540 Magazine - Issue 2

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

Children in Malindi welcome a special visitor

ISSUE 02 // AUGUST - OCTOBER 2011

A NATIONA NATIONIS BORN

SOUTH SUDAN

Imani Children:

Conferencing is BIG business

Ride OutRide OutEat Out

SUNDAY LUNCH AT MOUNT KENYA SAFARI CLUB

540 magazine

Africa’s low cost airline

// 540 Issue 02 // August - October 2011

contents

1

16

32 46

is published by

LAND & MARINE PUBLICATIONS (KENYA) LTDSuite A6, 1st Floor, Ojijo Plaza Plums Lane, off Ojijo Road, ParklandsPO Box 2022, Village Market 00621, Nairobi, KenyaTel: +254 (0)20 374 1934Email: [email protected]

Editor: Denis GathanjuSales Manager: Linda Gakuru

on behalf of

FLY540Riverside Green Suites, Palm Suite, Riverside DrivePO Box 10293-00100, Nairobi, KenyaTel: +254 (0)20 445 2391/2/3/4/5Email info@fl y540.comwww.fl y540.com

The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor, or any other organisation associated with this publication. No liability can be accepted for any inaccuracies or omissions.

©2011 Land & Marine Publications (Kenya) Ltd

3 foreword4 dar es salaam Visitors enjoy Dar es Salaam’s famous hospitality

8 east african community12 news16 south sudan A nation is born

The long road to statehood

Key facts about the new republic

New republic presents a prime time to invest

Former child soldier sings a new song

24 the 540 network Location and fl ight maps

26 tusker all stars Tusker All Stars set to entertain East Africa

27 Vipingo ridge Premier golf location is a sporting wonder

28 imani children Orphanage kids welcome a special visitor

30 fly540 fleet32 sunday lunch Ride out, eat out

36 conferencing Conference tourism is big business

40 travel information for east africa42 getting around in east africa45 Kids’ corner46 Kenyan lakes Unesco recognises key status of Rift Valley lake system

48 contact information

BOOK ONLINE AT:

www.fly540.com

AF

AARFF

ICA

CCS

LOWO

COST AIAA RLRRINEE

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

Two new Bombardier CRJ 50-seat aircraft

have joined our fleet, allowing us to

strengthen the airline’s key internal serv-

ices in Kenya and Tanzania.

Our six-times-a-week flights between

Nairobi and the South Sudan capital, Juba,

are now fully operational. We view Juba as

a vitally important new destination for our

rapidly expanding international network.

This service began in May, just ahead of

the new nation’s birth in July.

Juba follows the domestic introduction

of our three-times-a-week Vipingo route,

which operates from Nairobi Wilson

Airport and continues on to Malindi.

Vipingo opens up a new market for those

living travelling to and from Kilifi and

Mombasa’s north coast.

Other improvements to our service

include a VIP lounge at Nairobi’s Wilson

Airport. Passengers in the lounge can

relax and read the day’s newspapers or

work on their laptops while waiting for a

flight. We believe this service will create a

better experience for both business and

seasoned travellers.

Objectives

Our key objectives have always been

to provide top-quality service and value

for money to all our customers. We

also want to make their flying experi-

ence with us as hassle-free as possible.

Fly540 has recently joined forces with

M-Pesa to allow passengers to pay for

their tickets using a mobile phone based

money transfer system. Now individu-

als can conveniently book flights in the

same way many already use M-Pesa to

pay for other services like buying goods

in supermarkets, school fees and paying

electricity and water bills.

As a responsible airline, we believe we

must make a concerted effort to offset

our carbon emissions; and I am delighted

Africa’s low cost airline

// foreword

Welcomeaboard!

3

with the work we have done in terms of

planting 10,000 saplings in the Ngong

Hills, near Nairobi, and a further 1,000

saplings in Kenya’s Mau Forest. We were

also one of the sponsors of the recent ‘10

to 4’ event, a bike ride down the slopes

of Mount Kenya, in aid of the Mount

Kenya Trust.

After a period of rapid development and in

view of high aviation fuel prices, I believe

that second quarter 2011 will be a time of

consolidation for Fly540. Nevertheless, our

medium-terms plans are unchanged as we

look to exciting new markets in Zambia,

Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the

Congo, Sudan and Egypt.

So I very much hope you enjoy reading

our magazine and that you have a pleas-

ant flight with us today. We look forward

to welcoming you on board again soon.

Don E. SmithChief Executive Officer

East Africa

WelcOme tO Our secOnd editiOn Of ‘540’ – Our in-flight magazine

4 www.fl y540.com

Dar es Salaam //

VISITORS ENJOYDAR ES SALAAM’S FAMOUSHOSPITALITY

‘540’ contributor James maina takes a tour of this bustling city, where the ancient world blends with the modern

dar es Salaam, the bustling commercial capital of Tanza-nia and the main gateway

to this vast East African nation, is a dynamic and colourful destination full of life and culture.

The name Dar es Salaam is believed to

originate from the Persian-Arabic phrase

‘Bandar-ul-Salaam’ meaning ‘haven

of peace’. While no longer the administra-

tive capital of Tanzania – following the

decision to make Dodoma the national

capital – Dar es Salaam still contains

government ministries and agencies, while

both local and international businesses

have their head offi ces in the city.

rich history

Dar es Salaam began life as a fi shing

village on the Indian Ocean. Then known

as Mzizima, it was located at what is

now the Ocean Road Hospital. The

village expanded into the Magogoni area

(present-day Kivukoni) and was inhabited

mainly by native Wazaramo people and

Arab traders from the Gulf.

The city, also fondly known as Dar, was

founded in 1862 when the Sultan of

Zanzibar, Seyyid Majid, moved his political

base from Zanzibar Island to mainland

Tanganyika. The sultan purchased land

from the Wazaramo people to build his

house. He changed the name of the

fi shing outpost to Dari Salaam (‘Dari’

meaning ‘upper roof’ or ‘terrace’ and

‘Salaam’ meaning ‘haven’).

The scramble for Africa after the Berlin

Conference of 1884 saw the German

colonial masters occupy Tanganyika, then

known as German East Africa. Initially, the

Germans focused their trading activities on

Bagamoyo, further north, but switched to

Dar es Salaam in 1887 to take advantage

of the superior harbour there.

Dar es Salaam began to expand after

the fi rst German governor arrived there

in 1891 and ordered the construction

of buildings and other infrastructure.

Thus began the transformation of Dar es

Salaam from a one-time fi shing village to

the great city it is today. This period also

witnessed the construction of a railway

from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma, deep in

the interior.

getting around

A city full of history, Dar es Salaam has

plenty to offer the leisure and business

traveller. Although not principally a tourist

city, compared with Arusha and Zanzibar,

Dar es Salaam is a major transit point for

leisure tourists from all over the world.

The city has the largest and most modern

airport in Tanzania, while its seaport

handles cruise ship visits. The famous

Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA),

linking Dar es Salaam with Kapiri Mposhi

in Zambia is another key mode of trans-

port that offers visitors a great way to see

and appreciate Tanzania.

The ferry service to the spice island of

Zanzibar provides an inexpensive form of

transport between the commercial capital

of Tanzania and its tourist capital. There

are also regular domestic fl ights from

Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA)

to major destinations such as Zanzi-

bar, Arusha, Mwanza, Tabora and the

safari circuits that include Serengeti and

Ngorongoro.

Dar es Salaam has a comprehensive road

network and getting around the city is

easy, although the roads are narrow in

places and traffi c snarl-ups can occur.

The city has a large number of taxicabs.

Make sure you negotiate the price with

the driver before you set off, as taxis are

not metered. It is cheaper to get around

if you are accompanied by a local person,

because fares are lower for Tanzanians.

Taxis are required by law to have a yellow

or green stripe along their sides.

A well known feature of Dar es Salaam’s

transport network is the public minibuses

and minivans popularly known as dala

dala. They are a cheap form of transport,

with fares ranging from TSH 100 to 350.

Travelling by dala dala is also a great way

‘KariBu dar’ (‘WelcOme tO dar’)

5Africa’s low cost airline

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

to learn more about the people of Dar

es Salaam. The helpful drivers and ‘touts’

will direct you to the right bus and even

tell you where to disembark. There are

many bus stops, known as stendi, along

the routes and the touts will always shout

the name of the stendi. The dala dalas

can get very crowded in the morning and

evening rush hours.

tourist attractions

Dar es Salaam has a lot of interesting

places to see and visit. One is the Askari

Monument in the city centre, a few blocks

from Posta, in the central business district.

Originally, the Germans put up a statue

in honour of Major Herman Von Weiss-

man, who quelled the Arab revolution in

1888; but that was removed in 1927 by

the British, who replaced it with an Askari

bronze statue in memory of native men

who fought and died in the service of the

British Army in the First World War.

Also worth a visit is the Uhuru Torch in

Mnazi Mmoja, in the central business

district, which commemorates Tanganyi-

ka’s independence on 9 December 1961.

Meanwhile, the National Museum, in

Shaaban Bin Robert Street, is home

to fascinating historical, cultural and

archaeological exhibitions, rock paint-

ings and musical instruments that tell the

history of Tanzania and its people.

The Nyumba ya Makumbusho or Village

Museum on Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road is

yet another key attraction. Here, visitors

can sample the rich cultural heritage of

Tanzania’s tribal communities including

examples of traditional huts. Visitors can

also see cultural dances performed. A

visit to the museum is like visiting the

whole of Tanzania in a few hours.

Another good place to visit is the Nyerere

Cultural Centre, also known as Nyumba

ya Sanaa, in Ohio Street. Here, visitors

can see local artists at work. The centre

also hosts live traditional dances every

Friday performed by artists such as the

Simba Theatre Arts International, Super

Kamambe and Sisi Tambala dance troupes.

shopping

Shopaholics are spoilt for choice in Dar

es Salaam, which has a range of large

and small shopping malls with prices to

suit every pocket. One of the city’s most

popular shopping centres is the Mlimani

City complex on Sam Nujoma Road near

the suburb of Mwenge and the University

of Dar es Salaam. Here, visitors will find

something for everyone, all under one

roof. The complex has a huge car park

and is well lit at night.

Yet another major shopping outlet in

the heart of Dar es Salaam is the famous

Kariakoo Market, a landmark in its own

right. Formerly used as an Askari Carrier

Corps Camp in colonial times, the market

derives its name from its colonial function

– Karia (Carrier) and Koo (Corps). Today,

this market is the focus of all buying and

selling in the city. Here, commotion is the

order of the day as the vendors shout

about their latest wares and do their best

to win customers with their low prices.

For those looking for carvings and other

souvenirs, the Mwenge Crafts Market is

the place to go. Here, local artists and

wood carvers display their wares to tour-

ists eager to purchase quality watercolour

and oil paintings and some of the best

wood carvings in Tanzania. The mpingo

(ebony) wood carvings are a favourite.

Beautiful locations and relaxation

Dar es Salaam //

6 www.fly540.com

shopaholics are spoilt for choice in dar es salaam, which has a range of large and small shopping malls with prices to suit every pocket

Tanzanian nationals and travellers benefit from the low-cost fares offered by Fly540. The airline operates an exten-sive domestic route network throughout the country, particularly in Tanzania’s northern tourist circuit.

Scheduled flights operate to and from:

• Arusha to Grumeti, Kilimanjaro, Lake Manyara and Zanzibar

• Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro, Mwanza and Zanzibar

• Kilimanjaro to Mwanza and Zanzibar

• Mwanza and Zanzibar.

8 www.fly540.com

since we fly to more than six countries in east africa, fly540 would like to celebrate the people and cultures of this region. With over 300 tribes living in the region, we seek to profile some of these cultures and people.

achOli set the pace fOr

Tribal dancing

9Africa’s low cost airline

// Acholi Tribe

© A

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Male dancer performing a traditional war dance

Acholi Tribe //

The Acholi people of north-ern Uganda are said to be a product of intermarriage

between the Luo and the Madi of South Sudan. Their language and culture are similar to those of the Luo and they are closely related to the Alur of West Nile, the Jaluos of Kenya and the Japadhola of eastern Uganda.

The Acholi are found mainly in Uganda,

where they number over 1.5 million. There

are also about 500,000 Acholi in South

Sudan. Like other Luo sub-tribes, the

Acholi trace their origins to Rumbek, in

South Sudan.

acholiland

Today, the Acholi inhabit the districts of

Agago, Amuru, Guru, Kitgum, Nwoya,

Lamwo and Pader in northern Uganda.

This region is also commonly known as

Acholiland. The Acholi are also found in

Magwe County in South Sudan.

The Acholi speak a language of the same

name that is closely related to Luo. The

Song of Lawino, a famous work of African

literature, was written in Acholi by Okot

p’Bitek and later translated into English.

The traditional dwelling of the Acholi

people was a circular hut with a high

peak. These huts were furnished with

a mud sleeping platform, jars of grain

and a sunken fireplace. The walls were

decorated with geometrical or conven-

tional designs in red, white or grey. The

Acholi were skilled hunters, using nets

and spears to hunt wild game. They also

kept goats, sheep and cattle. When they

went to war with other communities,

they used spears and long, narrow shields

made of giraffe or ox hide.

The Acholi practised various types of

hunting. One, known as dwar arum, took

place in the dry season when there was

no grass. This involved a lot of hunters.

Another type of hunting, dwar obwo,

involved the use of spears and nets. Yet

another, kirange, was practised early in

the rainy season when the rivers were

slightly flooded. The Acholi would drive

the game into the river and go for the kill

in the water.

It was difficult for the Acholi to hunt

during the rainy season because organ-

ised hunting could not take place in such

cold and wet conditions. During these

today, the acholi inhabit the districts of agago, amuru, guru, Kitgum, nwoya, lamwo and pader in northern uganda

© J

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Young Acholi Dancers in Lamwo

The otiti dance involved all the male dancers

carrying shields and spears. The dancers

would encircle drums that were attached to

a post in the middle of the arena.

The bwola was the most important

dance of the Acholi. It was also known as

the chief’s dance, because it could only

be performed on his orders. The men

formed a large circle and each carried a

drum. The girls danced separately inside

the circle.

The otiti dance had a definite leader

who would move within and without

the circle. He would also set the time

and lead the singing. The leader of the

otiti dance was considered an important

person in the community and by tradition

was among the few who were allowed to

wear a leopard skin.

The myel awal was a funeral dance. The

women wailed around the grave while

the men, armed with spears and shields,

danced lalobaloba.

Apiti was a women-only dance in which

the girls danced in a line and sang. It was

usually held in the middle of the year

when the rains were good.

Ladongo was performed after a success-

ful hunt when the hunters were still away

from home. In this dance, men and women

faced each other in two lines and jumped

up and down clapping their hands.

celebrations

In the myel wanga, the men sat and

played on harps called nanga while

in front of them the women danced

apiti. This dance was usually held after

marriages or at beer parties.

Then there was atira dance, now obso-

lete, which was held on the eve of a

battle. All the dancers were armed and

they went through the motions of spear

fighting and thrusting.

11Africa’s low cost airline

seasons, only the okai (trappers) could

go out after the animals. The task of the

okai was extremely difficult because they

worked alone. They would use various

kinds of traps according to the type of

animal they were hunting:

• Okol: featuring a noose attached to a

log of wood

• Tekke: a circular foot trap

• Twok: a falling spear trap used to kill

elephant and other big game. The trap

was passed under the tree from which

the spear would be suspended

• Bur: featuring a pit dug in the

game’s path.

The Acholi believed in a supreme being

called jok. They erected a shrine known

as abila at which all sacrifices, private and

public, were offered. The Acholi believed

the spirits of their ancestors would

appear near the abila. They worshipped

the spirits of the dead so they could assist

the bereaved or exercise their power to

make hunting successful or scare away

evil spirits from the village. To appease

the spirits of the dead, the Acholi would

offer meat sacrifices. They also offered

simsim and beer at appropriate times

during sacrifices at the abila.

As in any African cultures, dance was

a central feature of the Acholi way of

life. They often sang about day-to-day

incidents, while other songs referred to

past occurrences in their community. The

Acholi had eight types of dance: laloba-

loba, otiti, bwola, myel awal (winyela),

apiti, ladongo, myel wanga and atira.

performances

The lalobaloba was performed without

drum beats. The people danced in circles,

with the men forming an outer ring and

each holding a woman’s hand high above

their heads. There was no special occa-

sion for this dance, which was performed

using sticks.

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) supplied the photos used in this story. WCS manages several programmes to support wildlife conservation across the world and is currently working on a tourism promotion project in northern Uganda. Recent research shows that 91 per cent of visitors to northern Uganda would recommend the area to a friend, family member or colleague.

For more information please visit:

northernugandatourism.blogspot.com

as in any african cultures, dance was a central feature of the acholi way of life

© J

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Wild

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Con

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y

flY540 neWs

New VIP louNge at wIlsoN aIrPort

www.fly540.com

news //

Passengers taking a Fly540 flight from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport now have access to a

VIP lounge next to the airline’s check-in area at Langata House.

The new lounge is a feature of the

airline’s Safari Circuit services. It consists

of a large waiting area furnished with

comfortable leather seats, coffee tables

and a TV set connected to DSTV and local

stations. It also has conference rooms,

each with a capacity of 15 people, for

pre-flight meetings.

stress-free

Passengers in the VIP lounge can relax

and read the day’s newspapers or work

on their laptops while waiting for a flight.

They can order refreshments from the

Fly540 cafeteria or even take a shower

before boarding.

Jeni Stow, the airline’s Safari Circuit

co-ordinator, said: “The VIP lounge

is primarily for specific passengers

including diplomats, dignitaries, senior

government officials and custom-

ers who have chartered the airline’s

aircraft. These passengers often require

additional security, which is more easily

provided using a separate waiting area.”

privacy

She said the new facility would give

these travellers a restful environment and

privacy before taking a Fly540 scheduled

flight from Wilson Airport to Masai Mara,

Amboseli, Nanyuki, Samburu, Meru,

Vipingo Ridge, Malindi and Kilimanjaro.

The Safari Circuit is a division of Fly540

which runs scheduled tourism routes and

offers charter services for customers who

select their own destinations.

Last year, Fly540 opened a purpose-built

check-in facility in Langata House at

Wilson Airport. There is a comfortable

lounge for passengers with a cafeteria

and washrooms, as well as a baggage

holding area; operational and engineering

offices; and a radio control room.

Tickets for Fly540 destinations are avail-

able from travel agents and the airline’s

own offices at Wilson Airport and at

Nairobi’s ABC Place and the Laico Regency.

Full information on fares and services can

be obtained from the Fly540 website (see

below) and passengers can book their

flights online. www.fly540.com

the new facility will give travellers a restful environment and privacy before taking a fly540 scheduled flight from Wilson airport

12

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

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

Vip lOunge

Africa’s low cost airline

this year we added

Vipingo Ridge to our

route network to serve

this important golfing

and residential facility

together with Kilifi.”

growth

Fly540 began operations in November

2006 with a daily flight between Nairobi

and Mombasa for local and overseas

business and holiday travellers. Its value-

for-money flights won instant popularity

and the airline now has 17 destinations in

Kenya with regional services to Bujum-

bura, Entebbe, Dar es Salaam, Juba,

Mwanza, Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro.

future

Meanwhile, Fly540 is becoming a pan-

African airline group. In January this year

it was licensed by the authorities

in Angola to operate scheduled domestic

and international flights. Internal services

are operated from bases in Luanda

and Cabinda.

The next venture to be launched under

the 540 brand will be an airline operating

in Ghana.

in response to customer demand, we have introduced direct flights between Wilson airport and ukunda

13

two more 50-seaters joIN aIrlINe’s jet fleet

Fly540 has expanded its passen-ger jet fleet with two addi-tional Bombardier CRJ 50-seat

aircraft. One of these popular twin-jet aircraft will be based in Nairobi and the other in Dar es Salaam. They will strengthen the airline’s key internal services in Kenya and Tanzania and its regional flights to Burundi, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

The CRJ for Kenya will be used on the

Mombasa and Kisumu routes. In Tanzania

the aircraft has been deployed on the

Dar es Salaam to Mwanza sector and the

recently introduced service to Mtwara in

the south of the country.

improvements

Turning to other developments, Nixon

Ooko, operations director of Fly 540,

said: “We have added a lounge to our

passenger check-in facility at Wilson

Airport and we also have special rooms

to enable passengers to hold pre-flight

business meetings.

“In response to customer demand, we

have introduced direct flights between

Wilson Airport and Ukunda. Earlier

Bombardier CRJ

flY540 neWs

New scheduled serVIce to south sudaN

www.fly540.com

news //

F ly540 has introduced sched-uled flights between Nairobi and the South Sudan capital,

Juba, from 4 May. Initially, there will be six services a week, with daily depar-tures (Saturdays excepted) from Unit 1 of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Announcing the addition of this new route

to the Fly540 network, the airline’s opera-

tions director, Nixon Ooko, said: “Entrepre-

neurs and investors are turning to the South-

ern Sudan and there are growing trade

links with Kenya which are driving demand

for more flights between Nairobi and Juba.

Although we are launching this route with

six services each week, we anticipate intro-

ducing a daily schedule in the near future.”

He said Fly540 would be deploying

Bombardier CRJ aircraft on the Juba

route. “These 50-seater twin jet aircraft

14

have proved very popular with our

passengers on services to destinations in

Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda,” he said.

holiday network

Turning to internal services in Kenya,

Nixon Ooko said: “We recently added

flights to Vipingo to our holiday network.

This is served from our facility in Langata

House at Wilson Airport.

“Our flights to the Mara, Nanyuki, Meru

and Samburu have gained a strong follow-

ing from Kenyans and tourists who appre-

ciate the reduced time needed to drive to

and from Wilson Airport and our stream-

lined check-in and departure processes.”

Fly540 is continuing to develop as a

pan-African carrier. The airline introduced

operations in Angola earlier this year and

plans to do the same in Ghana.

entrepreneurs and investors are turning to the southern sudan and there are growing trade links with Kenya which are driving demand for more flights between nairobi and Juba

Africa’s low cost airline

F ly540 passengers can now pay for their tickets using the mobile phone based money transfer service M-Pesa. They can buy their Fly540 tickets from

anywhere at any time as long as they are M-Pesa registered and have money in their M-Pesa account.

Fly540 joins M-Pesa corporate Pay Bill partners using the service in

Kenya. They include educational and financial institutions, NGOs and

religious organisations, transport providers, insurance agencies, the

hospitality industry, health management providers and hospitals.

The airline’s operations director, Nixon Ooko, said: “M-Pesa will ease

the procedure of buying tickets for our customers, many of whom

are already familiar with using M-Pesa to pay for other services like

buying goods in supermarkets, school fees, and paying bills for

electricity and water.

“The process is simple. Call Fly540 and make a reservation to any

of our 23 destinations. You will receive a reference number. Go to

the M-Pesa Pay Bill option and key in the number 540540. You will

be asked for your reference number, upon which you will receive a

confirmation and thereafter a ticket.”

convenient

Fly540 operates scheduled flights to 17 destina-

tions in Kenya, with regional services to Entebbe,

Dar es Salaam, Juba, Mwanza, Zanzibar and Kiliman-

jaro. The airline operates from both Jomo Kenyatta

International Airport and Wilson Airport.

M-Pesa was launched in 2007 by Safaricom. This SMS money trans-

fer system allows individuals to deposit, send and withdraw funds

using their cell phones. M-Pesa has grown rapidly and

now reaches over 65 per cent of Kenya’s adult popula-

tion. It is seen as the most successful mobile phone

based financial service in the developing world.

The M-Pesa Pay Bill service enables corporate organisa-

tions to receive funds from their customers or subscribers for

goods and services rendered. It is aimed at organisations which

have many transactions with customers and need a convenient and

timely method of payment.

cell PhoNe tIcket system makes lIfe easIer for fly540 customers

15

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

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

In the streets of the capital, Juba, the

mood was ecstatic as almost every South

Sudanese was draped in the national

colours of the new republic. The city’s

streets had been swept clean in prepara-

tion for the momentous day when the

South Sudanese national anthem would

be played and the national flag would

be hoisted.

Across the capital and in other major

towns such as Rumbek, the mood has

been celebratory. The streets were littered

with billboards of all shapes and sizes,

each carrying a unique message to mark

what the South Sudanese call ‘Declaration

Day’, the day their new nation was born.

In Juba, one billboard read: ‘Thank you,

Dr John Garang de Mabior’ with a huge

portrait of one of the heroes of the South

Sudanese struggle for independence and

nationhood. Another read: ‘Celebrat-

ing the birth of a new nation’. Another

billboard next to the University of Juba

depicted soldiers of the Sudan People’s

Liberation Army (SPLA) and boldly

declared: “We fought, suffered, survived

and won the freedom together from

the oppressor.”

peace agreement

At the John Garang Memorial Park,

where the Declaration Day celebrations

took place, a huge billboard declared:

‘The Final walk to Freedom. Our Martyrs,

Our Freedom’. It surely captured the long

walk to statehood for Southern Sudan

after more than two decades of civil war

with the north that claimed over 1.5

million lives and displaced millions of

southerners.

Kenya has played a critical role in the

signing of a Comprehensive Peace Agree-

ment between the government of Sudan

and the Sudan People’s Liberation Move-

ment (SPLM), which was led by the late

John Garang; and the Kenyan govern-

ment has continued to play a critical role

in the preparations for independence.

freedom

The Kenyan military helped take the

South Sudanese forces through march-

past drills and other military protocol for

the big day.

As Declaration Day drew closer, radio

stations in South Sudan played the new

three-stanza national anthem, which

was officially launched at the celebrations

in Juba. The new government unveiled a

coat of arms bearing an image of

the African fish eagle, thus underlining

the new nation’s statehood and inde-

pendence from the oppressive

northern regime.

unite

Some 2,000 dignitaries, including heads

of state and government, had come to

Juba to join in the celebrations. Among

the guests was the United Nations

Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, while

Kenya sent one of the largest delega-

tions, led by President Mwai Kibaki

and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

17Africa’s low cost airline

In the streets of the capital, juba, the mood was ecstatic as almost every south sudanese was draped in the national colours of the new republic

sOuth sudan:

a naTion is born

// South Sudan

www.fly540.com

South Sudan //

The long road To sTaTehood

18

The road to statehood for South Sudan has been long and treacherous. Many souls

have lost their lives, innocent blood has been shed and millions of south-erners were scattered across the world as a result of protracted civil war between north and south.

After numerous efforts to secure a lasting

peace in Sudan, the tipping point finally

came that resulted in a succession of

peace initiatives and signing of accords.

This began with the signing of a Compre-

hensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between

north and south. The guns fell silent for

the first time in 20 years and the elusive

peace was finally a reality.

Negotiation

The CPA was negotiated by Ali Osman

Mohammed Taha, vice president of

Sudan, and Dr John Garang de Mabior,

chairman of the Sudan People’s Libera-

tion Movement/Army (SPLM/A). Under

the supervision of the regional Inter-

Governmental Authority on Development

(IGAD), the agreement was signed at a

colourful ceremony in the Kenyan capital,

Nairobi, on 9 January 2005. Among the

witnesses were President Mwai Kibaki of

Kenya, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni

of Uganda, United States Secretary of

State Colin Powell, Ahmed Aboul Gheit

from Egypt, Senator Alfredo Mantica from

Italy, Fred Racke from the Netherlands,

Hilary Benn from the United Kingdom,

Hilde Johnson from Norway, Alpha Oumar

Konare from the African Union, Jan Prink

from the United Nations, Charles Goerens

from the European Union and Amre

Moussa from the Arab League.

The CPA was unique in being drafted for

one nation with two systems of govern-

ance whereby the government of the

north would operate under Sharia law

while the government of the south would

be secular. The CPA allowed the two

governments to operate their own armed

forces in addition to a third military organi-

sation known as the Joint Integrated Units

(JIUs). These consisted of equal numbers

of personnel from the Sudan Armed

Forces (SAF) from the north and the Sudan

People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) from the

south. The security protocol was signed by

the two parties in September 2003.

Prior to the signing of the security proto-

col, a self-determination protocol was

signed in July 2002 in Machakos, Kenya.

The protocol stipulated that Southern

Sudan would hold an internationally

monitored referendum at the end of the

six-year interim period. It also exempted

the south from Sharia law.

In January 2004 the two sides signed

a wealth-sharing protocol that set up

mechanisms to manage the oil finds in

the country, manage land and natural

resources. The protocol also made provi-

sions for a dual banking system whereby

the north would operate an Islamic

system while the south adopted the

conventional system.

In May 2004 a power-sharing protocol

made provisions for the Sudan People’s

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

Liberation Movement (SPLM) from the

south and the National Congress Party

(NCP) from the north to form a Govern-

ment of National Unity (GoNU) using a

decentralised administrative system. Under

the agreement, the SPLM also set up a

separate semi-autonomous administra-

tion in South Sudan. This resulted in John

Garang, leader of the SPLM, becoming the

first vice president of the GoNU and the

first president of the semi-autonomous

Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS).

Referendum

In the same month, the Abyei Protocol

was signed. This gave the oil-rich Abyei

region special status under the presi-

dency. An administration of a local execu-

tive council elected by the Abyei residents

would also be formed. The residents of

Abyei include citizens of Southern Kordo-

fan and Warrap states in the north and

south respectively. The protocol dictated

that the residents of Abyei would hold a

referendum to determine if the oil-rich

region would maintain its special admin-

istrative status in the north or become

part of the new Republic of South Sudan

by joining Warrap State in the south.

On 9 January 2011, after the lapse of

the six-year window agreed under the

CPA, the southerners held a referendum

to determine if the South Sudan would

remain under a united Sudan or secede

to form a new independent republic.

The referendum was organised by the

Southern Sudan Referendum Commission

(SSRC) based in Khartoum in collabora-

tion with the Southern Sudan Referen-

dum Bureau (SSRB) based in Juba.

For the referendum results to be valid,

a 60 per cent turn-out of voters was

required. This was met when a record

turn-out of 97 per cent was recorded.

The people voted by an overwhelming

98.83 per cent to secede and form a new

independent Republic of South Sudan.

The new republic was to be formed six

months after the January plebiscite and

on 9 July 2011 the Republic of South

Sudan was born.

The Republic of South Sudan was born on 9 July 2011 after its citizens overwhelm-

ingly voted to separate from the north in a referendum on 9 January 2011. Here are some key facts about the new republic:

Official name: Republic of South Sudan

Surface area: 619,745 sq km

Boundaries: Sudan to the north, Ethio-pia to the east, Kenya to the south-east, Uganda to the south, the Demo-cratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to the south-west and the Central African Republic (CAR) to the west.

Independence day: 9 July 2011

Capital: Juba

Official language: English

Currency: South Sudan pound (SSP)

Population: 8,260,490 (2008 census)

Religion: Christianity. Other religions include traditional African religions and Islam.

Constitution: The Transitional Constitution of South Sudan 2011.

States: The new republic has 10 states.

State State capitalCentral Equatorial Juba Western Equatorial YambioEastern Equatorial Torit Jonglei BorUnity Bentiu Upper Nile MalakalLakes Rumbek Warrap KuajokWestern Bahr el Ghazal Wau Northern Bahr el Ghazal Aweil

Political parties: The ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM); the National Congress Party (NCP); the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – Democratic Change

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

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

Black: African skin (the people of South Sudan)

White: Peace

Red: Blood shed during the civil war

Green: The country’s natural resources and wealth

Blue: The waters of the Nile River

Yellow: The star that guides the country and its people.

Coat of arms: The coat of arms of the new republic depicts the African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer), found in most parts of South Sudan. It symbolises clear vision, resilience, strength and majesty. The coat of arms also shows a traditional shield and a crossed spear and spade, symbolising the people’s resolve to protect their sovereignty and work to build a new republic.

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

Key facTs abouT The new republic

www.fl y540.com20

The birth of the Republic of South Sudan presents many commercial opportunities

both for regional economies and for the new nation.

In addition to oil, which continues to attract

investors from the region and from across

the world, South Sudan has other natural

resources, virgin lands and numerous busi-

ness and investment opportunities, all of

which are set to spur the economic growth

of Africa’s newest country.

transport

After more than two decades of civil

strife, the lack of a proper infrastructure

is a key issue that needs urgent attention.

The challenge for both the government

and the business community of South

Sudan is to rehabilitate and rebuild the

nation’s crumbling infrastructure. The

country’s road system is almost non-exist-

ent. Apart from a few hundred kilometres

of tarmacked roads in the capital, getting

to other major towns in the south can be

By denis gathanju

a nightmare. The earth roads are awful to

drive on, while some areas have no roads

at all. So far, only a few urban centres,

such as Juba, Yambio, Wau, Malakal and

Yei, have had their roads mended. Roads

in most other parts of the country are

being built from scratch.

In addition to the road network, there

are plans to extend the railway that links

the north to the south. Currently, the line

reaches as far as Wau. Now there are

plans to extend the line to Juba and to

provide rail links to neighbouring coun-

tries, especially Kenya.

Today, the most widely used mode of

transport within South Sudan is air, with

over 15 carriers providing local and inter-

national services. The largest airport iis

Juba International, which is undergoing

a major reconstruction including a new

passenger terminal. There are also plans

to extend the runway and install ground

lighting to allow aircraft to take off and

land at night.

With the River Nile fl owing through

South Sudan, the new country has three

ports: Mangala in the Central Equatorial

State, Diam Diam in Jonglei State and

Shambe in Lakes State. The three ports

have been upgraded recently and the

Ministry of Roads & Transport plans to

carry out dredging work to allow vessels

to navigate the White Nile more easily.

The port of Juba is to be expanded, and

navigation facilities are to be installed at

the challenge for both the government and the business community of South Sudan is to rehabilitate and rebuild the nation’s crumbling infrastructure

By denis gathanju

neW rePuBlic PresenTs a

PriMe TiMe To inVesT

south to Malakal in the north. During the

rainy season, the Sudd doubles in size to

cover an area larger than England.

In addition to its birdlife, the Sudd

attracts game such as the endangered

Nile lechwe, tiang, reedbuck, and the

world’s largest population of white-eared

kob, estimated at 1.2 million.

But it is the little-known Badingilo

National Park that could be a signifi cant

crowd puller and dollar earner for South

Sudan, because this is the scene of a

huge annual migration of wildlife that

is considered to be even greater than

the wildebeest migration in the Masai

Mara. It is an epic migration of millions of

antelope through some of Africa’s most

pristine wilderness. Covering more than

10,000 sq km, the Badingilo wilderness is

the largest area of intact savanna ecosys-

tem in East Africa.

The new republic’s Ministry of Wildlife

& Tourism plans to develop and review

its policies and laws in order to regulate

wildlife conservation as well as devel-

oping wildlife management plans for

protected areas while at the same time

educating the public on conservation.

opportunities

The birth of the new republic presents

huge opportunities for investment in

sectors such as infrastructural develop-

ment, telecommunications, mass media,

housing, manufacturing, agriculture,

pharmaceuticals, mining, education,

tourism, power generation and fi sheries.

In order to create a favourable environ-

ment for investors, the government has

set up the South Sudan Investment Serv-

ices under the Ministry of Investment to

aid in the enactment of new investment

laws. These laws provide attractive fi scal

regimes and tax holidays for companies

setting up in South Sudan. They also

offer protection for industrial and intellec-

tual property.

According to an International Finance

Corporation (IFC) and World Bank report,

it takes less than 15 days to register

and start a business operation in South

Sudan. This compares with about 13 days

in countries wih developed economies.

Prosperity

With independence, more businesses and

companies will start up in South Sudan.

The Kenyan government has played a key

role in the peace processes, and Kenyan

companies were the fi rst to set up shop

even before the south gained its inde-

pendence.

Kenya Commercial Bank, Equity Bank

and UAP Insurance were among the fi rst

companies from Kenya to start operations

in the south. The Co-operative Bank of

Kenya is looking to set up in South Sudan,

while Bidco Oil Refi neries, which has a deal-

ership in the south, is expected to establish

a physical presence in South Sudan.

kenya airways

Other Kenyan companies operating in

South Sudan include the national carrier,

Kenya Airways, and the regional budget

carrier Fly540. This is in addition to the

thousands of small and medium enter-

prises run by Kenyans in Juba.

And, with South Sudan having joined

the community of nations, it is believed

that the new republic will be the sixth

nation to join the East African Commu-

nity (EAC), a move that will enhance

trade and co-operation between member

countries. Other members of the EAC are

Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda,

Tanzania and Burundi.

// South Sudan

21

the Bor-Shambe Sudds. South Sudan is

also sending some of its personnel for

further training at Bandari College in

Mombasa.

tourism

South Sudan has the potential to become

a leading tourism destination once the

relevant wildlife and tourism policies are

implemented. The country has seven

national parks and 12 game reserves. A

recent survey by the Wildlife Conserva-

tion Society in collaboration with the

Government of South Sudan revealed

a great diversity of wildlife in the game

parks and national reserves.

Owing to the long civil war, most of these

parks and reserves have been inaccessible

to visitors and today they are teeming

with wild animals such as kob, harte-

beest, bongo, topi, giant and red river

hog, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, chimpan-

zee, hippo, hyena, gazelle, lion, zebra,

ostrich and mountain monkey.

South Sudan is also a birdwatcher’s para-

dise. Over 400 bird species can be found

in the area known as the Sudd. Located

in the heart of South Sudan, the Sudd is

the world’s largest swamp. It measures

about 500 km in length and 200 km in

width and stretches from Mongalla in the

South Sudan has the potential to become a leading tourism destination once the relevant wildlife and tourism policies are implemented

Africa’s low cost airline

FoRmeR child soldieR siNgs

a new songBy denis gathanju

©G

eoff

Pug

h

The protracted war between north and south in Sudan created heartless, trigger-

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

Emmanuel Jal is perhaps the best known

former child soldier from the south. Now

an internationally renowned hip-hop

artiste, he has achieved worldwide

acclaim for his unique style of message

of peace and reconciliation born out of

his personal experiences. His latest single,

We Want Peace, from his upcoming

album, See Me Mama is heavily influ-

enced by this background.

Emmanuel is the same age as me. He

was recruited at the age of seven in the

early 1980s after the Second Sudanese

War broke out. While I carried pencils

and erasers to school and learned to

read and write, Emmanuel carried a gun

and magazine to the bush and learned

to shoot and kill. In the wild bushland of

the south, Emmanuel joined the ranks

of thousands of other child soldiers who

had been abducted in the villages of the

south and forced to carry guns and to

maim and kill innocent people.

early years

While many did not live to see their

next birthday, Emmanuel Jal was one of

the few who survived the violence and

nightmare of war to tell his story. As a

child soldier, he lived through the horror

of the Sudanese war. He trekked for miles

through bush, valley and desert towards

Ethiopia. On the way, he passed human

skeletons and stepped over the decom-

posing bodies of children who had died

of starvation. He witnessed the killing of

friends and family members and starved

to the point of near-cannibalism. He

even contemplated suicide. For young

Emmanuel, the horrors were real.

He was rescued and adopted by Emma

McCune and, with time, the former child

soldier found solace in music. He found

his voice in hip-hop, through which he

told the compelling story of his life, and

in 2005 he shot to international stardom

with the hit single ‘Gua’.

inspirational

His music can also be heard alongside

Coldplay, Gorillaz, and Radiohead on

the fundraising ‘Warchild – Help: A Day

in the Life’ album, and in the feature

film ‘Blood Diamond’ starring Leonardo

DiCaprio. Emmanuel’s live appear-

ances have included Live 8 and Nelson

Mandela’s 90th Birthday Concert. He has

performed with acts such as Faithless,

Razorlight, Supergrass and Fat Boy Slim

in Europe and more recently, with Alicia

Keys at her Black Ball in New York.

Emmanuel is in demand as a speaker

and has addressed the United Nations,

the US Congress and the highest tiers

of several governments. In 2010 he was

involved with the British Council, the

Clinton Global Initiative, the Adolescent

Girls Initiative, the Child Soldiers Initia-

tive and the launch of Ericsson’s Refu-

gees Reunited Software. He was one

of the faces of Amnesty International’s

2010 World Refugee Day Campaign

and this year alone he has taken part in

the Oxfam Climate Change Campaign

and the CNN Freedom Project and has

spoken alongside Kofi Annan and Martti

Ahtisaari for CMI in Finland and Matt

Dillon for Refugees International in Wash-

ington DC.

Emmanuel’s story is the inspiration

behind the book ‘War Child’, the

memoirs of a former child soldier. He

has also featured in a documentary film

of the same title that follows him from

a school lecture in Washington DC to

a performance in London to a moving

family reunion in Southern Sudan after

18 long years. Despite his accomplish-

ments in music and film, one of Jal’s

biggest passions is Gua Africa, the charity

he has founded to work with individuals,

families and communities to help them

overcome the effects of war and poverty.

In December 2010, Jal released ‘We Want

Peace’ as part of the wider campaign of

the same name calling for peace, protec-

tion and justice for all in Sudan ahead of

the January 2011 referendum, but also

calling for an end to all conflicts affecting

innocent people around the world.

For more information visit:

www.emmanueljal.com

Africa’s low cost airline

// Emmanuel Jal

23

he was rescued and adopted by emma mccune and, with time, the former child soldier found solace in music

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

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

TANZANIA

KENYA

UGANDA

DAR ES SALAAM

NAIROBI

MTWARA

ZANZIBAR

UKUNDA

MOMBASA

VIPINGO

MALINDIARUSHA

MANYARA

BUJUMBURA

MWANZA LAMUGRUMETI

MASAI MARA

KISUMUENTEBBE

KAKAMEGA

LODWAR

JUBA

SAMBURU

MERU

AMBOSELI

NANYUKIELDORET

KITALE

SOUTH SUDAN

BURUNDI � KILIMANJARO

24 www.fl y540.com

Network //

The flY540

neTWork oVeR 30 destiNatioNs thRoughout east aFRica

With moRe comiNg VeRY sooN

aFRica

BOOK ONLINE AT:

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AF

AARFF

ICA

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LOWO

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INEE

TANZANIA

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UGANDA

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BUJUMBURA

MWANZA LAMUGRUMETI

MASAI MARA

KISUMUENTEBBE

KAKAMEGA

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JUBA

SAMBURU

MERU

AMBOSELI

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KITALE

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BURUNDI � KILIMANJARO

25Africa’s low cost airline

www.fly540.com

Tusker All Stars //

Tusker all sTars seT To enTerTain easT africa

26

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

editions of Tusker Project Fame.

The Tusker All Stars show dares to bring more fame to

the already famous East African music artists, because

the winner of the competition will have a dream oppor-

tunity to perform with top-rated R&B music artists

Usher Raymonds and Keri Hilson on 20 August at the

Tusker All Stars concert.

tusker Project Fame

Tusker All Stars contestants were selected according to their

popularity and music career path during and after their stints in

Tusker Project Fame. The eight contestants include Tanzanian

‘heartbreak kid’ Hemedi Suleiman from Tusker Project Fame,

Season II; the energetic vocalist Peter Msechu from Tanzania,

best remembered for his stellar performance in Tusker Project

Fame IV; the hard-working Davis Ntare from Uganda, winner

of Tusker Project Fame IV; and dance-diva Caroline Nabulime

from Tusker Project Fame III; From Kenya comes the ever-smiling

dance queen Amileena Mwenesi from Tusker Project Fame IV,

and Bernard Ng’ang’a, popularly known as Ng’ang’alito, from

Tusker Project Fame III. Completing the Tusker All Stars line-up

are Patricia Kihoro from Kenya and Rwanda’s Alpha Rwirangira,

both from Tusker Project Fame III.

The Tusker All Stars started on 26 June and will run until

the finale on 14 August. The show is hosted by Kenya’s Eve

D’Souza and Uganda’s Gaetano Kagwa. In the Tusker Pub is

the straight-talking, no-nonsense Ian Mbugua, who was loved

and frowned upon in equal measure by both contestants and

viewers of the Tusker Project Fame series.

The show is sponsored by Tusker, flagship brand of East African

Breweries Ltd, and is watched across the East African region.Amileena Mwenesi performs

at Tusker All Stars

V ipingo Ridge, with its perfect hilltop position overlooking the Indian Ocean to the east

and the Chonyi Hills to the west, is one of the new wonders of golf in East and Central Africa.

This huge estate, enclosed within a 27

km stone wall, is Kenya’s premier golf

location. The estate is modelled on similar

golf properties in Florida. Those who

have had an opportunity to visit Vipingo

Ridge will agree that this is the conti-

nent’s most prestigious golf resort outside

South Africa.

The 2,500 acre estate also contains

luxurious holiday homes aimed at

high-end customers from both Kenya

and elsewhere. Plots range in price

from US$130,000 to US$265,000 and

are linked by an elaborate network of

paved roads that also give access to the

ultra-modern clubhouse, situated at the

highest point of the estate.

luxury villas

The clubhouse is in the middle of what

will be a 36-hole golf course. At the

moment, the 18-hole Baobab Golf

Course has been completed, while a

second 18-hole course, the Palms Golf

Course, is to be constructed.

Some homes overlooking the golf course

have been purchased and others are

under construction. Building work has

begun on 42 exclusive villas. These fully

furnished villas will range in size from

two bedrooms to four and will feature a

rooftop swimming pool.

Fine cuisine

Owners of these exclusive villas will also

have the option of renting them out to

holidaymakers at the coast or golfers

who wish to play the two local courses.

A five-star à la carte restaurant will be

built close to the villas so that holiday-

makers and villa owners can enjoy fine

cuisine within walking distance of their

residences.

While Vipingo Ridge is heavily themed on

golf, the estate developers are aware that

some property owners and holidaymakers

will be looking to other outdoor activities

apart from golf. To meet this demand,

they are developing a new country club

on the estate which will feature tennis

and squash courts, a cricket pitch, a

bowling alley and an Olympic-sized swim-

ming pool.

premier golf locaTion is a sporTing wonder

Africa’s low cost airline

// Vipingo Ridge

27

this huge estate, enclosed within a 27 km stone wall, is kenya’s premier golf location

orphAnAge kidS welcome A SpeciAl viSitor

www.fly540.com28

imani Rehabilitation Agency is a non-profit making organisation situated in Malindi, Kajiando and

Nairobi. The organisation‘s objectives are to provide care and protection, rehabilitate, educate, provide primary health care and to reintegrate the orphans and vulnerable children in the community.

The project’s founder, Mama Imani, is

based in Nairobi and, owing to health

problems, finds travelling by vehicle

difficult. Fly540 allows Mama Imani free

flights between Malindi and Nairobi.

This enables her to pay regular visits to

the children there as well as to carry sick

babies to and fro if they need medical

help in Nairobi.

The Imani project began in 1992 as a

rehabilitation program for the street chil-

dren. At that time, Nairobi city had more

than 60,000 children who were living on

the streets. The organisation has now

grown, from a home of 20 children, to an

institution catering for an average of 350

children per year.

At Imani, children are rescued almost on

a daily basis, from dustbins, sewage sites

and from hospitals where, especially young

mothers, abandon new-borns. Police desks

are equally busy with children found, lost or

left on their own without care or protec-

tion. All these children of aged five years or

Bring some joy to these childrenOver 350 vulnerable Kenyan children are now cared for in the four homes run by the Imani Rehabilitation Agency in Nairobi, Ngong and Malindi. If you would like to support this worthwhile project by sending a donation, please contact us:

Imani Rehabilitation Agency for Abandoned Children

PO Box 71589-00610, Eastleigh, Nairobi

Tel: 020-2357433

Cell: 0733 620587

Email: [email protected]

www.imanikids.org

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

// Imani Children

below are brought to Imani children’s home

for care and protection.

The Imani vision is to rehabilitate these

children back into a society where they

are able to live a dignifi ed existence with

equal access to opportunities in life.

The rescue centre at Malindi cares for

orphans and vulnerable children along

the coast of Kenya. Far away from the

rest of the Imani family and from the main

medical centres in Nairobi, the project is

also not a permanent home for the chil-

dren, but a rescue centre for a period of

time after which the children rescued are

re-integrated into the community.

Fresh vegetables

Malindi is also notoriously dry and as a

result, locally grown vegetables are in

high demand. To ensure the children

based at the coast have a healthy and

varied diet, Fly540 transports fresh

vegetables to Malindi each week.

Some of the children housed at Malindi

have sent letters and drawn pictures

thanking Fly540 for their support.

30 www.fly540.com

Type: Twin-engine turboprop airplane

Number in service: One

Capacity per aircraft: 19 passengers

The flY540 aircrafT fleeT

hawker Beechcraftairliner B1900c

Type: Twin-turboprop, short-haul regional airliner

Number in service: Two

Capacity per aircraft: 47 passengers

atR 42-320Type: Twin-engine regional jet

Number in service: Three

Capacity per aircraft: 50 passengers

canadair cl-600-2B19 Regional Jet

31Africa’s low cost airline

// Fleet

Type: Twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner

Number in service: Two

Capacity per aircraft: 78 passengers

atR 72-500

Type: Turboprop cargo airliner

Number in service: One

Capacity per aircraft: 1336 x 210 x 190 cargo hold

Fokker F27

Type: Short range jet airliner

Number in service: One

Capacity per aircraft: 67 passengers

Fokker F28

Type: Twin-engined, medium range, turboprop airliner

Number in service: 3

Capacity per aircraft: 37 passengers

Bombardier dash 8 102 series

Type: Single turboprop engine, fixed-gear short-haul regional airliner

Number in service: One

Capacity per aircraft: 10 passengers

cessna caravan c208

www.fl y540.com32

ride ouT eaT ouT

By gary gimson

An experience the whole family can enjoy

i had planned what I had hoped would be a rather agreeable and leisurely Sunday lunch in what I

was sure would be a spectacular setting.

But at that point I had not spoken to Niall

Cowan, the general manager at Fairmount

Mount Kenya Safari Club, and he had other,

more ambitious ideas. “Don’t just come

for lunch,” he said persuasively. “Why

not combine dining with some horse-riding

and try something a bit different?”

For me, the chance to visit the iconic

Mount Kenya Safari Club, a property

created by the legendary Hollywood

movie star William Holden, was suffi cient.

heading off

But the thought of getting on a horse

and heading off into Mount Kenya

National Park just to eat lunch was a bit

beyond my comprehension. What’s more,

I had not really ridden since I was a boy

and after a couple of falls I had quickly

given up any aspiration of becoming a

jockey or showjumper. So I was naturally

apprehensive.

On arrival, I was greeted by a smiling

Charles Gichuhi, the Club’s F&B service

manager. After a brief chat about

Fairmont’s charmingly discreet and

surprisingly sympathetic refurbishment

of the property, he pointed over to what

appeared to be a huddle of reassuringly

docile-looking nags. “There is your horse

and my colleagues, John and John, will

now take you into the national park for

lunch,” he said.

He provided a helping hand as I inel-

egantly clambered on to my mount,

and then we were off and walking,

my horse obediently following the one

in front and heading out through the

Club’s exquisitely manicured grounds.

We soon encountered a broad stream

and my horse easily picked its way over

the pebbly river bottom and up the steep

bank on the other side.

We were now on a narrow track with

recent evidence that elephant had also

used this route. “What do we do if we

meet an elephant coming in the opposite

direction?” I asked. But I didn’t really get

a satisfactory answer from the two Johns.

We were soon through the gorge and

into the forest proper and then into an

open area that was once the Club’s own

airstrip but is now abandoned.

The game viewing was not exactly spec-

tacular, just impressively close-up sight-

ings of waterbuck, bushbuck and a troop

of grumpy baboons. But, on a better

suNdaY luNch at mouNt keNYa saFaRi cluB

Africa’s low cost airline 33

For me, the chance to visit the iconic mount kenya safari club, a property created by the legendary hollywood movie star William holden, was sufficient

// Sunday lunch

day, guests would hope to spot elephant

and buffalo and, if they were especially

fortunate, leopard.

After about 45 minutes of riding, we

suddenly encountered a table, a parasol,

chairs and a couple of the Club’s impec-

cably dressed staff. The table was angled

to capture the best view of what proved

to be a disappointingly cloud-enshrouded

Mount Kenya.

As someone who greatly enjoys eating in

the bush, I always marvel at the way staff

manage to conjure up the most exquisite

of dishes with only the barest of facilities.

The staff at Mount Kenya Safari Club

were no exception, effortlessly serving a

prawn and salmon starter followed by a

delicious mushroom soup with a dollop

of chive cream.

Fresh

As if that wasn’t enough, the main course,

comprising both barbecued beef and local

Meru chicken accompanied by wonder-

fully fresh vegetables from the Club’s own

garden, then made an appearance.

For dessert, I had the Club’s Mount

Kenya forest tasting of wild cherries, dark

chocolate and vanilla bean cream with

fresh fruit.

A choice of red or white wine was

offered throughout the meal as well as a

selection of fruit juices (I chose mango)

and both sparkling and still water.

The meal was completed with either tea

or coffee. (The Club has a selection of

menus and is happy to discuss any dietary

requirements or preferences with guests.)

As dark clouds gathered and the rumble

of thunder moved ever closer, it was time

to be helped back on to my trusty steed

for the ride back to the Club on a full

(and I do mean full) stomach. The return

route is different, but no less attractive.

I became more confident as I honed my

rusty horsemanship, with one of the

Johns reminding me of the skills I had

learnt as a boy but long since forgotten.

magnificent

The rain began to catch up with us, but

we didn’t care. This was a magnificent

afternoon and a few drops of rain were

not going to spoil things.

As we began to feel damp, the Club

hove into view and there was a beaming

Charles, ready to hear about my experi-

ences and invite me for a coffee as we

looked out once more on Mount Kenya.

A couple of tips for anyone looking to

book this superb lunch event, which is

priced at KES 4,800 for non-residents of

the Club:

• First, and as I proved, you don’t

you need to be an expert to ride in the

national park

• Visit the bathroom before you leave

the Club as there are no comfort stops en

route or suitable facilities at the lunch site

• Portion sizes are more than ample, so

don’t have a big breakfast or a mid-

morning snack beforehand

• Riding a horse on a full stomach is not

to everyone’s taste, so there is the option

of returning to the Club by car.

One final thought – and this is aimed at

the magazine’s male readers – if you are

looking to impress a lady friend, or even

looking to pop the question, then you are

probably on to a winner with this lunch in

this romantic location. What’s more, you

can always return to the Club some day to

marry under its sacred mugumo tree.

Note: Fly540 operates daily flights

between Nairobi and Nanyuki.

Africa’s low cost airline

// Sunday lunch

35

as someone who greatly enjoys eating in the bush, i always marvel at the way staff manage to conjure up the most exquisite of dishes from only the barest of facilities

Spectacular scenery makes the perfect backdrop

www.fl y540.com

Conferencing //

CONFERENCE TOURISM IS

36

BIG BUSINESS

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

Africa’s low cost airline 37

To ensure the success of each event, The

Plenary is equipped with the very latest

in conference technology. This includes

observer galleries; an advanced sound

amplifi cation and recording system; and

booths for wireless simultaneous interpre-

tation equipment, able to translate into

seven languages.

In addition to The Plenary, the KICC has

an amphitheatre, designed in the style of

a traditional African hut, which is used

mainly for seminars and symposiums.

With seating for about 800 people in

three tiers overlooking the auditorium,

the amphitheatre has a state-of-the-art

public address system, full logic recording

systems and sound proofi ng.

The KICC is also a renowned exhibition

centre, hosting expos and trade shows

almost monthly throughout the year. The

open grounds, overlooking the Kenyan

parliament building, have been used for

many trade shows, including the largest

in the region, the COMESA International

Trade Exhibition.

In addition to the KICC, many hotels in

Nairobi have been keen to take advan-

tage of this expanding sector. The Nairobi

Serena Hotel, for example, has recently

launched a TelePresence service. This new

facility comes in addition to the video

conferencing service already established

at the Serena.

Mombasa

Away from the Kenyan capital, the

coastal holiday resort of Mombasa is

another well-known conference venue.

Many of the city’s hotels offer conference

facilities and accommodation.

The Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort has

some of the fi nest meeting and confer-

Conference tourism in East Africa has shown tremen-dous growth in the past

decade. Buoyed by the increase in regional and international meetings, the sector has gone from strength to strength.

This has not only created competition

within the sector, but has helped encour-

age innovation, service delivery and

product upgrades.

Nairobi

The Kenyan capital is also a regional

capital for East and Central Africa. The

city is home to the largest conference

venue in the area, the Kenyatta Interna-

tional Conference Centre (KICC). Built in

the 1970s, the KICC has made a name

for itself by hosting some of the most

important business and diplomatic meet-

ings in the region.

Among the KICC’s many meeting rooms

is The Plenary, the largest conference

chamber of its kind in East and Central

Africa. Constructed in soundproof grey

stone, with natural wood and lofty ceilings,

The Plenary has a capacity of 5,000 people

and caters mainly for large international

meetings, exhibitions and grand balls.

Well-equipped boardroom at the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club

www.fly540.com38

ence services on Kenya’s north coast,

with state-of-the-art equipment and

facilities to meet every requirement, from

large meetings to executive off-sites and

board meetings.

The resort has nine meeting rooms

ranging in size from small boardrooms

and meeting rooms to the spacious

Makutano Hall.

Kampala, Uganda

Across the region, the Ugandan capital,

Kampala, has also been raising its game.

One of the biggest and best known

Africa’s low cost airline

// Conferencing

39

conference centres here is the recently

opened Munyonyo Commonwealth

Retreat, near Kampala, which was origi-

nally built to host the Commonwealth

Heads of Government Meeting in 2007.

At the heart of the Ugandan capital is the

imposing Kampala Serena Hotel, home to

the city’s premier meeting and conference

venue, the Kampala Serena International

Conference Centre. This two-storey,

hexagonal complex features the Victoria

Auditorium, a state-of-the-art conference

facility for up to 1,500 delegates, and the

Nile Gallery, which also functions as an

exhibition area.

Another important meeting venue in this

area is the Jinja Nile Resort at Entebbe.

Spread over 75 acres near the River Nile,

the resort has three conference halls,

three meeting rooms and a boardroom.

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital

of Tanzania, has recently become a

major conference and meeting place

in the region. The city recently hosted

the World Economic Forum, one of the

biggest conferences to take place in Dar

es Salaam.

The opening of the Mlimani City

Complex, able to accommodate up to

2,000 people, has underlined the status

of Dar es Salaam as a favourable confer-

ence venue.

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

The Makutano Hall at the

Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort

FLY540

TRavel infoRmaTion foR eaST afRica

www.fly540.com

Information //

Tanzanian visas

Ugandan visas

South Sudan visas

Visa information

40

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

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

All foreigners from non-Commonwealth countries are

required to have a valid visa unless their countries have

agreements with Tanzania under which the visa require-

ment is waived.

Exemptions: Citizens of Commonwealth countries are

not required to obtain visas unless they are citizens of the

United Kingdom, Canada, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, South

Africa, New Zealand or Australia.

Visa-issuing Stations and Authorities

Tanzanian visas are issued by the following:

• The office of the Director of Immigration Services, Dar

es Salaam, and the office of the Principal Immigration

Officer, Zanzibar.

• Entry points to the United Republic of Tanzania: principally

Namanga, Tunduma, Sirari, Horohoro, Kigoma Port, Dar

es Salaam International Airport, Kilimanjaro International

Airport, Zanzibar Harbour and Zanzibar Airport.

• Any other gazetted entry point.

• From Tanzania High Commissions or embassies abroad. For

more information on Tanzanian diplomatic missions visit:

www.tanzania.go.tz/tanzaniaembassiesabroad.htm

The easiest way of getting a visa to Uganda is by purchasing it

at the entry point, Entebbe Airport or any border station. This

is very possible for tourists coming into Uganda. All you need

to do is pay USD 50, fill in the application form with passport

dates and information. The visa issued is valid for 90 days.

You can also get a visa by applying online if you a citizen of

the following countries, USA, UK, South Africa, Russia, Japan,

Italy, India, Germany, France, Denmark, China, Canada, and

Belgium. All you need to do is to download the application

from the embassy website of your country of origin.

The only authority in South Sudan is the Government of

South Sudan, based in Juba. Any visitor going to Sudan

through Khartoum requires a valid visa.

Immigration regulations stipulate that anyone going to

South Sudan needs a travel permit from the Govern-

ment of South Sudan Ministry of Regional Co-operation

Mission Offices abroad, supervised by the Ministry of

Internal Affairs.

Visas are issued through the South Sudan Embassy. The

Republic of South Sudan has missions in Kenya, Egypt,

Eritrea, Ethiopia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the

Congo (DRC), Zimbabwe, Nigeria, South Africa, Australia,

Norway, Belgium, the UK, Canada and the USA.

Foreign missions in Juba include Kenya, the UK, the USA,

the Netherlands, Norway, Germany, France, Ethiopia,

South Africa, Libya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Turkey, Norway,

Nigeria, China, Egypt, Eritrea, India and Italy.

FL FFYLL

540

VIS

ASS

INFNNORMRR AMM TA ION

Africa’s low cost airline

Health

41

Kenyan visasVisas are required for most nationals and cost US$50. A visa

can be obtained on entry, however we recommended one be

obtained before arrival to avoid airport lengthy queues. Visa

Application Forms are available online.

A visa is required by all visitors travelling to Kenya with the

exception of those holding a re-entry pass to Kenya and

citizens of Ethiopia, San Marino, Turkey and Uruguay.

Note that the reciprocal visa abolition agreements with

Germany, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Spain,

and Republic of Ireland no longer apply and nationals of

these countries now require a Visa.

KENYA VISA REQUIREMENTS

• Valid passport with suffi cient number of unused pages for

endorsements abroad. Passport must be signed and valid

for at least six months.

• Visa application form duly completed and signed by the

applicant.

• Two recent passport size photographs attached to the

application form.

• Valid round trip ticket or a letter from your travel agent

certifying that the applicant holds prepaid arrangements.

• A self-addressed stamped envelope for express mail,

courier, registered mail, etc., if the visa is urgently

required. Metered stamps are not acceptable.

• Home and work telephone numbers.

Please fi ll out the form correctly and enclose the photographs

and payment to avoid delay and disappointment.

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

VISA FEES CHARGES:

Multiple entry: $100

Single entry: $50

Transit Visa: $20

1. Please note that all children below 16 yrs are not charged visa fees

2. The reduced visa fees were effected on 1st march 2009, as directive from

ministry of tourism on attracting more tourists in to the country.

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

For more information and to download a Kenya visa application form visit:

http://www.immigration.go.ke/index.php

Vaccination requirements for international travellers

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

• Only valid yellow fever vaccination certifi cates are required of all travellers over one year old, arriving from yellow fever infected

countries mainly in central and West Africa, South and Central America South East Asia, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh.

• Vaccination for international travellers are obtainable from all international air and sea ports, city and major municipal councils

NB: Make sure you get your yellow fever shot in good time since the yellow fever certifi cate is valid for travel use 10 days after vaccination.

FL FFYLL

540

VIS

ASS

INFNNORMRR AMM TA ION

FLLFFYYLLLL

5440VV

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CACINANN TA ION INFNN

ORMRR

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FLY540

GeTTinG aRound in eaST afRica

www.fly540.com

Information //

By bus

By 4x4 and hire car By train

42

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

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

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

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

FLFFYLL

540 TRTT ARR VAA EVV L INFNN

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Africa’s low cost airline

Hand luggage

43

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

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

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

In Tanzania, public minibuses are known as daladala. Unlike in Nairobi, the minibuses in Dar es Salaam are packed and normally exceed their carrying capacity, especially in the morning and afternoon rush hours. The daladala have the fares displayed on their sides, however, making it easier for visitors to the city to avoid being overcharged.

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

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

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

Liquids, gels and aerosols include:

• Water and other drinks

• Syrups

• Creams, lotions and oils

• Perfumes and sprays

• Gels including hair and shower gels

• Pastes including Vaseline and eye shadow

FLFFYLL

540 TRTT ARR VAA EVV L INFNN

ORMRR

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• Pressurised containers such as shaving foam and deodorants

• Other items with similar consistency.

The following items are allowed in hand luggage:

• Medicine needed during the fl ight

• Baby food needed during the fl ight.

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

NOTE: Kenya Airports Authority implements all ICAO standards and

recommended practices on liquids, aerosols and gels.

FFLFFYLL

5540 LUL

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// Kids’ corner

CORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERQ: What do you get if you cross

a fi sh with an elephant?

a: Swimming trunks!

How many words can you make using all

or some of the letters in the word

The words have to be at least THREE letters long. And you can’t use

the letter twice in the same word, unless the letter appears twice

in the word. So, for example, you can’t make the word ‘motto’

because there is only one T in astronomical but you can make the

word ‘moon’ because there are two Os. Ready, steady, go! 45Africa’s low cost airline

CORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERKids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’CORNERCORNERCORNERKids’CORNERCORNERCORNERKids’CORNERCORNERCORNERKids’CORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERKids’CORNERCORNERCORNERKids’CORNERCORNERCORNERKids’CORNERCORNERCORNERKids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’Kids’CORNERCORNERCORNERKids’CORNERCORNERCORNERKids’CORNERCORNERCORNERKids’CORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERKids’CORNERCORNERCORNERKids’CORNERCORNERCORNERKids’CORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERCORNERKids’CORNERCORNERCORNERKids’CORNERCORNERCORNERKids’CORNERCORNERCORNERKids’Kids’Kids’

SpOt The SpOt The SpOt The SpOt The SpOt The SpOt The differencedifferencedifferenceSpOt The differenceSpOt The SpOt The SpOt The differenceSpOt The differenceSpOt The differenceSpOt The SpOt The SpOt The differenceSpOt The

We’ve made fi ve changes, can you spot them?

cccOOOcOcccOcOcOcccOc LLLOOOLOLLLOLOLOLLLOL UUUR R R MMMEEE IIINNN

JOke time!JOke time!JOke time!

Q: Which big cat should you

never play cards with?

a: A cheetah!

Q: Why are football players

never asked for dinner?

a: Because they’re always

dribbling!

mOre Jokes...mOre Jokes...mOre Jokes...

“astROnOmical”?“astROnOmical”?“astROnOmical”?“astROnOmical”?“astROnOmical”?“astROnOmical”?“astROnOmical”?“astROnOmical”?“astROnOmical”?“astROnOmical”?“astROnOmical”?“astROnOmical”?

UNESCO RECOGNISES KEY STATUS OF

RIFT VALLEY LAKE SYSTEM

Lake BogoriaLake Bogoria is famous for its hot springs

and geysers, which erupt as high as three

metres into the air and have a pungent

sulphuric smell. Watching them erupt is a

marvel and it is no wonder that the geol-

ogist and explorer J.W. Gregory described

Lake Bogoria as ‘the most beautiful view

in Africa’.

Lake NakuruFamed for its pink-rimmed shores, Lake

Nakuru is home to the world’s largest

fl amingo population. The lesser fl amingos

are attracted to the lake by an abundance

of blue-green algae.

The lake is a major attraction in the Rift

Valley tourism circuit. It is part of the Lake

Nakuru National Park, which is also home

to black rhino and white rhino. The lake

is also visited by hundreds of migratory

birds – a sight that has been described

as the greatest ornithological spectacle

on earth.

Lake Elementaita

Located midway between Nairobi and

Nakuru, the ‘bread basket’ of Kenya,

Lake Elementaita plays a key role in the

wider lakes ecosystem because it is a

breeding ground for fl amingos.

Africa’s low cost airline

// Kenyan lakes

47

Three lakes in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley have been recog-nised as a World Heritage Site

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

The system on the fl oor of the Great Rift

Valley consists of three relatively shallow

lakes – Bogoria, Nakuru and Elementaita

– which are interlinked. Covering just

over 32,000 hectares, the lake system

is home to 13 globally threatened bird

species and some of the highest bird

diversities in the world.

As well as playing host to hundreds of

resident and migratory birds, the lake

system is the world’s most important

foraging site for the lesser fl amingo and

is a major nesting and breeding ground

for the great white pelican.

The lakes system is also home to

signifi cant populations of wild animals

including black rhino, white rhino,

Rothschild’s giraffe, greater kudu, lion,

cheetah and wild dog.

The lake system is the world’s most important foraging site for the lesser flamingo

48 www.fl y540.com

Contact us //

FIVE FORTY AFRICA - HEAD OFFICERiverside Green Suites, Palm SuiteRiverside DrivePO Box 10293-00100Nairobi, KenyaTel: +254 (0)20 445 2391/5Fax/Tel: +254 (0)20 445 2396Sales: Tel: +254 (0)737 540 540Email: info@fl y540.com

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

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

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

Unit 1 (International Departures)Tel: +254 (0)20 827 521

MOMBASA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICEGround Floor, Mombasa Trade Centre Nkrumah RoadTel: +254 (0)41 231 9078/9Mob: +254 (0)728 540 540; (0)710 540 540

Moi International Airport, MombasaTel: +254 (0)41 343 4821Tel: +254 (0)32 540 540; (0)722 555 730

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

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

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

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

UGANDA 540 (U) LTDKAMPALA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICE1st Floor, Oasis Mall Tel: +256 (0)414 346 915/999Tel: +256 (0)312 540 540Sales: Tel: +256 (0)712 540 540; (0)776 540 540

ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS OFFICETel: +256 (0)314 540 540Tel: +256 (0)315 540 540Sales: Tel: +256 (0)713 540 540

UKUNDA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS Barclays Centre, Diani RoadTel: +254 (0)20 354 6532 Tel: +254 (0)726 453 246 LAMU - NORTH COAST TRAVEL SERVICETel: +254 (0)42 213 0312Tel: +254 (0)42 463 2054Tel: +254 (0)725 942 444Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] KITALE TICKETING & RESERVATIONSTerminal Building, Kitale AirstripTel: +254 (0)770 639 429Tel: +254 (0)724 457 374Tel: +254 (0)735 540 547 ELDORET 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONSTel: +254 (0)53 203 3570/80 ELDORET INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 540 Ticketing & Reservations Offi ceTel: +254 (0)53 203 0814Tel: +254 (0)53 206 3823 ext 658 KAKAMEGA 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONSHolden Mall - above Nakumatt SupermarketTel: +254 (0)734 540 550Tel: +254 (0)711 908 330 540 TICKETING & RESERVATIONS WILSON AIRPORT : 540 SAFARI CIRCUIT SALESGround Floor, Langata House Tel: +254 (0)20 254 0206Tel: +254 (0)729 540 540Tel: +254 (0)735 540 540

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