Kuoni exclusive camp, Serengeti Bushtops, is set to open in June 2010

Kuoni has announced that its exclusive new camp, Serengeti Bushtops, is set to open on June 1st 2010 just in time for this year’s famous wildebeest migration. Situated in the north west of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, this luxury five star tented safari camp is located directly in the path of the main migration route.

Just 25km from the Mara River, access to the tented safari camp is either by road through Arusha Lake Manyara, or by air via Kilimanjaro International airport and landing at the nearby Kogatende airstrip. Connecting flights to the Serengeti National Park are also available from Zanzibar, Arusha, Dar es Salaam and Nairobi, with transfers also available between the Serengeti Bushtops’ sister camp - Mara Bushtops, a top destination for Kenya holidays.

Serengeti Bushtops has a number of specially converted 4x4 vehicles to take customers on wildlife adventures, such as off road game drives, bush picnics and hippo and crocodile spotting along the Mara River. Safaris will be offered on a private or group basis, each with experienced guides. The big draw will be the yearly migration of thousands of wildebeest which occurs between June and November each year.

To view this spectacular event, Kuoni has 12 specially designed spacious tents for guests to stay in which are open on three sides, and which benefit from wooden flooring, ensuite bathrooms, indoor and outdoor showers, a hot tub, private veranda, writing desk, small library and telescope.

Other facilities include a mess tent with views across the Serengeti, a contemporary lounge with bar, library, camp fire and wine cellar as well as internet access and a 24 hour butler service.

What will be the fate of Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani?

Facts about Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani: 1970 or 1974 born in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

1990-1994 Joined al-Qaeda and trained in bomb making.

1998 August, took part in the bombing of Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam embassies. In Narobi, 212 people were killed, and an estimated 4,000 wounded. In Dar Es Salaam, at least 11 were killed, and 85 wounded.

2000 November; In the Liberian capital, Monrovia, he ran a lucrative al-Qaeda financing operation, trading illegal "blood diamonds" for cash along with Fazul Abdullah Mohammed 2001 June; reports reached al-Qaeda that Ghailani and Fazul Abdullah Mohammed were lavishing money on women, in the form of presents and alcohol.

2001 October, Placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist list.

2004 July, After an eight hour battle in Gujrat, he was captured along with 13 others by the in Pakinstan military and turned over to the US.

2006 September, Transferred along with 14 other detainees from secret prison to Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba.

2007 March, in an military hearing, Ghailani, admitted delivering explosives used to blow up the US embassy in Tanzania in 1998. In the Tanzania bombing 11 were killed, and 86 injuried.

2009 June, On the direction of the Obama Administration (U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder), he was transferred to New York City to stand trial in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. He is held in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan.

2010 February, US District Court Judge Lewis A. Kaplan ordered the Prosecution to review the record of Ghailani's detention in CIA's network of black sites And any materials that show the decisions “were for a purpose other than national security,” must be turned over to Ghailani's lawyers. Reports that Kaplan is considering dismissing the charges on the grounds that due to Ghailani's long extrajudicial detention he was denied the constitutional right to a speedy trial.

2010 March, Ghaiani’s lawyers has petition the judge that Ghailani be immediately released and granted a permanent resident card.

We should soon know the fate of Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, I wonder if he is released and granted permanent resident status if he will be allowed to bring his wife and family to the US also?


Source: Victoria advocate

Spitali ya Vinyama

Ukiwa Unguja, sehemu ya kutibu Vinyama ipo Mbweni, barabara ya Bakari Jabu.

China, Tanzania sign loan agreements on ICT, air transport infrastructure

The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Exim Bank of China on Friday signed two concessional loan agreements to finance the Tanzanian National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Broadband infrastructure Backbone Network Project and upgrading of the Zanzibar International Airport.

Under the National ICT broadband infrastructure Backbone Network Project (Phase II), the Exim Bank of China will extend to Tanzania 700 million RMB yuan (about 100 million U.S. dollars) to support the implementation of the project, which aims to contribute significantly to the Tanzanian government's effort to improve communication technology in Tanzania, according to the signed agreement.

In the second project, the Exim Bank of China will provide to the Tanzanian government 481 million RMB yuan (about 70 million U. S. dollars) for the purpose of supporting the upgrading of Tanzania's Zanzibar International Airport Terminal II, the agreement said.

The implementation of the project aims to improve the air transport for passengers and goods to and from the Indian Ocean archipelago of Zanzibar, providing safe and reliable airport for large aircrafts and large number of flights and increase the number of passengers from inside and outside of Tanzania.

Speaking at the agreements signing ceremony, Tanzanian Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Mustapha Mkulo hailed China's assistance to his country, noting that the bilateral cooperation in sectors of development and technology between the two countries are highly appreciated.

The two projects would contribute to significantly to the Tanzanian Government's effort to improve communication technology in Tanzania, the national and social development and poverty reduction in the east African country, he said.

It is expected to lower the communication costs between Tanzania and the rest of the world, as well as promote the e- government, e-learning, e-health and e-commerce and economic growth, development of science and technology and government renovation, the minister said.

For his part, Zhu Hongjie, vice-chairman of the Exim Bank of China, said that the bank attached great importance to the issue of concessional loans to Tanzania, which covers the sector of communication, agriculture, transport infrastructure and public facilities among others.

He hoped that the implementation of the two above projects would play an active role in the economic and social development of Tanzania.

The Tanzanian government plans to spend about 4.76 trillion Tanzanian shillings (3.58 billion U.S. dollars) for special infrastructure projects annually from the 2010/2011 financial year, as part of an ambitious five-year public investment drive that has been hailed by the private sector as realistic and in order.

Source:People's Daily Online