BBC News – Serengeti road scrapped over wildlife concerns.
Sometime ago, I had posted a news item regarding the then approval of the road through Serengeti. (Link: http://wp.me/p4MYC-8p). This road had been approved by the Tanzanian Government in the name of progress. However, a strong environmental opposition reached the offices of the World Heritage Center in Paris. Excerpts from the news story follow. For further reading please click the link above.
Controversial plans to build a tarmac road across the Serengeti National Park have been scrapped after warnings that it could devastate wildlife.
Last year, a group of scientists warned that the proposed road across the park could bring the number of wildebeest in the park, estimated at about 1.3 million, down to 300,000.
The researchers described the Serengeti as “a rare and iconic example of an ecosystem driven by a large mammal migration”. That annual north-to-south trek involves about 1.5 million animals, including wildebeest and zebra.
This news item courtesy a Wildlife preservation blog linked at: No Road in Serengeti – Home of Wildlife.
allAfrica.com: Tanzania: Airline Targets Lake Zone.
Some useful information for fellow Musomians travelling to Musoma region (via Mwanza). Precision Air has started their expansion plans. Following are excerpts from the news story. Please click on the link above for more information.
Precision Air (PW) is turning Mwanza into its mini-hub as it seeks to capitalise on the number of fleet to beat competitors.”We are stationing at least one aircraft at Mwanza which will be serving the entire Lake Zone. It will be flying to Shinyanga, Musoma and Bukoba as well as to Kigoma,” managing director Alfonse Kioko announced yesterday.
“Our plans are to grow further and reach more destinations both local and international,” he said.The launch of flights to the Comoros and Mwanza mini-hub makes PW services available in more than 15 destinations with reliable international connections through its strategic partner Kenya Airways.
Submitted by: Jashwant Rao
Via Email:
This is a clipping from a recent issue of the Asian Voice magazine of an article on the reopening of the Eden Plaza (Kensington) Hotel in London. The hotel is owned by Mansoor Popat of the Popat family from Musoma. The hotel underwent extensive refurbishment before the reopening. It highlights the success and achievement of Mansoor Popat one of a number of Musomians who have gained success in various fields.
MusomaBlog earlier shared news about the possibility of this highway construction proposal connecting Musoma to Arusha.
The latest news is that the Tanzania Government has approved the construction of the multi-million dollar highway cutting through the Serengeti National Park.
Link to the news item: The East African News
Will this be the beginning of the end of the National park and its uniqueness as we remember it to be?
The following are excerpts from a news article in The Citizen Newspaper
For the full news article please click: TheCitizen: Govt bows to pressure on Serengeti Road
Excerpts:
President Jakaya Kikwete said in his end-of-the month speech on Saturday evening that the government had decided not to tarmac the 50km stretch passing though the park. The stretch is part of a road planned by the government to link Mara and Arusha regions from Musoma in Mara to Mto wa Mbu in Arusha through Loliondo in Ngorngoro District.
But he insisted that there was no way the government was going to abandon the project completely as suggested by some people.
“It is out policy to link all regions with all-weather roads,” he said, adding that the Musoma-Mto wa Mbu road was no exception.
“I request the environmental activists to recognise this and give it due consideration. Considering only one side of the issue is not logical,” he said.
In response