasting an accolade few safari guides can claim to possess. “He came here in his helicopter and wanted to see them,” explains the chatty, good-humoured Zimbabwean, who was drafted in to help guide the 93-year-old. “Everyone thought I was crazy, but I managed to find them. They ran right towards us and lay down under a sausage tree.” The purpose of Attenborough’s visit was to film some final scenes for the landmark series Dynasties, which aired on BBC One in 2018. It was a rare overseas outing for the British national treasure, who prefers to spend most of his time in Richmond. But it was one that paid off. Henry recalls he was ‘happy’, and they both enjoyed a sundowner of Zambezi beer. An ambitious series, Dynasties focused on individual families from five different species; monitoring their behaviour, examining bonds and charting inevitable disputes. More than any animals, the painted wolves, or wild dogs, demonstrated the complexity of these relationships. Producer Nick Lyon spent two years filming in Mana Pools, following the fortunes of ageing alpha-female Tait and her
DESTINATION ZIMBABWE power-hungry daughters Blacktip and Tammy. The story ended in tragedy when Tait died, although after a decade, she boasted a population that accounts for 6,600 wild dogs in Africa. Now, Henry is helping me pick up where the story left off. We set off after sunrise to track the dogs, which were last seen on the floodplain less than 24 hours earlier. Henry’s unconventional nasal tracking technique is down to the strong smell of ammonia that he claims the dogs exude. It’s a result of their adaptation to hunting baboons – a new behaviour filmed by the BBC, which astounded experts and generated a scientific paper. Today, though, we are guided by sight. Fresh paw prints in the sand grow further and further apart, suggesting the dogs have been running. We follow them to a tangled pile of regurgitated entrails, which almost triggers my breakfast to resurface. Along with signs of scuff marks on tree stumps and fresh pee, it’s a clear indication the dogs are around. There are estimated to be around 110 dogs in Mana Pools, and during Tait’s reign, three packs roamed this area. After her death, Blacktip took control of the Nyakasanga pack, while Tammy took over Nyamatusi. Both, however, have suffered in the interim, and in April 2020, Blacktip went missing altogether. Without their leader, the dogs are in disarray. “We believe she might be dead,” says Henry, who describes her as an animal “who never smiled”. Shortly after filming ended, Henry started working for African Bush Camps (ABC), a boutique collection of camps set up by a Zimbabwean former safari guide, Beks Ndlovu, where the emphasis is very much on embracing wilderness – in style. Huddled between winter thorn and ebony trees on the banks of the Zambezi River, the semi-mobile Zambezi
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DESTINATION ZIMBABWE Expeditions Camp epitomises their ethos perfectly. Six rustic tents evoke the nostalgia of classic safaris; at night hippos snuffle past the canvas flaps and in the morning, dewy pink light streams through seams, making me feel like a real resident of the bush. And then there’s Henry, whose nose for locating wildlife extends far beyond his olfactory powers. “Let’s check out the ‘morning newspaper’ (paw prints) and find those kitty cats who were making noise last night,” he says, as we sit around a campfire, listening to the piercing squeal of fish eagles and watch the distant mountains break through the misty morning haze. Of course, Mana Pools isn’t all about dogs. There are the lions - which prowl between long shafts of vetiver grass, hippos - which (according to Henry) chew on sausage tree fruit as if smoking cigars, and hundreds of elephants that come here to drink; not to mention the landscape, an enchanted forest of ancient trees bowing and bending to find light, a mighty river decorated with a maze of sandbanks, and a quartet of large pools created by oxbow lakes (mana in the local Shona language means four). One of the reasons Nick Lyon chose to film here was “the beautiful backdrop”, best experienced from ABC’s newest camp, Nyamatusi. Occupying a remote section of the park, six smart sumptuous tents with plunge pools gaze at the Zambezi, setting a new benchmark for luxury in Mana Pools. The stars of this show are the elephants, who have honed a talent for balancing on their back legs to reach the leaves of acacia trees. Boswell, an ageing bull, pioneered the ‘Mana stand’, but his acrobatic behaviour has also been perfected by Fred Astaire the dancing elephant, and Harry, a new
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Above: Safari guide Henry Bundure and Sir David Attenborough enjoying a sundowner Below: A tent in the new Nyamatusi Camp (left), and a plunge pool at the camp (right)
DESTINATION ZIMBABWE kid on the block. These yogic moves are an adaptation to finding water and nutrition during periods of drought, such as the one Zimbabwe faced last year. For the dogs, survival is always a challenge. Photographer Nick Dyer has spent the last six years snapping away at packs in Mana Pools and is on familiar terms with them all. A co-founder of the Painted Wolf Foundation, his images have also been published in the coffee table book Painted Wolves: A Wild Dog’s Life. He now runs photographic safaris in partnership with ABC. This week, like me, he’s in the park as a guest. I find him at a sighting of several dogs from Blacktip’s fractured pack. Given his knowledge of the animals’ movements, guides have even resorted to tracking him. “I often cover my footsteps with leaves,” he laughs. One of the great joys of Mana Pools is that guests can explore on foot, allowing walking safaris and an opportunity to observe wildlife from a different perspective. “I don’t think I’ve taken any of my photos from a vehicle,” claims Dyer. Most of our outings have been a “combo” of drives and walks. Approaching slowly, we’re able to crouch close enough to hear the dogs pant, and when they pile on top of each other in a greeting ceremony - which resembles a winning team at the final whistle, we have front row stadium seats. But seemingly unsure of where to run, the dogs soon scatter. “It’s so sad to see them like this,” laments Dyer, referring to the break-up of the pack and their metaphorical lack of direction. “I’m not sure what will happen next.” Disappearing behind a bush, several boisterous individuals are involved in a fracas and we wonder – for a minute – if they have made a kill. But the focus of their attention turns out to be a car mat, which they rip and tussle in a tug of war. It’s an amusing scene that makes us smile – proof that even though tough times lie ahead, there is always room for play.
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DESTINATION BURUNDI
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DESTINATION BURUNDI
Bujumbura’s Inviting
SAGA BEACH Bujumbura’s Lake Tanganyika beaches are a must-visit. The sand, though not exactly pristine white and clean, is still an inviting place to drop a towel and swim safely in the warm water. Known to be one of the best inland beaches in Africa, the beautiful Saga Beach, located 5km northwest of Bujumbura, was named in honour of Saga Beach Resort, formerly known as Plage des Cocotiers (Coconut Beach). It is usually crowded and fun on weekends, but can be very quiet and cozy on weekdays. Be sure to taste Mukeke fish, a local delicacy at the restaurants and bars, and enjoy the beach nightlife. Occasionally, boats are available for fishing or to visit the other shores of Lake Tanganyika. Getting to Saga is relatively easy, as it is a popular destination for locals and tourists. Most cabs and mini-bus taxis will get you there.
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ANIMAL KINGDOM
AFRICA’S SOUGHT-AFTER KING OF THE MARSHES
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he Shoebill, a huge, stork-like water bird with grey plumage and a large shoeshaped bill, has an almost prehistoric look about it. Like something from the dinosaur age, this 55 inch tall bird has become one of Africa’s most sought after species, and Uganda is the best place to see it. The Shoebill frequents the wetlands of Queen Elizabeth National Park, the shores of River Nile in Murchison Falls National Park and the Mabamba Swamps of Lake Victoria in Entebbe. Living amongst dense papyrus swamps where it catches lungfish and other aquatic prey, this rare bird derives its name from its massive shoe-shaped bill which can reach up to 24cm in length and 20cm in width. These bills are precise fishing tools with razor-sharp edges that can decapitate large fish or even a baby crocodile. Often referred to as the “dino birds”, coming face to face with the strikingly blue-eyed shoebill is the stuff of birding dreams! As well as over 1000 other bird species, Uganda accounts for over 50% of Africa’s species and 11% of the world’s birds. Birders’ obsession with the shoebill started over two centuries ago when British Victorian naturalist John Gould brought the first specimen from Africa to London’s Natural History Museum. Ornithologist experts were astonished and in disbelief that such a bird existed. While the shoebill is called a stork, genetically speaking it is more closely related to the pelican or heron families. They nest in papyrus, and the Bangweulu Swamps in Zambia are the
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southernmost extent of their distribution, but they are also found in other marshy areas in Rwanda’s Akagera National Park and swamplands of Sudan. The solitary nature of shoebills extends to their breeding habits. Nests are typically less than three per square kilometre, unlike herons, cormorants, pelicans and storks which predominantly nest in colonies. Both parents actively brood, shade, guard and feed the nestlings, although the females are perhaps slightly more attentive. Food items are regurgitated whole from the gullet straight into the bill of the young. When they are first born, shoebills have a more modestly-sized bill, which is initially silverygrey. The bill becomes noticeably larger when the chicks are 23 days old, and becomes well developed by 43 days. The shoebill has an average lifespan of about 50 years. Shoebills will often hatch two nestlings but only raise one chick. The youngest chick is known to be “insurance” in case the elder one doesn’t live. The sinister sibling rivalry starts when the mother leaves to fetch water and the elder chick attacks the younger one. With limited food supply, the mother favours the stronger, often eldest chick to ensure one of its young survives. It will take the young shoebills three years before they become fully sexually mature. Take a trip to Mabamba Bay Community Reserve on the shores of Lake Victoria, a short way from Entebbe. Mabamba Shoebill Tours offers an exceptional experience in a dugout canoe in search of Africa’s birding holy grail, with excellent sighting chances of these elusive giant birds.
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CELEBRITY ECTAERCIISPROFILE
Africa’s
Biggest
Comic Export
PHOTO: COMEDY CENTRAL
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T
revor Noah was born on February 20, 1984 in Soweto, South Africa to a Xhosa mother, Patricia Nombuyiselo, and a Swiss-German father, Robert Noah. He began his career as a ghetto DJ, radio host, comedian, presenter, and actor in his native South Africa in 2002. He subsequently held several television hosting roles with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and was the runner-up in the fourth season of South Africa’s iteration of Strictly Come Dancing in 2008. After his stand-up comedy career attained international success, Noah began appearing on American late-night talk shows and British panel shows, and has won multiple media and TV awards. In 2014, Noah became the Senior International Correspondent for The Daily Show, and the following year, he succeeded long-time host Jon Stewart. He is set to remain in this position until 2022. Growing up as the child of a black mother and a white father in apartheid-era South Africa, Noah was the living, breathing evidence that a crime had been committed. In that era, interracial couples who had engaged in sexual relations were punished with years-long prison sentences, and biracial/coloured children like Noah were taken away from their parents. As a result, he spent much of his early life in hiding. Noah’s father Robert was an expatriate, and he met Patricia in downtown Johannesburg but could not live with her as the prevailing laws curtailed such relations. Nonetheless, they secretly maintained their relationship for a time. Robert was a mystery to Noah because he never knew where his father grew up, or his paternal grandparents and other relatives from his father’s side. He grew up with his grandmother and other relatives and learned norms and several languages of the black community. He tells Fresh Air’s Terry Gross, “My maternal grandmother, Nomaliza Frances, kept me locked in the house when I was staying with the family in Soweto… when the police did show up, it was a constant game of hide-and-seek.” Mostly, Noah associated and grew up among the blacks, hence he identifies himself as black despite being mixed race. Growing up, his mother was a strict disciplinarian and staunch Christian. His childhood involved church at least four times a week and on Sundays they attended three different churches. Trevor attended Maryvale College, a well-to-do private Catholic school where classes were taught by nuns. This was supported and financed by the company at which his mother was employed. Coincidentally, around that time, the apartheid regime was coming to an end and schools were accepting students of all races. He went through Sandringham School for his secondary education, and in his book Born a Crime, he is quoted as saying that he wanted to pursue computer
CELEBRITY PROFILE
programming after high school but could not proceed to university due to the lack of tuition. Because of the racial tensions in their relationship, his parents broke up, and Patricia married Abel Ngisaveni, an auto mechanic, in 1992, and bore Noah’s siblings Andrew and Isaac. However, Ngisaveni’s mechanic business went under and he spiralled into alcoholism, physically abusing both Trevor and his mother. The couple legally divorced in 1996. In 2009, after she married Sfiso Khoza, in a jealous rage, Ngisaveni shot Patricia in the leg and through the back of the head. She survived as the bullet went through the base of her head, avoiding the spinal cord, brain, and all major nerves and blood vessels, exiting with minor damage to her nostril. In 2011, he was convicted of attempted murder, and sentenced the following year to three years of correctional supervision. In November 2016, Born a Crime was published and received favourably by major U.S. book reviewers. The book is a collection of his personal tales and experiences of growing up in South Africa, giving readers a look at what has shaped and influenced him. It became a #1 New York Times bestseller and was named one of the best books of the year by The New York Times, Newsday, Esquire, NPR, and Booklist. It was announced that a film adaptation based on the book would star Lupita Nyong’o as Trevor’s mother. She will also serve as the film’s co-producer alongside Noah. He has also made cameo TV appearances - in 2017 on Nashville, and 2018 in Black Panther and American Vandal. Noah was named one of “The 35 Most Powerful People in New York Media” by The Hollywood Reporter in 2017 and 2018. In 2018, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He is a polyglot; he speaks English, Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, Tswana, Tsonga, Afrikaans, Spanish and German. He has said of his comedic influences, “The kings are indisputable. Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby. Personally I didn’t know of Eddie Murphy before I started comedy, but he changed my view and I definitely look up to him as a comedic influence. Chris Rock in terms of the modern black comedian, and Dave Chappelle. Those are the guys that have laid the foundation and have moved the yardstick for all comedians, not just Black comedians.” In April 2018, as a way of giving back, he set up the Trevor Noah Foundation, a Johannesburg-based non-profit organisation that equips orphans and vulnerable youth with the education, life skills, and social capital necessary to pursue further opportunity. Noah is currently ranked number 4 in the top 10 richest comedians in the world. As of February 2020, his estimated net worth was roughly $30m. He lives in New York City and is currently single since breaking up with his girlfriend of four years, model and singer Jordin Taylor, in 2018. Compiled by Dora B. M. www.ngaaliinflightmag.com
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CUISINE
The
ohhh -so
-yummy
Ugandan Rolex Words and pictures by Sasha Martin
Uganda’s ‘Rolex’ is a breakfast luxury that can be purchased on any street corner. Whipped egg is the gold setting. Precious studs of tomato and purple onion glitter across the surface like garnet and amethyst, while fine strands of cabbage sparkle like peridot. The completed jewel is nestled safely in a soft chapati wrap. Ridiculous? Maybe. But shouldn’t everyday food be as precious as a “real” Rolex?
What is a Ugandan Rolex?
Rolex is classic Ugandan street food. The similarity to the luxury watch brand is happenstance: Once upon a time the vendors who made this treat called out “Rolled Eggs” – nothing more. The basic idea is eggs cooked with cabbage, onion, tomato, and sometimes peppers, which are then wrapped in a chapati. But, as the words careened off their tongue, “Rolled Eggs” sounded more like “Rolex” to visitors. Gradually the (quite fun) misinterpretation stuck.
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CUISINE
How do you make a Rolex?
To prepare a Rolex in the true Ugandan spirit, a few steps must be followed.
•
•
•
First, make your way to Uganda… then set up your station. A mug or cup must be used to mix the ingredients together. A standard to oversized mug easily holds all the ingredients for a 2-egg Rolex. The high sides make whipping the mixture together a splash-free activity. No wonder all the street vendors use one! Second, the egg mixture must be poured onto a hot, welloiled pan and spread out with the same spoon used to whip the eggs. Again, this is all about thinking like a street vendor: No use getting another utensil dirty! Once the first side is cooked, flip the eggs over. They should be lightly browned. As they cook, the hot eggs steam and soften the harsh crunch of cabbage and onion, while also stewing the tomatoes. A good dash of salt brings the flavours together into a craveable bite of Uganda.
Here’s the next pro tip from Uganda: •
•
While the eggs are still in the pan, top them with a large chapati. The steam coming off the eggs will soften the chapati and make it easier to roll. Finally, many Rolex are wrapped in newspaper for serving. Not all Ugandans do this – fancier street vendors slide them into cellophane baggies – though some claim the newsprint provides great flavour. Say what you will about ingesting newsprint, there’s rustic charm to the practice. It soaks up any stray cooking oil or juices …
My daughter Ava wasn’t keen on eating newsprint, so she quickly removed hers. Her final assessment? Yum. Yum. Yum. For the record, I agree. Between 2010 and 2013, Sasha Martin cooked a meal from every country in the world and eventually prepared 675 recipes from allover the planet – in total, a seven-year effort. Each of these recipes are available on her blog, Global Table Adventure. www.ngaaliinflightmag.com
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KEEPERS of the CULTURE
The Batwa are an amazing indigenous group of people with excellent and interactive cultural experiences that one would not want to miss while visiting Uganda.
T
FOREST
he Batwa, or Twa, commonly known as pygmies, are an enchanted group of people around Echuya Forest Reserve in Kisoro and Kabale districts of South-Western Uganda. The Echuya is located in the Albertine Rift and recognised as an important eco-region and top birding destination. The Batwa are believed to have migrated from the Ituri Forest of the Democratic Republic of Congo in search of wild animals to hunt, hence the name Kisoro, literally translating to “the area occupied by wild animals�.
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CULTURE
...God gifted humanity differently; He gave some people vast lands, beauty and height, and gifted the Batwa with the forest.
The Batwa, regarded as the “keepers of the forest�, co-existed peacefully with all creatures including mountain gorillas, until their haven was gazetted as Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to conserve gorillas in 1991. The history of these small-statured people is long and rich. They survived by hunting small game using arrows or nets and gathering plants and fruit in the rainforest. They lived in huts constructed with leaves
and branches, moving frequently in search of fresh supplies of food. Some anthropologists estimate that pygmy tribes such as the Batwa have existed in the equatorial forests of Africa for 60,000 years or more. According to folklore, during creation, God gifted humanity differently; He gave some people vast lands, beauty and height, and gifted the Batwa with the forest. As such, they felt God had rejected
them when the 6,700-strong Batwa community were evicted. Overnight, they had become trespassers on their own land. Forced out and threatened with imprisonment, they moved to the fringes of the park, where they are now illegal squatters. Their tools and skills were not useful in the new modern environment, so most of them resorted to doing odd jobs, begging, poaching and even stealing. www.ngaaliinflightmag.com
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CULTURE Traditionally, the Batwa had three main types of houses: caves, omuririmbo and ichuro. The caves and omuririmbo were the main houses where they lived. Ichuro was used for resting and storing food including meat, honey, beans and sorghum. They were exceptional hunters, traditional healers, rainmakers, and still make fire by rubbing small sticks together. They had a special way of worshipping and offering sacrifices, especially when thanking the gods after a successful hunt. Worshipping was mainly
smeared their skins with animal dung to prevent sunburn. After a successful hunt, a Mutwa would celebrate the achievement by naming his children after the animal or a location in the forest. When a Mutwa died, they were buried in a hut after digging a small hole and wrapping the corpse in grass. A medicine man would come by to cleanse the bereaved family members to prevent the deceased’s spirit from attacking them. After burial, the family would migrate to a far off place and never return.
smoking a pipe, and still do. When a woman was pregnant, she was fed on meat, honey, vegetables and herbs to boost her health and that of the unborn baby. During childbirth, fellow women used pieces of bamboo to cut the umbilical cord before the baby was wrapped in clean animal skins and taken near a fireplace for warmth. A bow and arrow was placed in a newborn’s palms as a sign of protection. Sadly, this way of life is vanishing. But all is not lost. In 2000, members
According to customs, a Mutwa could not marry a non-Mutwa, and getting pregnant before marriage was forbidden. Marriages were arranged by parents, and gifts like beads, new and well-oiled animal skins, honey from stingless bees, beer brewed with honey, and meat were given to a girl’s family before marriage. The meat of the squirrel was always preferred since it was hard to hunt, and it was given to the mother-in-law. Adultery was prohibited. The men smoked tobacco and opium when destined to propose marriage. According to them, opium smoked in the right amounts gave one the courage and sweet words to win the heart of the most beautiful woman in the village, and made the bride’s eyes appreciate the physical features of the groom. Many marriages among the Batwa owed their fruition to
of the community formed the United Organisation for Batwa Development in Uganda (UOBDU), which works to support the tribe in areas such as education, housing, and income generation. Together with Uganda Wildlife Authority, they set up cultural experiences during which visitors spend time with them, see how they live, and learn about the tools and tricks they used to survive for centuries in Uganda’s tangled forests.
Right: Batwa children are now attending school and learning to read and write
done in sacred huts by elders anointed by grandparents. When they slaughtered an animal with a strange organ such as an abnormally tiny heart, they would worship the organ as a god. The men and women used leaves and skins of animals, especially duikers and bushbucks, as clothing. The children dressed in small skins of young animals strapped at the shoulders, and women used the skins for beautification and to carry their children on their backs. The long sinuous creepers (emise) that hang from the trees best exemplify the Batwa’s connection with the forest. They would weave cords from them and use them to tie the animal skins around their waists, and pound fruit seeds from omuruguya (Carapa procera tree) to obtain an oily liquid which they smeared on their skin to make it soft. The elderly 82
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Visiting the Batwa
A magnificent opportunity to experience the forest through their eyes, this is a full-day adventure organised in two tours - the Batwa Cultural Experience at Bwindi, and the Batwa Cultural Trail at Mgahinga. Before the trail, the guide (a Mutwa), dressed in
CULTURE traditional attire, kneels down and chants an ancient prayer to Biheeko, god of the forest, praying for a blessing throughout the walk. In Bwindi, the experience starts at a Batwa homestead, where after a warm welcome, your one-hour cultural immersion will begin. You will observe how the women prepare, cook and serve a meal, and engage with medicine men to learn about the medicinal properties of the lush forest flora. You will learn about the Batwa’s fascinating way of life; from religion, food gathering and hunting techniques to fire-making skills, as well as music performed on wooden instruments and animal-skin drums. You’ll also learn how they build their huts, including the high-up ‘nests’ they build in trees to protect small children from marauding predators. Finally, you can learn how bananas are used to make juice, beer and gin – and taste the results! At Mgahinga you can take the Batwa Cultural Trail, a gentle fivehour nature walk through the forest accompanied by community guides, who will show you how they forage for food, trap animals with snares made from branches, and make tools and medicines out of plants. The climax of this trail is at Garama Cave, a 200m-long lava tube that was once a royal residence. This is where their king used to keep his virgins, captured from neighbouring kingdoms in Congo and Ankole during battle, and it was a hiding place for the entire tribe during warfare. Here, members of the tribe perform songs coined around the good old times, their strong voices reverberating through the dark hollow cave. The money earned from these cultural excursions goes back to Batwa communities in the form of food, clothes, scholastic materials for children and medical services, all aimed at improving their standard of living. Similarly, the ventures are a source of employment for the Batwa people since they are the main participants as guides, dancers and porters.
What you need to know
On your arrival in the area, you might be approached by independent ‘guides’ offering to take you to a Batwa community. These unregulated tours may well be exploitative and should be avoided. Stick to official tours only – those run by the UOBDU, the Uganda Wildlife Authority, or the Batwa Development Programme. Ask at your accommodation or at the Batwa craft shop (close to the entrance to Bwindi) for more information. The Batwa Culture Trail in Mgahinga costs $80, while the Cultural Experience
in Bwindi costs $100. The grounds are muddy and slippery, and the forest weather is unpredictable. Travellers are advised to wear hiking boots, hats, rain jackets and sweaters, and carry walking sticks. Spending time with the Batwa isn’t just a fascinating opportunity to learn about centuries-old nomadic forest living, but a rewarding introduction to a proud community that will leave you feeling both inspired and moved. Compiled by Dora B. M.
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CONSERVATION
Gorillas in our Midst A recent census reveals that the species is escaping extinction. Sarah Marshall finds out why while on a conservation-themed tour of Uganda.
B
ouncing through the undergrowth like a furry football, juvenile gorilla Masanyu is entertaining a small crowd. One of the amused observers, Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, is especially pleased to see this member of the Rushegura troop; the only surviving offspring of famous silverback Kanyonyi. He rightly deserves the name (Masanyu), which translates as ‘joy’. Although she has tracked great apes more than 300 times, Uganda’s first dedicated gorilla doctor is still enchanted by the enigmatic animals inhabiting Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. “Kanyonyi was my favourite,” she says, wistfully recalling the famous mountain gorilla which died in 2017. “He was wonderful - small, but very well-mannered, and the women liked him. He had grown up seeing people all his life.” When Gladys first arrived in Bwindi 25 years ago as a veterinary student, only two groups of Uganda’s mountain gorillas were habituated for tourism, and the species was listed as critically endangered by the International Union For Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Today, there are 18 groups visited by tourists, and the number of mountain gorillas in the Bwindi-Sarambwe ecosystem is estimated to be 459, according to results of a 2018 census that were released in 2019. Combined with data from a 2016 survey conducted in the Virunga Massif, that brings the world’s wild population 84
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to 1,063 - an increase partly down to work conducted by Gladys and her team. Proving diseases could easily be transmitted between humans, gorillas and livestock, she set up an NGO - Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH), to help communities surrounding Bwindi Impenetrable Forest improve their health and hygiene. “Before, we were only looking at parasites, but now we are starting to look more regularly at bacteria salmonella, shigella - the kind that are common in the community and can be fatal to gorillas,” she says back at her research station, where tourists can also stay and witness conservation work in action. The five rooms and two tents are simple. Set high up, where hills roll into infinity and mist rises from the forest canopy like wisps of smoke, they have the best view in Bwindi. Inside her laboratory, Gladys - who was shortlisted for a Tusk Conservation Award in 2019 - lines up several plastic pots filled with gorilla faeces, carefully examining their contents under a microscope. Despite the obvious unpleasantness, collecting samples isn’t easy. Earlier that morning, we had battled with stinging nettles and belligerent troops of ants to find nests built by the Rushegura troop the night before. Every evening, gorillas make a temporary bed from leaves, which they inconveniently position on steep slopes, with the silverback always watching guard from the top. Conveniently, though, many
CONSERVATION
of them choose to do their morning business here, and once a month samples are collected by CTPH for examination. Rangers in the park have also been trained on how to gather this poo. “We started doing it in 2005,” says Gladys, who is now based in Entebbe but visits Bwindi at least once a month. “We always find parasites and have to decide if a gorilla needs to be treated. “We are also finding that some gorillas are getting antibiotic-resistant bacteria through contact with humans,” she adds. Most of this interaction occurs when animals venture beyond the park boundaries into inhabited land. A dense mass of coiled vines, umbrella ferns and thick vegetation growing on near-vertical slopes, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is surprisingly small. Measuring just 330km2, it’s possible for the gorillas to walk across it in a matter of hours, and with increasing pressure on space, many groups stray into community areas to raid crops or banana plantations. Tourism too has increased human contact with the apes, and Gladys is one of the forces behind a campaign to persuade visitors to wear masks during gorilla encounters. “The campaign is getting close; we should be there within the next five years,” she says confidently. “Some people say it’s not all that helpful wearing a mask, but it makes people conscious that we’re dealing with an endangered species and we have to be careful.” Despite the inevitable impact caused by regular human contact, she is a great supporter of gorilla tourism and even accompanies visitors on treks. “Conservation efforts are paying off and tourism has contributed to that,” she claims, referring to the increasing amount of revenue brought into the country – with gorilla treks now costing upwards of $700 from July 2020 (a rise of $100, although still 50% of the price in neighbouring Rwanda). “Once you have community benefits, local people are
more tolerant to gorillas destroying their banana plants.” While many people receive direct financial benefits from tourism through employment in lodges or as porters on treks, others are not so fortunate. To combat that, CTPH founded Gorilla Conservation Coffee, buying coffee beans at a premium price from farmers in the regions surrounding Bwindi. The product, which features an illustration of Kanyonyi on the bags, is sold at CTPH’s café in Entebbe and is exported to America. Tourists visiting Bwindi can also participate in a coffee safari, learning about the cultivation process from bean to cup. “Yes, we still get gorillas coming here,” chuckles farm owner Sam Karibwende as we stroll around his estate, picking ripe red cherries from plants. As head of the coffee farmers’ cooperative, which has risen from 75 to 500 members, he understands the value of wildlife. “But we know how to deal with them.” And, he admits, gorillas are always full of surprises – something Gladys knows only too well. “I learn something new every time,” she says, speaking of her many encounters which have even involved trekking into the night. “When it comes to gorillas, you can’t know enough.”
Fact box
Conservation Through
Public Health (www.ctph.org,
+256- 772 -330 139) offers an Intimate Gorilla Experience
& tracking led by Dr Gladys
Kalema Zikusoka from $1452,
which includes guiding and
accommodation in Buhoma. Gorilla tracking permits
cost extra, and booking is required.
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CONSERVATION
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CONSERVATION
Facts about
Gorilla Infants Much like human babies, gorilla infants are cute; they crawl before learning to walk and they love breast milk. Here are some interesting facts about these tiny primates who share about 98.3 percent of their DNA with humans. • Female gorillas carry a pregnancy for about 8 to 9 months just like human females. • A ‘baby’ gorilla is called an infant and is about two times smaller than a human baby. They usually weigh 1.4kg to 1.8kg. • For about three to four months they ride on the back of their mothers. They learn to sit upright at 3 months, and learn to crawl at 6 months before learning to walk at around nine months. • Mountain gorillas reproduce once or twice a decade, and infants stay with their mothers for three to four years, nursing for about two and a half years. • Like humans, the male gorilla becomes an adult at the age of 15, while the female matures a bit earlier at the age of ten. • When males reach maturity, they may leave their group to live as solitary silverbacks, or to start a new family group. • The female gorilla breeds at the average age of 12 while the male gorilla breeds at the average age of 16.
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work
ART
Intricately beaded art, like a kaleidoscopic spiderweb, has become an emblem not only of the Maasai tribe’s East African homelands, but even of the spirit of adventure that encapsulates Africa itself. Words and pictures by Mark Eveleigh
T
he statuesque warrior with the shimmering earrings, bangles and shining assegai (spear), and the dark maiden with the undulating necklace framing her face have become East African icons. Yet these colourful images are a relatively recent import. Traditionally, the Maasai created their jewellery using natural materials such as grass, shells, seeds, clay, wood and bone. Cowrie shells from the Swahili Coast were (and still are) particularly sought-after, and later, explorers and slavers – both Europeans and Arabs – brought trade-goods in the form of copper, brass wire and eye-catching glass beads that captivated the Maasai, all too often literally. More recently, as trade spread into the interior, backcountry dukas (general stores) opened – often run by entrepreneurial Indian immigrants – and production of Maasai beadwork became even more prolific as a result of a profusion of more readily available and inexpensive plastic beads. The dukas also supplied cheaper versions of the checked red and black blankets that replaced the traditional Maasai shuka robes. To this day, Maasai will recognise fellow clansmen by their blankets much as Scotsmen will celebrate the sight of familiar tartan (although in the case of the Maasai, it is less a tribal emblem and more simply the fact that a particular blanket has become popular at the local duka). At 72 years old, Kipinketene Sankaire is old enough to remember a time in her remote manyatta (village) near NairagieEnkare when most jewellery was made from less colourful natural materials. “Those were happier days,” she says. “The materials we used were strong and bones were plentiful. The land gave us what we needed; we collected scented grass to make perfumes and we made belts 88
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out of hides. It’s unlike now when everything has to be bought and many Maasai just produce their beadwork as a stepping stone for other people’s businesses.” As in Western culture, the use of more intricate and abundant jewellery will show a person’s status, but Maasai can decipher a wealth of information about an individual’s class, clan or marital status with just the merest glance at their jewellery. While a married woman will wear a long necklace of blue beads known as nborro, unmarried women will sport a wide and beautiful beaded necklace that, during dances, undulates hypnotically with a movement said to be reminiscent of the dewlaps of the tribe’s precious cattle. When a girl is married, she might wear a necklace that reaches even to her knees. Often there will be long strands hanging from it to represent the dowry of cows that will be paid to complete the union. These marriage collars may become highly prized heirlooms – the possession of which is matched only by the possession of the all-important cattle – and visitors should consider very carefully before tempting local people into parting with them. Throughout Kenya and Tanzania, bead adornments, often now made from cheaper plastic or glass, have become an important source of income for many Maasai, with many visitors wanting to take home a tangible souvenir from their safari that will remind them of the legendary aristocrats of the savannah. The tribe’s northern cousins, the Samburu, have a historical
ART
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ART
Above: Designer Anna Trzebinski and some of her Maasaiinspired works
Right: Christian Louboutin Maasai-inspired heels
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tradition of beadwork all of their own that is all too often overshadowed by visitors who are unaware of the often subtle cultural distinctions between the region’s many tribes. Outsiders often detail the significance of colour choice (usually relating to the tribe’s precious cattle; white for milk, green to signify lush grazing, etc) but the Maasai themselves invariably deny this and claim that they simply choose colours that appear attractive together. African Heritage was established in 1978 as the first Pan-African gallery in Africa and once housed the finest collection of African beadwork in the world. Boasting 500 craftsmen and 51 outlets, African Heritage was once described by the World Bank as ‘the largest, most organised craft retail and wholesale operation in Africa’. Lately, The African Heritage Design Company (renamed after it acquired new ownership in 2003) has been focusing on exports and has opened a new outlet at Nairobi’s Villa Rosa Kempinski that offers contemporary home décor pieces inspired by the Maasai and other communities. “Our goal is to make a difference to local communities,” says owner Makena Mwiraria. “We don’t want to just work with a community and then leave them in the same situation we found them. An export operation like ours – involving Maasai beadwork – could provide jobs for hundreds of women, and we can also help them by supplying household items that they need – solar lights for example.” The influence of Maasai beadwork has reached far beyond the dusty game-trails of East Africa and onto the polished catwalks of Europe, where dresses by Emilio Pucci and elegantly beaded stilettos by Christian Louboutin have wowed the fashion world. British designers Kokon To Zai produced an entire line of beaded clothes that they call ‘Maasai Punk’. Anna Trzebinski (www.annatrzebinski.com), perhaps Nairobi’s most famous designer, has developed Maasai beadwork in subtle ways to produce gems like her Tibetan pashmina and silk shawl which is trimmed with ostrich feathers and Maasai beading, and her ‘Maa Gladiator’ goat-suede and bead sandals. “The Maasai are held in high esteem for their continued respect for their culture, and their beadwork has become known as one of the most celebrated and widely recognised forms of tribal jewellery. Even in an era when many Maasai children are leaving to look for work in the cities, some excel in art. Maasai beadwork is becoming more popular and these young Maasai will be the cultural ambassadors of their people’s artistic tradition in the future,” says Mwiraria.
ART
FACT-FILE Getting there and around:
It is possible to take domestic flights to safari hotspots
such as Maasai Mara and Amboseli in the heart of the Maasai homelands. Most visitors arrange domestic
transport as part of a safari package but for those with
an intrepid streak, it is possible to hire fully equipped
self-drive safari vehicles from reputable companies like Erikson Rover Safaris (www.roversafari.com).
Where to stay
For many people, a visit to a Maasai community or a trek
with warrior trackers is an unexpected highpoint of their
East African safari. Porini Safari Camps (www.porini.com) have wonderful safari properties in Maasai conservancy
areas in Maasai Mara and Amboseli regions. Apart from
offering some of the best guided safari game-drives and walks in Africa, they also work closely with local
Maasai communities and provide insightful tours of local
manyattas and warrior camps.
Gamewatchers (www.porini.com) offers a 6-night Porini
Migration special offer safari with a night on arrival at
Nairobi Tented Camp, followed by accommodation at
their Porini Camps in the Maasai Mara on an all-inclusive basis (including meals, soft drinks, wine, guided
bush-walks with the Maasai, day and night drives with
qualified Maasai guides, conservancy, and park fees), with return flights from Nairobi.
Where to experience tribal cultures
While Kenya’s Maasai Mara is often seen as the Maasai heartlands, Tanzania’s celebrated Serengeti National
Park and Ngorongoro Crater are also unbeatable safari
locations in Maasai territory. Serengeti and Maasai Mara
are world famous for the great wildebeest migration –
known as the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth – but if you want to avoid crowds and have the freedom to
explore on foot, choose to stay at a tribal conservancy
on the fringe of the Mara (the park is unfenced anyway
so wildlife is just as abundant on the boundaries). For a completely different safari experience, head to the
Samburu National Reserve where Saruni Samburu
(www.saruni.com) offers an unbeatable insight into the Samburu, the Maasai’s less famous but equally
aristocratic northern cousins.
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ROOM WITH A VIEW
ZANZIBAR
WHITE SANDS
L
ocated on the beachfront of Paje, Zanzibar White Sands looks out over the crystalline waters of the Indian Ocean and pristine white sands of one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The Relais and Chateaux property has 11 villas set across 4 hectares of lush, tropical gardens offering space and privacy. The villas each have two units connected by an exotic garden with a terrace, private swimming pool and outdoor bathtub all with views over the beach; a great option for families as well as romantic breaks. The food is of an exceptional standard, using fruit, vegetables and herbs from their own organic garden and the freshest caught seafood daily. You can choose to dine in the main restaurant, the villa’s private dining space, or simply lunch in the beach bar which offers seafood and a meat barbecue, salads and healthy smoothies. Situated in the gardens is a spa which has massage rooms, a steam room and sauna. While relaxation is a strong theme here, Zanzibar offers the opportunity to engage in a wide range of activities. Paje is considered one of the best kitesurfing beaches in the world and there is an opportunity to explore UNESCO world heritage site, Stone Town, participate in spice tours, discover the Jozani Forest, paddle board or swim with dolphins. Room rates start from $220 pp and villas start at $495 pp half board.
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ROOM WITH A VIEW
Nature meets culture at
EMBURARA
FARM LODGE E
mburara is a high-end fully-fledged eco-cultural village promoting cultural tourism and conservation of flora and fauna in a fresh, serene and relaxed farm environment. It is surrounded by rolling hills, vast ranches and banana plantations. Located in Mbarara District in Western Uganda, the lodge derives its name from a local tall grass called emburara (hyperemia ruffa), which the Ankole cattle keepers treasured and still revere as the best fodder for their cows because it boosts the fat content of milk thus enabling the production of high grade cow ghee. Here, guests are introduced to the history and traditions of ancient Ankole Kingdom through music, dance, and the traditional food of this tribe of tall cattle keepers. Most importantly, at Emburara, they tell you the story and invite you to experience the life, culture and norms around the beautiful, gentle long horned Ankole cattle, so you too can know why they are so treasured! During your stay, the staff, led by their warm, vivacious General Manager, Leslie Rabie, organise a complimentary farm tour on which guests get to partake in a number of herding activities like Okukama (milking), Okuriisa (herding cattle), and Okweshera (taking cows to the watering trough) among others. John, the seasoned herdsman, is supportive and patient. You will love the complementarity of his approach and teaching style, full of so much knowledge, humour and passion for the gentle animals. As guests relax at the fireplace at night (located in the middle of a lush flower garden), they are treated to folklore and electrifying dances of the Ankole tribe. One such dance is Ekitaguriro, whose elegant choreography reflects the Banyankole’s strong admiration for their cattle. As expected of a luxurious lodge, Emburara is spotless and boasts elegant decor, and the architectural design of its eco-friendly huts dates back to the 16th Century. They have a cozy interior and warm lighting, and crested cranes and white cattle egrets can be spotted from the comfort of your porch. If you can’t endure the 9 hour drive from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to Kampala after your gorilla trek, Emburara offers a great break because it is located midway between Bwindi and the capital. For more information on activities and rates, please visit www.emburarafarmlodge.com 94
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ECTAERCIIS
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lad in a pair of '70s inspired leather pants, Kiara Kabukuru stomped to the beats of a live jazz performance as she opened Tommy Hilfiger and Zendaya’s TommyxZendaya Spring 2020 show, held in Harlem’s iconic Apollo Theatre during New York Fashion Week last September. During the show, the 44-year-old model of Ugandan heritage led a group of diverse models who walked the show, with appearances from 67-year-old Joani Johnson, a heavily pregnant Ashley Graham and Alek Wek. For an industry with an insatiable obsession with novelty and perfection, this '70s-city-street-themed show was not just fun to watch, but also a breath of fresh air. That it was a famous Ugandan model from the '90s who opened the show made the whole extravaganza an even bigger deal. Kabukuru is not new to this; she opened a slew of shows back in her heyday, her most nerve wracking experience being a show for designer John Galliano. “He (Galliano) told me that I’d be opening the show for his cruise collection here in New York, which was the iconic primitive show that they did, with the bones and all these things. I was actually gonna come up from underground, and open a trap door to come into this huge audience. I had not opened a show like that before,” she told Vogue Italia in an interview. However, her TommyxZendaya appearance was a fresh new adventure. Having been absent from the
runway for over 20 years, and returning not just to walk, but to open a show as buzzy as Tommy Hilfiger’s, at a time when models are scouted off Instagram and become famous without doing much, this was a walk of triumph. Inviting her back just for this show was proof that she had left an indelible mark on the industry despite the hiatus. Kabukuru, best known as a CoverGirl Cosmetics model, was born Alice Kabukuru on July 31, 1975 in Kampala, Uganda, and hails from Ankole. At the age of 16, she was discovered by photographer Bill Bodwell in a Los Angeles shopping centre, and her exotic African allure immediately caught the attention of bookers. It is then that her name was changed from Alice to Kiara at the suggestion of her then agent at Ford models, who felt ‘Kiara’ sounded more exotic. It’s hard to imagine anyone thinking that Kabukuru needed to be more exotic. Her father, a very wealthy and powerful man in Uganda, was marked for assassination for being against the regime. In 1980, her parents fled the country, and Kabukuru and her three siblings and grandparents were smuggled into Kenya. A year later, when she was six, Amnesty International helped reunite the family in Los Angeles, but the whole family dynamic had changed. Her father had a nervous breakdown and they all went into survival mode. She has famously said that from a young age, she had her sights set on New York, because that’s what www.ngaaliinflightmag.com
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Above: Kabukuru walks the TommyxZendaya Spring 2020 show at the iconic Apollo Theatre
‘different’ people did, and she was going to be ‘different’. Growing up, she said, “Everybody started telling me that I should be a model.” Everyone, that is, except her parents. “I was skinny, I was boyish, I thought I just didn’t have what they considered beautiful.” But Boldwell thought differently. Her first booking was for a Coca-Cola commercial. “I had this short little Afro. The ad said they were looking for the classic all-American beauty, and I thought to myself, Hey!” she said. This Coke commercial led to her first job in New York, a Levi’s ad shot by Albert Watson. She was then sent around to the big design houses. Her consummate professionalism and youthful spirit immediately won the hearts of the industry’s most esteemed photographers and designers. On one of her first nights out in the city, she ended up in the East Village at Café Tabac, where supermodels Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Stephanie Seymour and Elaine Irwin were all seated together at a table. “It was such a moment for me,” Kabukuru said. “Like, I’m in New York! With these women! And I’m actually modelling!” It was Tom Ford, then creative director of Gucci, who ushered the Ugandan newcomer into the spotlight with a career-changing opportunity as the face of the Italian brand. He booked her exclusively for the Gucci shows in Milan and the brand’s advertising campaign. She then earned her stripes walking every show from Calvin Klein, Dior, Balmain, Moschino, Dolce & Gabbana, Alexander McQueen, Yves Saint Laurent to Versace, and appearing on covers of top-tier fashion publications such as Vogue Germany, Elle, Spanish Vogue, I-D and a solo appearance on the July 1997 cover of American Vogue photographed by Steven Meisel. She went ahead to land multiple lucrative beauty campaigns for L’Oreal and CoverGirl, a nomination as VH1’s Model Of The Year, and appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show and America’s Next Top Model.
“It was such a moment for me, like, I’m in New York! With these women! And I’m actually modelling!” In 2000, as her career was at its peak, the model suffered a horrific accident where she was hit by an 18-wheeler truck whilst cycling on the streets of New York City. It was Memorial Day weekend and her boyfriend was on his way from London to visit her in 98
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FASHION New York. She was riding her new bicycle to pick up candles and flowers when tragedy befell her. The truck, which was manned by an unlicensed driver, slammed into her, dragging her along the pavement. In utter pain and shock, Kabukuru picked her teeth off the ground when the truck finally stopped. At the hospital, she said, “Everybody was looking at me like, ‘Oh, my God.’ And nobody would bring me a mirror.” The skin on her arms and back had been ripped off. Her jaw, teeth, and gums had to be reconstructed. Her ribs, pelvis, sacrum, pubic bone and right ankle were broken. She was in excruciating pain and went through multiple surgeries. It would take seven reconstructive surgeries to rebuild her jaw alone. She spent the next five years in Los Angeles, close to her family, rebuilding her life through intensive physical rehab, therapy, meditation and yoga. Miraculously, her skin healed without any visible scarring. Eight years later, with encouragement from supermodel Gisele Bündchen, her close friend of over 20 years, she slowly bounced back, appearing in the iconic all-black issue of Vogue Italia in 2008. She also signed a new contract with CoverGirl. These were still baby steps back into a career that had given her everything, but she was still a bit shell-shocked and not ready to commit. Instead, she studied acting and helped start a nonprofit, Women for the World, of which she was the vice president. The stunning 5’9” tall supermodel had nothing but lessons from the tumultuous experience. In a chat with Bundchen for CR Fashion Book, she talked about how she managed to smile even when all her front teeth were gone. “I remember feeling grateful. I really thought it was the end, and when it wasn’t, I felt really lucky to be alive. It also gave me access to all the hurt I was carrying. I was surprised to find that I was upset about my childhood in Uganda, which was filled with the violence of war and of the domestic variety. Maybe it’s my inquisitiveness and fascination with the psyche, but I chose to get to the bottom of it, and at times I felt so lost having dug all this stuff up. But something kept me going, I believed with faith that I would find my purpose through
this mining,” she intimated. Her purpose now is “forgiveness and unconditional love, to transcend all these traumatic events in my life. No matter what I’m doing, the question is always, how I can give unconditional love in that moment.” In 2010, she returned to her apartment in Manhattan, although with trepidation, because she was so freaked out about the city. Here, she learned of the work of Momentum Bike Clubs, which provides mentoring services to at-risk youth, encouraging healthy exercise while forging positive relationships. She became drawn to their good work and decided to get on a bicycle for the first time since her accident, to ride with the children. Since she first connected with Momentum Bike Clubs in 2011, she has made several trips to the Upstate to ride with the club’s youth, sharing her story of resilience and hope. She has also been making quiet but calculated steps back into the fashion industry. She walked Tom Ford’s Fall 2013 show, appeared in editorials for W Magazine, Muse, CR Fashion Book, American Vogue, and advertising campaigns for the now defunct Barneys New York and Avon. All these projects were done between 2013 and 2015. She reappeared to open the TommyxZendaya Spring 2020 show, before starring on the cover of Dior’s Dior Moments Of Joy Book 2019 in October, modelling a tiger print jacket designed by John Galliano. All this was done quietly with the same work ethic of the models of the ‘90s, working without making noise about what she was doing. She’s a very private person and is not on social media. She made a trip to Uganda to document her history as part of her efforts to write a memoir. “That trip was sensory overload for me,” she told Bündchen. “I learned that my great- grandfather chose to die of starvation, letting my great-grandmother and grandfather have the little food they had. My grandfather then went on to have 16 children. I have 60 first cousins on my mom’s side. So my great-grandfather’s sacrifice affected a lot of people. The most important thing I took away from that was how many people lived, died, struggled, sacrificed, and hustled for me to be here. I left feeling very lucky.” www.ngaaliinflightmag.com
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TRENDS
Classic
It’s a soothing, timeless shade that falls somewhere between mid-tone and deepblue on the colour spectrum. It represents intelligence, trustworthiness and maturity. The colour can also be described as honest, non-aggressive, and easily relatable. It oozes tranquillity, peace and relaxation; just what we need in the new decade.
Jacket – Iconic UG, Senana Mall, Buganda Road
Wing Chair – Danube Home, Plot 2c, Kampala Road
Bra Top – Lauma Lingerie, Ntinda Complex Scarf – Buganda Road Market
Power Bank – Pavan Computers, Ground Floor, Garden City Mall
Sneakers – Iconic UG, Senana Mall, Buganda Road
Wristwatch – Comforts and Pleasures, first floor, shop no. 32
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TRAVEL TIPS
Is the thought of packing for your next vacation daunting? These simple tips and tricks will save you the headache.
• Freshen Suitcases
Is your suitcase a bit musty? The night before packing, pour a cup of baking soda in it, close it and shake. In the morning, vacuum up the baking soda and the smell should be gone.
• Make a packing list
When it comes to packing, procrastinators fall short. Start your packing process days or even weeks ahead of your departure date; this gives you time to write a complete list, and purchase any additional items you might need for your vacation. Creating a packing list is a fail-safe way to ensure that you never forget to bring something important.
• Know your airline’s baggage fee policy
The inconsistency among airlines (especially the budget variety) can be pretty frustrating. Avoid surprises at the airport by knowing what you’re working with right from the start. A quick Google search before you pack can help save you loads of stress (and potential overweight fees!)
• Roll and vacuum pack
Don’t arrive at your holiday destination and be faced with a pile of ironing. To save space and stop creasing, roll your clothes instead of folding them, then place them in vacuum compression bags. To use these bags, put your clothes in, seal the bag, then squeeze the air out. This will leave you with lots more space in your suitcase and will prevent creases.
• Pack the first outfit you will wear last
If you know you’re getting off the plane and going straight to dinner or a meeting, plan your outfit and put it into your suitcase last. That way, when you arrive, you won’t have to dig through everything else to find it (plus, it will be less likely to wrinkle).
• Pack hand luggage wisely
No matter how well we decorate our suitcase, sometimes the unthinkable happens. Sometimes bags go missing. Make sure all your valuables are in your hand luggage and always pack a spare change of clothes in your hand luggage too, just in case the worst happens and your checked-in bag is lost/delayed. www.ngaaliinflightmag.com
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Safari packing list for gorilla trekking
Face masks and hand sanitiser
Hiking gloves to protect your hands and keep germs out
Camera and extra batteries to capture every moment
Rain jacket to keep you warm and dry
Hiking poles for support on slippery slopes
Hiking boots for great traction
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Healthy snacks and water to keep your energy up
TRAVEL TIPS
Travel Health Don’t let sickness stifle your travel plans. Here are tips to keep you in good health while in Uganda. Covid PCR Test And Masks All travellers will be required to present to the airline, proof of a negative PCR test result for COVID-19, conducted 72 hours or less before departure and done by a health facility accredited by the host Government. Passengers must carry along an official printed certificate as SMS and digital certificates will not be accepted. While in transit, the returnee will be required to adhere to the host country’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for safe travel and the SOPs provided by the airline while on the plane. This includes wearing a face mask and sanitisation. Yellow Fever Health Card A must for most African nations, get these from your doctor, and don’t wait until the last minute! Aside from vaccinations, don’t forget your necessary medications. According to the CDC, yellow fever vaccination is required to enter Uganda if you are travelling from a country with risk of transmission. First Aid Kit Out in the wilderness, the nearest town could be hours or even days away. This means catching a cold could turn into a miserable experience. That is why it’s important to pack some cough drops, Sudafed, diarrhoea medication, Aspirin, Dramamine, and allergy medication. You don’t need to bring a full first aid kit, as most lodges and guides have their own. Simply think about the first aid medications you may need if you start feeling sick. Hand Sanitiser Why not protect yourself as much as possible? Getting sick is tough, but getting sick on a safari could be a nightmare. There are times when clean water for hand washing may not be available, so hand sanitiser will come in handy.
Weather Calendar Best time to visit Uganda month by month: January to February This is one of the two best seasons out of the year to visit Uganda because this is considered a dry season with little to no rainfall. It is a popular time for trekking mountain gorillas and chimpanzees as well as birdwatching and viewing a variety of wildlife. March to May This is when the Uganda climate changes to one of the wet seasons. Some rains can be heavy, causing flooding and road inaccessibility. However, if you don’t mind the rain, you could save money during this time with reduced accommodation rates. You will also appreciate the lush scenery and abundance of migratory birds during this period. June to August Another dry season, this period is one of the best times to visit for wildlife viewing. It is possible that you could see some rains during these months, but it most likely will not ruin your itinerary. September to October While you can expect rainfall during these months, you should still be able to enjoy excellent opportunities to view wildlife. November November is when you may experience heavy rain showers turning the landscape green again. This is another good time to see migratory birds. December December is when the rains slack off and temperatures start to rise along with gorilla tracking rates. If you can’t stand the heat, December may present a better month to visit than January and February.
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animals Fun facts about
The horn of a rhinoceros is made from compacted hair rather than bone or another substance.
Cats use their whiskers to check whether a space is too small for them to fit through or not.
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Even when a snake has its eyes closed, it can still see through its eyelids.
NG’AALI KIDS Giant Arctic jellyfish have tentacles that can reach over 36 metres in length.
Despite the white, fluffy appearance of Polar Bear fur (which is transparent), it has black skin.
Sharks lay the biggest eggs in the world.
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GROUND SERVICES OPERATIONS: Ensuring A Seamless Customer Experience
A
s the aviation sector slowly recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, we at Uganda Airlines would like to reach out to all our valued customers and update you on some of the measures we are implementing to adapt, and the different ways we can enhance excellent customer service delivery across all our destinations. We are cognizant of the fact that our customers expect safety and security to be the top most priority. Our ground services operations personnel have ensured that our customers experience seamless safe and efficient service through elaborate Safety Measures, Safety Risk
Management, Safety Assurance, Safety Promotion and Safety Training in accordance with international regulatory requirements. Despite the challenges we continue to face, Uganda Airlines is committed to ensuring punctuality of all our flights across our network. Since the relaunch of our flights, Uganda Airlines has posted 100% on-time performance for all our departures and arrivals. This has been achieved through timeliness at check-in, and ease of boarding. In the unlikely event of Flight Disruptions (due to weather, technical issues etc) the airline has put in place effective measures to ensure that our passengers are catered for at all times. We have also ensured effective management of mishandled baggage by making sure that our passengers travel with their bags on the same flight. We are happy to report that since the relaunch of our services, one month ago, there has been no case of mishandled baggage and we intend to keep it this way! The COVID-19 crisis has shaken the aviation industry, putting it into an extremely vulnerable position as airlines and stakeholders strive to remain afloat. Having never faced a crisis of this nature before, the greatest challenges within Ground Services Operations in the context of the COVID-19 crisis are: • Rapidly changing and varying local and regional regulations. • Maintaining personnel readiness and staff training/retraining. • Maintaining equipment and facility readiness. • Maintaining/preparing for operational readiness for return to fullscale operations. • Safety of customers and employees, including compliance to new measures. In response to the crisis and to support the business, Uganda Airlines has developed COVID-19/pandemic related guidance material for Ground Operations, including aircraft cleaning and disinfection, ground handling return to service, guidance for ground operations during COVID-19, and safe transport of passengers. Additionally, Uganda
Airlines is constantly reviewing every aspect of our operations to ensure business continuity. In our effort to safeguard our valued customers, we have implemented the following preventive, protective and awareness measures in ground services, which will ensure operational efficiency including: • Revised SOP’s based on guidance from IATA, ICAO, global health and aviation authorities.
• •
•
•
Regular health meetings to ensure compliance and explore new ways to serve our customers in the advent of Covid-19. Update our ground operations personnel (including Ground Handling Agents) in virtual online training) in light of new health requirements. Ensure Covid-19 compliance by ensuring that adequate Protective Personal Equipment (PPE) such as gloves, masks, sanitisers are available to passengers and staff at all our customer touch points.
Regular sanitisation processes for all key areas such as wheelchairs, counters, lounges, etc. Currently, the Uganda Airlines Safety and Quality Control Program has taken a huge task to review existing handling capabilities including training compliance with every Ground Handling Company. During the first phase of this task, we have targeted the current operational airports of Uganda Airlines and will then move on as we launch new destinations. Uganda Airlines is implementing the following approach in order to mitigate the risk as much as can be, by applying the following measures in ground operations: • Enhanced hygiene routines. • Physical distancing. • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) e.g. sanitisers, medical masks, face covers, shields, goggles, gloves, gowns, aprons, etc. appropriate for the job to be performed by the wearer. • Health monitoring, screening and testing such as temperature measuring of personnel, symptom recognition, health declaration etc. • Maintaining crew rotations for 14-day periods to minimise crossteam infection. • Limitation of person to person documentation handover, including the implementation of digital document systems and data exchange wherever possible. • Maintaining awareness of human factors pertaining to additional safety measures. Companies need to pay attention to and offer employees all necessary support to help them maintain their wellbeing and mental health. We are proud to be of service to you, and pledge to support our airline and airport partners as best as we can. We hope that our entire industry will emerge from this pandemic soon – stronger and more resilient.
Harvey Kalama Manager Ground Operations Uganda Airlines
DID YOU KNOW?
The New Uganda Airlines
A330-800neo: Comfort Beyond Expectation!
ROUTES
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Expansion Map
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TRAVELLER REVIEW
“
There is no denying that a gorilla trek in the steep, damp forests of Bwindi National Park is one of the world’s great wildlife experiences – as is the equally thrilling chimp trekking at Kibale. However, this focus on the two great apes does not do justice to the breadth of Uganda’s appeal. Yes, the country may not offer quite the same sense of scale and spectacle as some of its larger neighbours. Small and heavily populated, it has fewer tracts of undisturbed wilderness. Yet, for its size, it is arguably the most biodiverse destination in Africa – a fact largely explained by its straddling of two very different biomes: the equatorial rainforests of the Congo Basin and the tropical savannahs of East Africa. A safari here offers both plains game and forest dwellers. Add to this the semi-arid country of the north, and you can end up with an amazing haul of species.”
MIKE UNWIN
“
Mike is an award-winning wildlife writer,
editor of Travel Zambia Magazine and
author of the Bradt Guide to Southern
Africa Wildlife.
WHAT TRAVEL EXPERTS THINK ABOUT UGANDA The best way to know what to expect of a destination is to seek what the experts say. Here are three travel experts who have visited Uganda several times and what they think about it.
STUART BUTLER
Stuart is a travel writer and author of
numerous Lonely Planet guidebooks,
including some about Kenya, Rwanda
and Tanzania.
“ ARIADNE VAN ZANDBERGEN
Ariadne is a renowned African wildlife
photographer whose work is featured in many well-known guidebooks
and magazines.
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It’s been said by famous people (Sir Winston Churchill for one) that Uganda is one of the most beautiful countries in Africa. As far as I am concerned, it’s one of the most beautiful countries in the world and I don’t just mean physically. The people, who are always smiling, are as beautiful and welcoming as the landscape. Uganda is fairly small, which means that within only 5 or 6 hours of landing at Entebbe International Airport, one can easily be in a rainforest tracking habituated chimps, watching a lion prowl a golden savannah-scape in the national parks, or put-puttering over the waters of Lake Victoria to the idyllic Ssese Islands. It’s geographically and climatically diverse; you can shiver through the snowfields of the Rwenzoris, more romantically known as the Mountains of the Moon, one day, and drive across an arid semi-desert landscape in the northeast the next. It’s friendly, safe and ethnically diverse.”
Uganda’s biggest attraction is mountain gorilla tracking. Seeing these gentle giants has been one of my best wildlife experiences ever. Aside from gorillas, the forests of Uganda are a good place to see a wide variety of primates including the charismatic chimpanzees. Many pop over to Uganda for a quick gorilla visit after their Kenya or Tanzania safari, but Uganda is a worthwhile savannah safari destination in its own right. Both Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls national parks offer good sightings of lions, elephants, buffalo and other savannah wildlife. The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is a great place to see White Rhino on foot. One of my highlights is the boat trip on the Nile to the base of Murchison Falls, where the water forces its way through the narrow gap in the Rift Valley escarpment. With more than 1,000 bird species, Uganda is a fantastic birding destination – even nonbirders will enjoy seeing specials like the prehistoric-looking Shoebill.”
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Our best travel book recommendations
BOOK SHELF
Seeking inspiration for your next trip to Africa? Pick up a book, be it a biography, historical page-turner or mesmerising novel. Our top Africa travel books all feature irresistible African settings and protagonists (real and fictionalised) who show tremendous passion, resilience and humanity in the face of adversity. We bet you’ll want to get on that plane to these destinations before you turn the last page!
DARK STAR SAFARI
By Paul Theroux In Dark Star Safari, the wittily observant and endearingly irascible Paul Theroux takes readers the length of Africa by rattletrap bus, dugout canoe, cattle truck, armed convoy, ferry, and train. In the course of his epic and enlightening journey, he endures danger, delay, and dismaying circumstances. Gauging the state of affairs, he talks to Africans, aid workers, missionaries, and tourists. What results is an insightful meditation on the history, politics, and beauty of Africa and its people, and a vivid portrayal of the secret sweetness, the hidden vitality, and the long-patient hope that lies just beneath the surface.
LONELY PLANET EAST AFRICA
Lonely Planet East Africa is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Feel the pounding of hooves as wildebeest stampede across the plains of the Serengeti; get close to gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda; and hike on the slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro. All with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of East Africa and begin your journey now! Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world’s number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller worldwide since 1973.
FODOR’S GUIDES
Written by locals, Fodor’s travel guides have been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for 80 years. Fodor’s correspondents highlight the best of Africa, including Kenya’s Maasai Mara, South Africa’s Kruger National Park, and Botswana’s Kwando Reserve. Our local experts vet every recommendation to ensure you make the most of your time, whether it’s your first safari or your fifth. This travel guide includes dozens of full-colour maps and hundreds of hotel and restaurant recommendations, with Fodor’s Choice designating top picks covering Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda, Botswana, Namibia, Victoria Falls, and The Seychelles.
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Travel
Guide WELCOME TO THE PEARL!
GETTING AROUND 1.Transfer to the city/your hotel Thanks to reliable Internet at the airport, it's possible for you to order an Uber ride to your next destination in Kampala or Entebbe. If you are in a hurry, you can take advantage of the availability of the many cabs at the airport whose drivers are always stationed at the arrivals terminal, ready for a win-win bargain with travellers. 2.Visa Visitors to Uganda must have a valid visa in accordance with national immigration laws, guidelines and formalities. Uganda visas can now be obtained online at https://visas.immigration. go.ug/ Alternatively, you may obtain the visa at Uganda's missions abroad or on arrival at the ports of entry around the country’s borders. The costs of visas are as follows: Single entry $50 per individual, multiple entry visa 6-12 months $100 and East African tourist visas cost $50. Accompany your application documents with a valid yellow fever certificate. For more information, visit https://visas.immigration.go.ug/ 3. Nationals who don’t need visas Nationals of the following countries don’t need visas when visiting Uganda: COMESA (Angola, Eritrea, Malawi, Madagascar, Seychelles, Swaziland, Zambia, Comoros, Kenya, Mauritius, Zimbabwe and Botswana), East Africa (Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi), others (Antigua, Barbados, Fiji, Grenada, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, The Grenadines, Vanuatu, Ghana, Cyprus, Bahamas, Belize, Gambia, Jamaica, Malta, Singapore, St. Vincent-Tonga and Ireland).
IMPORTANT CONTACTS EMERGENCY CONTACTS Uganda Ambulance Services: Mob +256782556878 Medical flight evacuations: Mob Aero Club, Fly Uganda Mob +256772712557 Uganda Police: Emergency 999/112. UPF Headquarters +256414233814; +256414250613. Department of Immigration: Mob +256414595945 OTHER CONTACTS Uganda Wildlife Authority (manages national parks): +256414355000/+256312355000 Uganda Tourism Board: +256414342196/7
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GENERAL INFORMATION VOLTAGE The primary wall outlet type is Type G (BS-1363). Voltage is 220-240 volts AC @ 50 Hz. Laptops and gadgets in general have chargers that are already compatible with 100-240 volts. If yours is higher or lower, you will need a simple plug adapter. The recommended adapter for a Type G outlet is #EA7. SECURITY Uganda’s towns are safe to visit any time of the year. This development has been achieved through effective collaboration of the different security organs like the army (Uganda People’s Defence Forces), Uganda Police and Tourism Police. That said, like any other city, Kampala too has its share of trouble makers. It is thus not advisable to walk alone in isolated areas, especially at night. WATER It is safer to drink boiled or bottled water. The average price of bottled water is Shs1,000 per 500ml. TRANSPORT The easiest and fastest way to get around cities is boda-boda rides; a motorbike mode of transportation that offers taxi services - each is limited to carrying one passenger. The most professional service provider in this case is Uber Boda, Safe Boda and Taxify, all of which can be accessed via their mobile phone applications. If you prefer using vehicles/cabs and wish to avoid traffic, the recommended time for travel is 6am to 8am, 10am to12pm and 3pm to 5pm. LANGUAGE Uganda is home to over 50 ethnic groups, the majority of whom speak the national language, English. If you wish to get interpreters of foreign languages, visit the website of your country’s high commission / embassy in Kampala. FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS The most used currency is Uganda Shillings, the national currency. Tourist areas and facilities accept foreign currencies too, particularly US dollars. Cash is the preferred means of transaction in Uganda. Credit cards are less dependable because of unreliable internet connection in some areas. FOREX The foreign exchange rates at forex bureaus are more favourable than those at banks. The main street of most towns is where you will find the highest concentration of forex bureaus. In Kampala, go to Jinja-Kampala road. BANKING AND OFFICE HOURS Most commercial banks and corporate offices operate from 8am to 5pm on weekdays and 9am to 12pm on Saturdays. Most don’t open on Sundays.
A PERFECT ESCAPE FOR BUSINESS OR LEISURE
With 144 rooms, an outdoor swimming pool, a health club, conference facilities, 3 restaurants, 3 bars, laundry services, a business center, gardens with a natural ambience, Lake Victoria Hotel - Entebbe is a fitting choice for a retreat away from the bustle and noise of the city. Day Friday Saturday Friday - Sunday Daily
Offer Show-cooking with live Band BBQ Dinner Weekend offer on accommodation Drought Beer – buy 2 get 1 free, from 6pm
Price Ugx 60,000 with a soda Ugx 60,000 with a soda $140 double, $100 single Ugx 16,000 for 3 beers
Plot 23/31 Circular Road | P. O Box 15, Entebbe | Tel: +256 312 310 100/+256 414 351 600 Email: reservations@lvhotel.co.ug
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+256 772 159 740/ 704 607 167 recruitment@welcometoebc.com www.welcometoebc.com
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
BY DESTINATION Uganda Airlines has undertaken the necessary safety measures in compliance with approved guidelines by host Governments aimed at protecting passengers and crew. The following guidelines will be applicable for all our flights. All travellers will be required to present to the airline, proof of a negative PCR test result for COVID-19, conducted within 72 hours of departure and done by a health facility accredited by the host Government. Passengers must carry along an official printed certificate as SMS and digital certificates will not be accepted. While in transit, the returnee will be required to adhere to the host country’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for safe travel and the SOPs provided by the airline while on the plane. This includes wearing a face mask and sanitisation. Every individual traveller is advised to carry a spare mask(s) in case they need to replace the original one that they have. Used masks will only be disposed of in a facility provided for that purpose. UGANDA (ENTEBBE) All departing and arriving passengers will be subjected to temperature checks and enhanced screening. Passengers who may have a body temperature above 37.5℃ (99.5° F) or any symptoms of coronavirus will be referred to further management which may include testing and/or quarantine. (72 hours) No quarantine will be applicable for travellers with a negative PCR test, body temperature below 37.5℃ (99.5° F), and who do not present any symptoms of COVID-19. For more information check: https://www.traveldoc.aero / TANZANIA (DAR ES SALAAM, KILIMANJARO, ZANZIBAR ) All travellers whether foreig or returning residents entering or leaving the United Republic of Tanzania will be subjected to enhanced screening for COVID-19 infection. There will be no 14 days of mandatory quarantine. All travellers whether foreigners or returning residents whose countries or airlines require them to get tested for COVID-19 and turn negative, as a condition for travelling, will be required to present a certificate upon arrival. Travellers from other countries with symptoms and signs related to COVID-19 infection will undergo enhanced screening and may be tested for RT-PCR. While in the country, all international travellers should observe adherence to Infection. Prevention and control measures such as hand hygiene, wearing masks, and keeping physical distancing are deemed appropriate. All travellers are required to truthfully fill out a Traveller’s Surveillance Form available onboard or in any other transport means and submit to Port Health Authorities upon arrival. 118
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All international arriving passengers shall dispose of their masks after use during travel at designated waste collection containers upon arrival. In case of any medical emergency while in the United Republic of Tanzania, please call the toll-free Health Emergency Number 199. For more information check: https://www.traveldoc.aero / SOUTH SUDAN (JUBA) No quarantine is mandated in South Sudan. All arriving passengers are required to present a valid Covid-19 certificate from an approved laboratory in a departure country, tested within 72 hours before travel, and must provide a letter of No Objection while entering South Sudan. For more information check: https://www.traveldoc.aero/ KENYA (NAIROBI, MOMBASA) Passengers will be refused entry if not holding a hard copy of a negative PCR test certificate obtained within 96 hours before departure. This does not apply to passengers holding a diplomatic passport and their accompanying family members, provided they are holding a negative PCR test certificate obtained within 7 days before departure. Passengers are required to submit a Travellers Health Surveillance Form online at https://ears.health.go.ke/airline_registration/. Passengers are required to fill a Passenger Locator Form during their flights to Kenya, due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus. Passengers must have a body temperature not above 37.5℃ (99.5° F) and must not have any symptoms of coronavirus. They must hold a QR code showing they have completed a Travellers Health Surveillance Form online prior to departure. This is completed online here: https://ears.health.go.ke/airline_ registration / For more information check: https://www.traveldoc.aero/ SOMALIA (MOGADISHU) Check: https://www.traveldoc.aero / BURUNDI (BUJUMBURA) Check: https://www.traveldoc.aero / Travel advisories Please note that some travel advisories have been issued by a number of countries and may include travel restrictions. Some of the countries on our network that have issued travel restrictions include Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, South Sudan, and Bujumbura. For more details, please visit: https:// www.iatatravelcentre.com/international-travel-documentnews/1580226297.htm Important: All travellers on Uganda Airlines are required to reconfirm their flight within 72 hours to their travel date.
ROOM WITH A VIEW
ROOM WITH A VIEW
Mahogany Springs Lodge BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK
YoUR fRee CopY
Mahogany Springs is situated in one of the most intimate, secluded, beautiful, and most importantly, natural settings in the world – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda. The mist covered hillsides of Bwindi are blanketed by one of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests, a habitat for over 450 mountain gorillas, roughly half of the world’s population, including several habituated groups which can be tracked. Surrounded by over 300 sq. km of tropical rainforest, Mahogany Springs makes the most of its location, offering guests privacy and serenity in a spectacular setting. All 11 huge luxurious suites have their own exquisitely designed terrace with magnificent panoramic views over the forest, lodge gardens and Munyanga River, giving a feeling of total immersion in this lush rainforest. Being in the middle of the forest means gorilla families in the surrounding area often pay a visit to the lodge gardens, giving a surprise gorilla experience for guests. Spend the day tracking gorillas through the forest, engaging with the local community and tribes, or sitting on the terrace of your room listening to the sounds of the forest, and maybe the odd primate visitor as time slowly passes by. Mahogany Springs is open year-round and offers luxurious suites from $240 per person per night sharing, including all meals.
JANUARY- MARCH 2020
Find out more at www.mahoganysprings.com
JANUARY - MARCH 2020
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DESTINATION KENYA
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DESTINATION KENYA
Lunatic Express Crazy times on the
Bugisu’s Imbalu
A teenager’s bittersweet rite of passage
W
The African Kanga A traditional form of African twitter
Trekking The Magnificent www.ngaaliinflightmag.com
RWENZORI MOUNTAINS
The plan to build a thousand-kilometre railway track from the Indian Ocean into the heart of Africa was considered by many to be utterly insane. Mark Eveleigh boards the train that, a century later, is still called The Lunatic Express. Words and photos by Mark Eveleigh
ith the blast of a horn, like a wounded bull elephant, the old train rumbled into Nairobi Station. There was a flurry of activity as passengers hauled luggage to the edge of the platform. To the Swahili travellers, this train is known as gari la moshi (the car that smokes), but most tourists know it as The Lunatic Express. There have been accusations of lunacy ever since the idea was conceived to build a railway line from the Indian Ocean over a thousand kilometres to Kampala, in the heart of Africa. Now, more than a hundred years after the project was started, friends in Nairobi looked at me like I was equally crazy when I told them that my girlfriend Nina and I planned to take the train to Mombasa. “But the plane is so much faster,” a bush-pilot friend exclaimed. “Even the matatu minibuses are quicker and cheaper and probably more comfortable too,” a park ranger told me. “You are crazy to go by train,” they all seemed to agree. Just as I was on the verge of being convinced, an old friend who is an experienced East Africa correspondent weighed in on the side of lunacy: “The building of that railway line was one of the crazy things that could really only happen in Africa. Everybody should experience the Lunatic Express while they’re in Kenya,” he said. “I’ve done it three times.” Reassured by his enthusiasm, I booked two tickets and by mid-afternoon the next day, we were already dragging our bags into a surprisingly crowded Rift Valley Railway carriage. “Either there are a lot of crazy people in Nairobi, or there are a few good reasons for taking the Lunatic Express after all,” Nina pointed out. Within a few minutes, we were already convinced that our decision had been the right one. The tracks slithered quickly away from the grumbling traffic on Mombasa Road and further ahead, we passed within a few metres of the
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Reach your target audience! Acacia Mall, 4th Floor 14-18 Cooper Rd P.O Box 400 Kampala, Uganda
+256 782 555 213 +256 772 666 370
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NAIROBI • MOMBASA • MOGADISHU • JUBA • DAR ES SALAAM • KILIMANJARO • BUJUMBURA • ZANZIBAR
