YOUR FREE PRECISION AIR MAGAZINE Issue 97, January - March 2020
Phoebe Ouma ARTIST FASHIONING AFRICAN STORIES
/ MBEYA PEAK / NEW YEAR, NEW TECH / UNIQUE FAVORS TZ / ZANZIBAR DRONES / KIRAN JETHWA / COFFEE CHOICE
Contents
Kenyan artist Phoebe Ouma – Page 8
Issue 97, January - March 2020
7 THE WISH LIST ... Zero Waste
11
4 NEWS Precision Air partners with Kilimanjaro Marathon
8 KENYA ARTIST PHOEBE OUMA
Artist fashioning African stories
11 UNIQUE FAVORS TZ
Parties with the personal touch
Regulars
15
27 COMPETITION Win Nuya's Essence natural beauty products
15 KIRAN JETHWA Tanzania is a feast of flavours
28 TECH New year, new tech
19 DRONES IN ZANZIBAR
30 PAA STAY Maktau Mountain Lodge
Are drones the answer to the archipelago's mosquito problem?
32
34 PAA MOTORING Toyota Hilux pickup
22 BEST FIVE COFFEE HOUSES IN TANZANIA
Country's coffee is ranked among the best in the world and here's where to drink it
24 MBEYA PEAK Mountain hike reveals communities living in
balance with nature in Southern Highlands
32 CARACAL What’s new, pussy cat? 36 NO-NONSENSE TALK WITH SONA Headstands and humility 2
Paa Tanzania
Precision Air Info 5 Paa News 37 Paa Royal Benefits 38 Route Network 39 Paa Contacts 40 Welcome Aboard
Cover picture of: Kericho Girl By Phoebe Ouma
Foreword Precision Air Services Plc Diamond Plaza PO Box 70770, Dar es Salaam Tanzania Tel: +255 (0)22 219 1000 Fax: +255 (0)22 286 0725 www.precisionairtz.com Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager: Hillary Mremi Email: hmremi@precisionairtz.com Paa Tanzania Magazine is published for Precision Air by: Land & Marine Publications Ltd 1 Kings Court, Newcomen Way Severalls Business Park Colchester, Essex CO4 9RA United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1206 752902 Email: publishing@landmarine.com www.landmarine.com ADVERTISING: Tel: +44 (0)1206 752902 Email: paa@landmarine.org Catherine O'Callaghan Cell: +44 (0) 7944 212063 (WhatsApp) Godfrey S. Urassa Cell: +255 (0) 686 118 816 (WhatsApp) The contents and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor, or any other organisation associated with this publication. While every care is taken to ensure accuracy in preparing the magazine, the Publisher and Precision Air assume no responsibility or liability for any inaccuracies or omissions. All submitted material is accepted on the understanding that the material can be edited, amended or abridged for publication. ©2020 Land & Marine Publications Ltd
Subscribe Request your e-version subscription by emailing: subscribe@landmarine.org
Happy new year! It gives me great pleasure to welcome you aboard your Precision Air flight and to the latest edition of Paa magazine. Our magazine is full of people like you: people who love and champion East Africa and are instrumental in showing it is a place full of innovation, beauty and hope. Who knows, perhaps you could appear in a future edition of the magazine. Please get in touch, if you have a story to tell. Just as our airline connects its valued passengers to places of adventure and beauty across the region – from the wildlife wonders of Serengeti and Entebbe through the waterside delights of Zanzibar and Mwanza to the big city thrills of Nairobi and Dar es Salaam – so Paa showcases the stories behind these attractions. Our network for passengers to explore is expanding all the time. Currently there are plans in place to relaunch flights to Mbeya, the gateway to Tanzania's Southern Highlands, and to increase the frequency of flights to Tanzania's capital, Dodoma. To meet the demand of these extra flights, we are looking to boost our fleet and establish a training school for pilots and crew to ensure we maintain the highest quality of safety and service as we expand. Such measures will ensure our passengers continue to enjoy a comfortable, convenient and enjoyable flying experience going forward. Our Paa Royal programme also rewards frequent flyers with points that can be used with cash to purchase flight tickets. It also enables savings of up to 20 per cent with our partners such as GSM, Akemi restaurant, Southern Sun Hotel and the Colosseum Hotel and Fitness Club. To join, fill in a registration leaflet to be found in the flight seat pocket in front of you or call us on +255 684 202022. Our aim is to ensure that you are always happy with our services, so please let us know if your recent experience has been anything short of excellent by sending an email to: customer-relations@precisionairtz.com.
You Are Why We Fly. Patrick Mwanri Managing Director and CEO Precision Air Services Plc
www.precisionairtz.com
3
News
Latest from Tanzania’s leading airline Jetline Action Photo – Kilimanjaro Premium Lager Marathon
Fly with us to Africa’s most popular safari park
Precision partners Kili Marathon The Kilimanjaro Marathon is back for its 18th year and once again Precision Air is partnering the hugely popular event. More than 12,000 runners from across the globe will be involved across three races, including the 42.2 km marathon, on 1 March. All races will be run in the foothills of Kilimanjaro, with the event taking over the town of Moshi during the race weekend with music events and parties to enjoy. The Association of International Marathons-registered race was set up to promote the sport in Tanzania, and has the official backing of the Tanzania Tourist Board, the Tanzania Amateur Athletics Association and World Athletics, the governing body of international athletics.
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Paa Tanzania
Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park has come out as 2019’s most popular African safari park and Precision Air is the only airline in the world operating scheduled direct flights to witness the wild wonders.
We fly to the Serengeti via Seronera Airstrip three times a week directly from Dar with return flights to Zanzibar. The survey was conducted by online safari marketplace Safari Bookings, which took 2,373 reviews to assess the 50 most popular national parks and reserves in Africa. The Serengeti came out on top with an overall rating of 4.92 out of 5, the highest score ever recorded by the site. This is the third year in a row the Serengeti has come out on top. To book flights, visit precisionairtz.com
The marathon attracts some of the cream of the country’s runners as well as talented athletes from abroad, but is open to any runner over the age of 21 to enter. The day also includes a 21km half marathon and a 5km fun run, which is open to children as long as they are accompanied by an adult. The deadline for entries for the race is 16 February. Precision Air will be there on the day and because we offer six daily flights to Kilimanjaro International Airport from a variety of destinations, we will be a vital carrier in ensuring runners get to the race on time. We would like to wish all entrants the best of luck and we’ll be there to cheer you on. For more information on the event and how to enter, visit kilimanjaromarathon.com
Keep in touch www.precisionairtz.com www.facebook.com/precisionairtz www.twitter.com/precisionairtz
The wish list
Mandala bracelet
… Zero waste
PUCKWANDERLUST.COM This circular moon bracelet depicts the lunar phases of the moon. Cast in 18 carat gold plated onto 100 per cent recycled sterling silver. US$ 90
Tanzania has shown its dedication to becoming more eco-friendly with the government ban on plastic bags this year. If it has inspired you to lead a plastic-free life, here are some zero-waste household items that don’t compromise on style in helping you get into the green scene. In fact, it is your friends who are likely to be green with envy when they see how cool your new purchases are.
Shopping basket LOLAANDMAWU.COM Individually hand-woven. Each Fairtrade basket is vegan and one of a kind. US$ 84
Lunch bag POPPYTREFFRY.CO.UK Plastic-free, reusable and perfect for carrying your packed lunch to school or work, this lunch bag can easily be folded up once the contents have been consumed. US$ 16
Reusable cotton gift wrap ETSY.COM Wrap up your presents time and time again with handmade 100 per cent linen and twine. US$ 16
Plastic-free mattress Recycled glass beads LOLAANDMAWU.COM A combination of three strands of handmade recycled glass beads. US$ 50
Upcycled basket LOLAANDMAWU.COM Made from straw and upcycled plastic bags. A beautiful way to save plastic products from clogging up landfill sites. US$ 39
FRENCHBEDROOMCOMPANY.CO.UK Handmade from naturally flame retardant, sustainable materials, this mattress is 100 per cent recyclable and biodegradable. US$ 1,458
Bread bag EVERANDAGAIN.COM This reusable cotton bag can hold your daily bread from the bakers and keep it fresh all day. US$ 35
www.precisionairtz.com
7
Kenya artist Phoebe Ouma
Artist fashioning African stories W
elcome to the elegant
none of those images featured
world of Phoebe Ouma.
women of a skin tone that
The Kenyan artist’s
matched her own.
drawings and paintings of lithe,
Never without a pencil in her
willowy women sashaying through
hand in her youth, the 23-year-old
stylised but recognisably African
only started sharing her work online
scenes were influenced by a child-
just over a year ago (check out her
hood love of fashion magazines
Instagram account phoebe_ouma),
and a realisation in adulthood that
but the response has been huge and overwhelmingly positive with
Artist
Phoebe Ouma
international media and a number of big-name brands wanting to work with her. The marketing and fashion design graduate has ambitions to turn her sketches into a fashion line of her own, but until then she is keen to carry on telling African stories as an artist. Paa caught up with Ouma recently and here’s what we learned.
She still has the fashion magazine that inspired her aged nine… “My mum bought me my first magazine in the summer of 2005, we were at Walmart [Ouma’s family moved to the US when she was four]. I just loved the girl on the cover, I didn’t really care for the stories inside. It was a visual feast for my eyes. It was a bridal magazine. I still have it up to this very day. I moved back to Kenya in the fall that year and reread that magazine for years. I didn’t own another magazine for a really long time until I moved closer to Nairobi and my cousin bought me a second-hand Vogue from a flea market. I think I liked how it was a combination of so many creative ideas. I continually discovered something new whenever I read it.”
It took a school friend to make her realise all her early work featured white women… “I used to have a box of coloured pencils, about 12 in total. I had this peach one and I’d colour all of my girls in that tone. I’m embarrassed to say this, but I called it ‘skin colour’ looking back. A classmate in high school ???
???
asked why all my models were “white women”. I didn’t have an answer, I had to look at myself and why this was the way I saw things.
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Paa Tanzania
Images courtesy of: Phoebe Ouma
“My first magazine (the bridal one) had no people that looked like me. I wanted to be part of the creative force that put out images that reflected people who looked like me. I wanted to make it a way to love myself and let other people see themselves through my work and appreciate Africa through it.”
She recreates the places in Africa that live on in her memory… “I feel like I live vicariously through my illustrations in a way. I recreate Kenyan places [among them Giraffe Manor in Nairobi and the Kericho tea plantations] that made an impression on me. Sometimes I see something for a moment and I just want to live in that feeling forever so I go back to that memory and recreate it in my work. I hope somebody else feels that magic as well.”
She likes to work alone… “I don’t feel comfortable drawing in front of people, maybe it’s the pressure to perform but when I’m alone I’ll use pencil and a black ink pen. Just to put things roughly on paper but even though I plan I’m just as surprised Nairobi style
Ouma's rendering of the Villa Rosa Kempinski hotel
as my audience I really have no idea what the end result will be.”
www.precisionairtz.com
9
Kenya artist Phoebe Ouma
She adds to her sketches with watercolours and with her tablet… “I’ll then scan it so I can refine my sketches on my tablet then colour them digitally if I choose not to use watercolours or gouache. I really like exploring as many options as I can. So my tablet, phone, notebook, sketchbook, paint and computer are all part of creating the end product.”
She’s choosy about the brands she works with… “Whenever I do choose to do an illustration about a brand or a designer, I go for those who have a unique voice and are determined to tell the stories about this continent through their clothes and are making an impact beyond the clothes. Anytime there’s a story that resonates with me as an African person I get really excited. “There are a few projects in the works that I’m not at liberty to speak about because they aren’t complete but I’m so privileged to be collaborating with them and I feel they will play a part in changing someone’s life for the better.”
She sees art and fashion as intertwined… “I really enjoyed the part of creating the piece on paper and before it’s
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Paa Tanzania
actualised into a garment. I’ve worn the beautiful clothes I’d like to actualise, hoping it’s a foreshadow for the future and what I feel about Africa.”
She has plans to run her own fashion label… “I would love to manufacture in Kenya but ship everywhere, share it at different fashion weeks globally. My line will be a reflection of things I love. I adore classic styles but definitely with the touches that make me who I am.”
African style
Ouma's elegant work
Unique Favors Tz
Parties with the personal touch A Tanzanian company is making special occasions “even more unique, beautiful and memorable” with its custom-made gifts and decorations. Paa talks to its 24-year-old director and co-founder Patricia Majule, who has been singled out as one of the country’s most promising entrepreneurs.
Director
Patricia Majule
W
hen Tanzanian music
Such A-list endorsements – media-
institutions we have worked with assist us in
megastar Diamond Platnumz
personality-turned politician Jokate
creating a huge sense of trust between us
wants to celebrate his
Mwegelo, actor Aunty Ezekiel and a raft
and all our customers. It’s a big boost for our
birthday in style, he knows who to call.
of blue-chip businesses such as Vodacom
business.”
Unique Favors Tz designs and manufac-
are also satisfied customers – have helped
tures bespoke party supplies for events
Unique Favors Tz maintain consistent growth
set up distinguished itself from the outset
across Tanzania.
since its beginnings in 2014. It now employs
by being one of the few to manufacture
So, when the Bongo Flava singer wanted
The company the 24-year-old Majule
a team of 10 to create its range of party
paper supplies in Tanzania. Customers used
a gold-glittered crown to sit atop the cake
products such as gift boxes, paper flower
to having to buy from abroad, loved the
which marked his recent 30th birthday,
arrangements, place cards, banners and
import fee-free prices and the personalised
Unique Favors Tz co-founder Patricia Majule
photo frames that can all be personalised
customer service through Unique Favors Tz’s
and her team were able to create it just as he
with messages and images.
Instagram and Facebook pages. Here they
imagined.
Majule says: “The A-list clients and famous
could collaborate with the Unique team www.precisionairtz.com
11
Unique Favors Tz
on ideas for decorative touches for
sense of being recognised,” she says.
She even thinks she could jazz
their upcoming special event and
“A plain mug is miles different from a
up the Precision Air office parties!
have the results – manufactured at
mug printed with your kids’ photos
“Wouldn’t it be beautiful for Precision
the company’s production point in
and a sweet message from your
Air to have its name and logo printed
Tabata – delivered to their door.
loved ones.”
in ribbons and banners at trade fairs
“In a similar fashion, at a wedding
of get-togethers?” she says.
Personal touch
if the mother of the bride has a
This is great news in a Swahili culture
sash to identify her, the ushers have
which celebrates weddings in
a personalised badge, there are
style and loves to celebrate special
markers to welcome each guest to
occasions. Majule says Unique Favors
their place at the dinner table and
practices (such as using cardboard
Tz makes events such as weddings,
banners with messages celebrating
made from leftover egg shells) has
birthdays, business parties, family
the happy couple it gives a wonderful
seen her grab the attention of the
reunions “even more unique, beauti-
impression.”
international business media with
At such a young age, Majule’s sagacity in identifying a gap in the Leaders
Co-founders Patricia and Blasius Ndunguru
ful and memorable”.
Ndunguru, its success is down to its personal touch. “Personalised products provide that feeling of ownership and that
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Paa Tanzania
service and introducing sustainable
Forbes naming her among its list
According to Majule, who set up the company with tech expert Blasius
market, ensuring premium customer
of most promising young African
Personalised products provide that feeling of ownership and that sense of being recognised
entrepreneurs. The business is continuing to expand with customers across the country and orders also coming in from Kenya, South Africa and the UK.
Images courtesy of: Unique Favors Tz
Team
Unique Favors Tz team members
Here are five reasons that make Unique Favors Tz so, well, unique.
1
3
It knows the art of a gift is in its presentation
5
It’s a supportive place to work
Whether it’s party bags or wedding
Employees get in-house training to build
It’s kind to the environment
gifts, Unique Favors Tz can wrap them
skills. Majule says: “The company becomes
Unique Favors Tz makes its cardboard
in a range of styles. It doesn’t even have
part of their lives.”
by using the leftover eggshells from
to be one of its gifts. If you’ve bought
chicken eggs and does all its gift wrap-
a present for a special someone you
ping with paper products rather than
are particularly proud of, you can get it
plastic. “In five to ten years, my prod-
wrapped like a pro.
ucts will have contributed significantly to
4
curbing environmental pollution,” says Majule.
2
It has embraced social media
Contact Unique Favours Tz: Call/SMS/Whatsapp: (+255) 754 98 24 54 Call/SMS: (+255) 776 49 12 89
Majule says: “We have a number of
Its products are as personal
special Instagram accounts specific to
as a name
a particular product.” For example, for
Whether its ceramic plates, mugs, diaries,
its range of customised diaries, visit
notebooks, flasks, handkerchiefs, calendars
@uniquefavorstz.diaries; for mugs
or one of Unique Favor Tz’s many other
go to @uniquefavorstz.mugs
gifts, they can be personalised for their
and for gifts go to
intended recipient.
@uniquefavorstz.gifts
www.precisionairtz.com
13
Kiran Jethwa chef profile
Images courtesy of: Kiran Jethwa
Tanzania is a feast of flavours Kiran Jethwa, celebrity chef, television presenter and renowned restaurateur is at the cutting edge of Indo-fusion cuisine in East Africa. He’s a culinary explorer, thoroughly East African at heart, and has made it his mission to put the region on the global map. Here he shares his love of Indo-Swahili food with HJ Radia and reveals his favourite Tanzanian dish.
“I
wanted to showcase Africa. We
born and raised, half Indian-half
then born in a totally different
started in East Africa to show
English chef has made shows
country, so I’m exposed to all sorts
the world that there is really
combining food, fun and extreme
of things. I always had friends
phenomenal interesting stuff
adventure. He has journeyed every-
from all sorts of different cultures
going on here. Amazing stories.
where from East Africa to Mongolia,
as well, I went to a very multina-
This was something I’ve always
Bangladesh, Amazonia, China and
tional school so was very lucky.”
felt internally for a long time.”
Borneo – just to name just a few.
Kiran Jethwa lives in Nairobi where
Food memories Growing Up
he runs two acclaimed restaurants
“I just have always known that
One of Kiran’s most favourite child-
and a production company. In
there's a very compelling story
hood food memories is of trips to get
his prolific international television
around cross-cultural heritage
fresh muhogo near Mombasa port
output for Nat Geo, Fox and Channel
and travel. I'm very fortunate to
- cassava chips and roasted cassava
4 amongst others, this Kenyan
be from two different cultures and
sprinkled with chilli and lemon. www.precisionairtz.com
15
Kiran Jethwa chef profile
As a private chef to high profile guests he recently enjoyed a visit to the exclusive Thanda Resort, on Tanzania’s Shungimbili Island Marine Reserve. “Absolutely beautiful part of the world. Amazing fish. Wonderful local produce. It's isolated, stunning and pristine. East Africa's coast at its best.”
Indo-Swahili Fusion Swahili food has its own strong roots and identity within which Indian and East African elements collide and overlap. Snacks such as Bhajia are an all-time favourite in East Africa and Embracing the spice
“For sure the chilli lemon is an
One of Kiran’s favourite Tanzanian
Indian influence, and for sure the
dishes is definitely Zanzibari spicy
cassava is the influence of the
seafood curry. Apart from his admira-
and curry thrive on both sides.
Swahili. So, that is definitely one
tion for the way octopus is cooked
“I think the snack that has been
of my most cherished memories.
in Tanzania, it’s the spices that really
totally embraced by the whole
I can still taste it as I speak now,
get him.
of East Africa is the chapatti. A
absolutely wonderful and with
“You don't see these spices grown
Kenyan or Tanzanian chapatti
that little bit of chili and lemon, it’s
anywhere else in Africa the way
would more traditionally be called
something to die for.”
they grow in Zanzibar. It's really
a paratha by Indians, (not a roti
a wonderful thing. Something I
but it’s more a fried chapatti). But
think is particularly interesting is
that is the thing – you literally
this incredible quality of spices
find chapatti everywhere! It's a
“Tanzania in a nutshell probably
across the board – the cloves, the
wonderful snack, and they make it
is the heartland of Swahili culture.
cardamom, vanilla, all of that stuff.
Unique qualities of Tanzanian culture and food
I think that's a sweeping state-
Tanzania can grow such incredible
ment but I think that’s true. We all
quality of flavour basically.”
speak Swahili but I really struggle to understand Tanzanian Swahili because it's very true Swahili – whereas Kenyan Swahili tends to be a little bit more slang, it's mixed up with different languages. Tanzanian Swahili is very, very pure. I think Tanzania is much more traditionally Swahili and seems to be a little more true to what we would call Swahili food and Swahili cooking – in Kenya it’s a little bit more isolated in the pockets and on the coast.”
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Paa Tanzania
Chilli peppers
India – and variations of food like samosa/sambusa, kachori, biriyani
so well here, so you can get fresh Everywhere in East Africa Chapattis
chapatti’s all over East Africa. So delicious.”
It’s also the amalgamation of Indian flavours such as coriander, chilli and fresh coconut amongst many others, that combined with the unmatchable quality of East African produce offers such stellar results. “The food of Western India is so amazing, when all the Indians came over and they brought their food with them I think Africans embraced it. I think that it's just amazing food, and anyone who tastes and eats it is going to warm to it and enjoy it. Simple. Then you have the added benefit of being in a part of a world where all agricultural produce grows so incredibly well. I think it was a case of two cultures coming together, one culture embracing another culture’s flavours and then providing such incredible produce. That’s how it probably happened.” Since food is the glue bringing communities together, for Kiran it is perfectly natural for these Indian and Swahili cultures to merge in this way. “I think food is as much part of culture as language or dress or ceremony. In fact, food is part of all of that. It’s interwoven totally because food is the centre point of
Africans have really embraced that palette profile, particularly the spice, they love it
everything that happens socially – ceremony, celebration, mourning – food is as much a part of that as
Where do I see the future of
it. And you can see it already
anything.”
East African Swahili food? That’s
with more creative restaurants
tough to say but I think there's
Spice island
coming out.”
There are culinary influences big and
a seed that's been planted with
small, old and new - Arab, Gujarati,
this Indo-Swahili food that we
wonderful part of the world. It's
Goan, Keralan, Parsee, Pakistani and
get here. I think that will be a
naturally beautiful. The food is
Mediterranean amongst others.
foundation for how food devel-
amazing. The people are amaz-
“We're very lucky like that, I
ops – a lot of spice and flavour
ing. And if you come to anywhere
mean it has absolutely shaped
because Africans have really
in East Africa, you're going to be
the food of East Africa, these
embraced that palette profile,
very, very happy.”
cross-cultural relationships.
particularly the spice, they love
Cloves from Zanzibar
“Let people know this is a
www.precisionairtz.com
17
???
???
Drones in Zanzibar
Are drones the answer to Zanzibar’s mosquito problem?
A buzzing in the air in Zanzibar usually means a mosquito is nearby, but now the sounds could also be coming from an air-born army of drones designed to rid the island archipelago of the malaria-carrying bugs. Paa takes a look at the life-saving implications for this ingenious project.
T
anzania is embracing drones, especially for their potential benefit in the fields of medicine and health.
They have been used to fly essential blood, drugs and health screening samples to and from the country’s remotest areas, but the latest use of the remote-controlled craft in Zanzibar has the potential to save an unprecedented number of lives.
www.precisionairtz.com
19
Drones in Zanzibar
How to protect yourself While the drones do their work there is much you can do to protect yourself and your family. If you are only spending a limited time on the archipelago, malaria tablets are the best defence. You will need to take them every day throughout your stay. For those that live on the island, a daily pill is prohibitively expensive. Best then to do all you can to avoid getting bitten. Here’s how: Make sure all doors and windows are kept closed at night and sleep under an intact mosquito net that has been treated with insecticide. Slap on insect repellent on any exposed skin, especially in the evening and at night when mosquitoes prefer to feed. Ideally, look for sprays, roll-ons or creams that contain Deet (diethyltoluamide) for maximum protection. Wear light, loose-fitting trousers rather than shorts and wear shirts with long sleeves.
For the first time drones are being
spraying is relatively inexpensive and
Spraying solution
to programme-initiated efforts
tested to help fight malaria on the
completely safe with international
island of Zanzibar. They will target
tests having found Aquatain is not
the rice paddies on the island, which
harmful to humans or any non-target
spraying insecticide on walls in
have been identified as malaria hot
organisms and is biodegradable.
homes and using mobile phones to
spots and a haven for mosquitoes to
A drone over rice fields in Cheju, Zanzibar
such as distributing thousands of insecticide-treated mosquito bed,
report cases of the disease for rapid
lay their eggs. The drones will spray a
Programme working
World Health Organization-endorsed
He also believes the spraying will
silicone-based liquid called Aquatain
prove effective in stopping the
project will be an important part
which forms a barrier on the surface
mosquitoes from reproducing and, in
of the strategy in achieving the
of the water and prevents the eggs
doing so, combat the long, well-
from hatching.
documented battle the archipelago
It is hoped this will significantly reduce the numbers of the malaria-
has had with malaria. A decade ago, it was believed
carrying anopheles mosquitoes in
around 40 per cent of the islands’
the area.
population carried the disease, but a
Bart Knols, a medical ento-
strategic plan, the Zanzibar Malaria
mologist with the Dutch Malaria
Elimination Programme, has brought
Foundation and lead researcher
that down to one per cent in some
of the programme, says the drone
areas. The marked reduction is down
20
Paa Tanzania
follow-up. The programme hopes the drone
Mosquitoes have become resistant to insecticides and are changing their behaviours to avoid the insecticides on nets and on walls…
www.BartKnols.com
Meet the mosquito man
Zanzibar’s government goal of elimi-
The spraying is beginning in
nating malaria on the archipelago
Cheju in the south of the island with
by 2023.
the help of drone pilots from the
Knols says mosquitoes have
State University of Zanzibar. The
got started to get smart to the
drones are being supplied by DJI.
human efforts to stay clear of them
The Chinese drone manufacturer’s
promoted by the programme and the
Eduardo Rodriguez says the method
drones is the next step in tackling the
is efficient because spraying by hand
insects’ in their homes.
is very time-consuming and using a
Pilot scheme has begun He says: “Mosquitoes have become resistant to insecticides and are changing their behaviours to avoid the insecticides on nets and on walls by biting earlier in the evening when people are still outdoors. We need additional tools that work in the outdoor environment – a gap we can partially fill using drones.”
helicopter is too expensive.
There’s not much Bart Knols doesn’t know about mosquitoes. The Dutchman is fascinated by them and yet has spent most of his working life devising ways to wipe them off the planet. He has worked across East and South Africa in determining what it is that attracts mosquitos to humans and devising environmentally conscious ways to eliminate the bugs. Malaria claims three quarters of a million lives worldwide a year and Knols has first-hand experience of what a killer disease it is. During his more than a decade of working in Africa he has been “wiped out” by malaria eight or nine times and nearly lost his girlfriend to a particularly virulent bout in Zambia. His work has brought him many awards, including the Eijkman medal, the highest award in the field of tropical medicine and international health in the Netherlands. However, results in the real world are what drive him and to this end he co-founded Anti-Malaria Drones that will expand operations to eliminate mosquito-borne diseases with military precision, now in Zanzibar and across Africa in future. For more information, visit antimalariadrones.com
www.precisionairtz.com
21
Best coffee houses in Tanzania
The five best coffee houses in Tanzania Tanzanian coffee is considered among the best in the world and is one of the country’s premier exports, but Tanzanians, until recently, have not been so interested in drinking it.
H
owever, a coffee culture
to start (or restart) your day which
is emerging here with
can be enjoyed in cosy surround-
many plantations creating
ings where you can work, chat with
blends for the domestic market and
friends or just while the hours away.
more coffee shops springing up in
Here is our pick of what’s on offer
major towns. After all, what’s not
from Instagrammable flat whites to
to love? A quality coffee brewed
bean-to-cup cafés with their own
and poured by an expert barista
plantations just up the road.
1
Zanzibar Coffee House - Zanzibar The Utengule Coffee Estate at the foot of the Images courtesy of :Union Cafe
Mbeya range in southern Tanzania has been producing world-leading coffee for more than a century. The brand’s franchise has expanded into hospitality with the acquisition of the Zanzibar Coffee House Hotel, an authentic Arabic house in the Spice Island’s historic Stone Town. The hotel’s eight rooms sit atop a bustling café, which, of course, serves a range of delicious coffee, harvested from sister farm Utengule, roasted on site, and expertly brewed. Where: 64 Mkunazini, Stone Town, Zanzibar. When: Daily 8.30 am to 6.00 pm. For more information, visit utengule.com/zanzibar-coffee-house
2
Union Café – Moshi If there was ever a group of people in need of a caffeine hit it has to be hikers about to take on Mount Kilimanjaro. Luckily,
Image courtesy of : Zanzibar Coffee House
Moshi, the gateway to such altitudinal adventures has the Union Café.
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Paa Tanzania
This stylish and vibrant place in the heart of town is a great place to swap stories while sipping on coffee grown on the slopes of Africa’s highest mountain by smallholder farmers and roasted on-site. The farmers collectively sell their coffee through the Kilimanjaro Native Co-operative Union and if you enjoy your cuppa you can buy a bag of its 100 per cent Arabica beans to make some more at home. Where: Corner of Old Arusha Road and Selous Avenue, Moshi When: Daily 7.00 am to 8.30 pm. For more information, visit the café’s Facebook site.
3
Kitamu Coffee House – Arusha There’s a drive and dedication to all this popular Arusha café does. Its Tanzanian owner, Leah Assange, bakes the café’s cake selection
every day at home before the shop opens and has personally visited and selected each smallholder farm in the surrounding Arusha hills that provides its coffee. Kitamu is Kiswahili for ‘delicious’ and a cake and a coffee here is just that. The café’s interior is just as comforting with the recent addition of a mezzanine floor providing more cosy spots to hunker down and enjoy your cuppa.
Image courtesy of : John Mallya
Where: Goliondoi Street, Arusha. When: Daily 7.00 am to 10.00 pm. For more information, visit info@kitamuafrica.com
4
Dawn’s Corner – Dar es Salaam The coffee at this charming café tucked away in Mbezi Beach is produced right next door by the expert team at micro
roastery and social enterprise Wamama Kahawa. Kahawa means coffee Images courtesy of : Impresso Espresso
in Kiswahili and the Wamama are the women who hand-roast the coffee beans – sourced from smallholder farms in Kilimanjaro – using individual hand-crank roasters. It’s a skilful, labour-intensive and sensory process ensuring the coffee bean is roasted to completion. With roasting sessions taking place every day, the coffee at Dawn’s Corner could not be fresher. You can also pick up Wamama’s coffee from their mobile van that turns up at farmers’ markets and events across the city.
Images courtesy of: Wamama Kahawa Coffee Roasters
Where: Take a right at Africana turn-off on New Bagamoyo Road, Mbezi Beach. When: Monday to Saturday 8 am to 5 pm.
5
Impresso Espresso – Dar es Salaam Coffee shops are a rarity in the bustle of Dar’s
city centre and this stylish café with its elegant and colourful décor plays to its sanctuary status. There are shelves of second-hand books to delve into and a stack of retro board games to play with friends while you enjoy your authentic Tanzanian coffee or a range of freshly made food. This is a place that rewards longer stays and its outdoor play area makes it great for families looking for a welcoming snack stop. When: Daily 8.00 am to 9.00 pm. Where: Chole Road, Masaki, Dar es Salaam For more information, visit impresso-espresso-dar.business.site www.precisionairtz.com
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Mbeya Peak
Scaling the land where anything grows Images courtesy of Mark Edwards
Mark Edwards gives up on a record-breaking ascent of 2,820-metre Mbeya Peak in favour of a more leisurely hike to the top that provides insight into village life amid the fertile fields of the Southern Highlands.
M
ost visitors to Utengule
some of which can be reached on
come for the coffee.
foot from the Utengule Coffee Lodge.
No surprises there,
Among them is Mbeya Peak, the
the 500-acre Utengule Coffee
loftiest point in the bowl-like Mbeya
Plantation has been making the
Ranges that corral the lodge. The
most of the ideal growing condi-
hike from Utengule to its 2,820-metre
tions 1,400 metres above sea level
peak and back again should take
in the Mbeya ranges for a century,
between seven and eight hours for
producing award-winning blends
those of a decent fitness level. You’ll
that are prized internationally and
need a guide and for my trip in mid
have also done much to instigate
December the lodge selected Sadiki,
a late-to-the-party coffee drinking
who is in his 50s but looks a couple
culture here in Tanzania.
of decades younger. He recently
the day. So after a cooked breakfast
The Utengule Coffee Lodge
Misty mountain
The approach to Mbeya Peak
part of the climb – said to be steeper than the ascent of Kilimanjaro – coinciding with the hottest part of
completed the hike in four hours – a
at the Lodge’s restaurant, including a
occupies the only part of the plot not
time so ridiculously rapid most staff at
fortifying French press of Utengule’s
conducive to coffee growing, instead
the lodge I speak to believe he must
premier 100 per cent Arabica bean
offering a pampered escape for
have run a good part of it.
coffee, we head off.
transcendent views into the Great Rift
Record ascent
Natural bounty
Valley. A stay here offers a fantastic
I am told Sadiki is the perfect guide
opportunity to see the coffee-making
to accompany me. I am also told he
process up close – especially fun
does not speak much English, but I
up a rocky, pine-dotted hill for about
during the picking months from
figure if he is in the mood to come
half an hour until we emerge onto a
May to August – and, of course,
anywhere close to his record, I’m not
verdant plateau of smallholder farms,
drink plenty of the truly farm-to-cup
going to have much breath to waste
which marks the beginnings of the
results. The lodge is also a gateway to
on talking.
village of Idugumbi.
visitors with its bountiful gardens and
the rarely visited natural treasures of
We are advised to make an early
the surrounding southern highlands,
start to avoid the challenging final
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Paa Tanzania
View from the top Mark amid the mist
The way is steep as soon as we exit the gates of the lodge. We scrabble
Abdul Chang’a, Utengule Coffee Lodge’s knowledgeable
We are climbing steadily and should be able to see Mbeya Peak, haloed with clouds and looming majestically above us
banks of mist. It’s mid December and the wet season, which will continue until April, is in earnest. I have recently come from the broiling coastal lowlands of Dar es Salaam and the five degree drop in temperature up here is welcome as is the cool fingers of a breeze as you walk at this alti-
up its riches and the Idugumbi farm-
tude, but the rain comes frequently.
ers work alongside in gentle tandem.
We’ve barely been walking a couple
In the early morning it is mostly
of hours and have already been
women – distinct amid the greenery
drenched twice. The mist means I
in their colourful kangas – working in
have no idea how close we are to
the maize fields, the slow back and
Mbeya Peak, but I’m guessing Sadiki's
forth swing of their scythes a drowsy
record is not in danger. As for my
metronome.
guide, he seems in his element, wind-
Such a relaxing environment
milling his arms in childish glee as we
distracts momentarily from the task
take on steeper sections and pointing
ahead. We are climbing steadily and
out his own maize farm in his village
should be able to see Mbeya Peak,
of Mbalizi. It’s a 14-kilometre round
haloed with clouds and looming
trip commute to Utengule each day
majestically above us. I know,
for him. No wonder he’s so fit.
because the sight took my breath away the day before when Abdul
Few tourists to be seen
brought me to Idugumbi. We hiked
The plantations change from maize
here ostensibly for the stunning
to coffee as we get higher. A group
sunset views it afforded, but were
of young men at work in the fields
and unflappably good-humoured
waylaid by the sight of a village
at the coffee-growing stronghold of
marketing manager, had told me the
football match in which the goalposts
Lunji Farm spot me and give chase –
day before that “everything grows
were each made with three tree
a slightly alarming sight given they’re
in Mbeya”. Up here you can believe
branches tied together with vine and
all carrying scythes. But all they
that’s true. Each home made from
the referee was dressed in a suit.
kiln-fired bricks of sand has its own plentiful plot of maize, corn or beans.
However, now Mbeya Peak is a latent presence shrouded behind
want is a picture with the ‘mzungu’ Majestic
Mbeya Peak the day before the climb
(foreigner). Despite its beauty, the Mbeya ranges and the surrounding
One has a tree in its yard bursting
southern Highlands are on few tour-
with the biggest and brightest
ists’ itineraries. That’s great for me on
pomegranates I have ever seen. The
the day as I have this fecund paradise
dirt tracks that form a lattice between
to myself, but others are missing out.
plots are fringed with mango trees
We walk on up a dirt road that
that hang heavy with the ripe fruit. It
winds around a tightly forested
seems nature’s bounty is free to all.
hill. A truck chugs around a corner
Those working early in the fields grab
laden with fresh avocados and the
a low-hanging mango to sustain their
laughing men who picked them.
efforts and eat it, skin included – it’s a
We exchange waves and a ‘habari
good source of roughage, apparently.
za asubuhi’ (‘Good morning’) and
The earth here seems to be heaving
press on. Later we meet a young
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Mbeya Peak
boy guiding a donkey down a steep
restricted the acuity of sound up here
the top together and I’m giddy with
and narrow path. The animal is
astounds. I can hear the calls of day-
the exertion and achievement.
carrying two burlap bags packed
to-day life from Mbeya Peak village,
with just-picked potatoes. Even at
hundreds of metres below, and there
packed lunch he’s carried to the
this altitude farmland here is fertile.
are the tell-tale rings of cattle bells to
top – a boiled egg each, cheese
Our way is steepening now and the
indicate a herd is sharing our altitude
sandwiches and a chocolate brownie
manicured order of the plantations
somewhere.
is being overtaken by wilder, rain
Sadiki and I share a hug and the
– which we wolf down in silence. Posing for a picture
Various Utengule staff had rhap-
forest-like environment with crystal
Mountain mint
clear mountain streams snaking past
When I come across my first cow up
Peak, but today I can barely see
us in a sibilant rush.
here I am amazed that such a bulky
further than my own outstretched
beast can navigate these inclines and
hand. It’s an oddly claustrophobic
of cicadas, or nyenje as they are
we share a moment staring at each
end to the ascent, but the mist keens
known here, soundtracks our efforts.
other in mutual bemusement. The
your other senses to the experience.
The lovelorn insect pumps up its
way is so steep now that I am often
I allow the chill fingers of the breeze
abdomens up to 400 times a second
reduced to climbing on all fours. We
up here to cool my sweat-soaked skin,
to bellow its voice boxes to attract a
traverse the ridges between some of
snort deep draughts of the moist,
mate. My chest feels like it’s rising and
the highest peaks up here, building
limpid air and listen out for life on the
falling at a similar rate as the route
up to the big one. Even Sadiki has
lower climbs.
becomes steeper and craggier. There
stopped texting. He fashions me a
are huge chunks of quartz and garnet
climbing stick, which works well for a
another downpour that slickens the
underfoot as we work our way up.
while, but I lean on it too hard at one
soil of the path and lands both Sadiki
Sadiki is still noticeably untroubled,
point and it snaps, plunging me nose
and I on our backsides on numerous
in fact he signals his disdain for the
first into the heather. It’s the resultant
occasions. However, bright sunshine
challenge by involving himself in an
scent rather than the impact that
comes soon after and scours the sky
extended texted conversation with
shocks me. I’m face first in mountain
clear of the morning mist. Suddenly
his wife on his phone as he climbs.
mint and it smells wonderful. Abdul
the corrugated roofs of the villages
told me that the Utengule restaurant
we had passed through coming up
uses fresh mint in many of its dishes,
shine in the basin below like pools of
We are at a height now where the arc
but I didn’t imagine it was sourced all
mercury and the magnificence of the
of mountains that form the Mbeya
the way up here.
Great Rift Valley is revealed.
Under this jungle canopy a tinnitus
Final ascent
Ranges should be clear ahead and we
The spearmint blast invigorates me
should be able to look down into a
and I’ve soon caught up Sadiki for the
basin of land that includes the town
last push to Mbeya Peak. We arrive at
Farm workers in Lunji
sodised about the view from Mbeya
The descent is made tricky by
Sunset
View across the Great Rift Valley from Idugumbi
Sadiki's record was never in danger. In fact, on that occasion he made it up and down in close to the
of Mbeya and its surrounding villages.
time it took us to reach the peak.
However, the mist still envelopes all
However, my seven-hour hike gave
but the terrain we are currently tack-
me a glimpse of the wonders of the
ling. Sadiki indicates that Mbeya Peak
Southern Highlands and I am keen to
is just ahead, glowering immutably
take my time to experience more.
behind the mist, and soon we will be upon it. We are more than 2,500 metres
Hikes to Mbeya Peak can be organised from Utengule Coffee
above sea level now and the land
Lodge. For more details, visit
here – as much as we can see of it – is
utengule.com
made up of is towering banks of heath and heather. While our vision is
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Paa Tanzania
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Tech
NEW YEAR, NEW TECH The new year is the signal for many of us to break long-standing bad habits and turn over a new leaf. However, the majority of these resolutions start to flounder in February as our will power wanes. Millions of us do it, but don't despair! Technology is on hand to stop us reneging on our resolutions and keep our new life goals on track. Here are five common new year resolutions and the tech that makes achieving them that little bit easier.
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Paa Tanzania
If you are too stressed to sleep or feel fatigued when you need to get work done, the team behind the Elf Emmit believe it is because you are out of sync with the natural rhythm of mind and body. Their solution is a headband powered through the headphone socket on your phone or tablet that transmits electromagnetic pulses to get your mind where it needs to be. Using the Bellabee app you can choose the signal frequency that is best suited to what you want to achieve. The electromagnetic coil is worn around the back of the head so it sends pulses safely and painlessly straight to your cerebellum to help you get to happy in a hurry.
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A lodge with a conscience it OK to indulge ourselves and
I
Precision Air’s Chairman and founder
our loved ones with a holiday
Michael Shirima in 2006 and has in
when there are many in society
that time look after more than 120
who don’t have the option of such
orphans aged up to seven years. The
luxuries?
children move on once they reach
t’s a recogniseable dilemma – is
Striking a balance between how
The centre was established by
the maximum age, but the centre
much we spend on ourselves and
continues to meet the cost of their
how much we give back to those less
education.
fortunate is made somewhat easier by Maktau Mountain Lodge. That is because while a stay at this
Currently, the centre is home to 60 from the Ursuline Order. Facilities at
tranquil hotel tucked into he foothills
the centre include a hospital, a school
of Mount Kilimanjaro in the Rombo
and a livestock keeping project.
District close to the Kenyan border
profits. Maktau Mountain Lodge was
children, who are cared for by nuns Rooms
Accommodation at the lodge
recently built to support the work of the children’s centre. Guests at the lodge are very welcome to spend time with the
is undoubtedly a fantastic experi-
Supporting centre
ence, all guests can be secure in the
Due to challenges in raising the
knowledge that the proceeds from
donations to run the centre,
their stay will go towards supporting
Shirima came up with the idea of
take on Mount Kilimanjaro are also
the neighbouring Cornel Ngaleku
establishing economic projects to
catered for with Maktau Mountain
Children Centre.
support the centre through their
Lodge organising climbs on the
Paa Stay / Maktau Mountain Lodge 30
Paa Tanzania
children at the centre, helping with school classes or activities. Adventurous guests that want to
Images courtesy of Maktau Mountain Lodge
The Lodge is a perfect place to relax before and after climbing the ‘Roof of Africa’
While at Maktau Mountain Lodge the following activities can be arranged for you: • Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro
Rongai route on the northern side
– with twin and triple room options
• A tour to local markets
of the mountain – the closest to the
– and the site’s refreshing swimming
Lodge – with an officially registered
pool, filled with crystalline water from
• Bicycle rides to villages across the Kenyan border
local company.
mountain streams.
• Cultural tour of the Chagga tribe
Maktau Mountain Lodge takes
• Visit to Cornle Ngaleku Children Centre
care of everything, from transport
For business and leisure
to the entrance gate and back to
The relaxed ambience also attracts
the Lodge after finishing the climb,
business conferences – the Lodge
guides, porters and cooks, tents and
is just a one-and-a-half-hour drive
food on the mountain.
from Moshi and two and a half hours
restaurant, which offers meals
from Arusha – with two conference
which draw on fresh produce from
before and after climbing the ‘Roof
rooms that can accommodate up to
the fertile farms of the Kilimanjaro
of Africa’. It is a true tranquil hideaway
15 people and a seminar hall that can
foothills. There is also a bar with an
with a journey of nine kilometres (five-
accommodate up to 50 people.
extensive drinks list, including local
and-a-half miles) required to reach the nearest busy road. The relaxed
Organic restaurant
surroundings are complemented by
Business and leisure guests alike
the 16 light and airy en-suite rooms
congregate at the Lodge’s organic
“banana beer” favourite mbege. Caring home
Dinner time at the Cornel Ngaleku Children centre
Whether you are after a private getaway, a corporate meeting or a night’s rest before your Kilimanjaro ascent, Maktau Mountain Lodge cares for its caring guests. To find out more
Cornel Ngaleku Children Centre / ngalekucentre.com
The Lodge is a perfect place to relax
• A walking safari or canoe trip around Lake Chala
about Maktau Mountain Lodge, book or check availability for your stay, visit maktaulodge.com To donate to the Cornel Ngaleku Children Centre directly: Mail: PO Box 2780 Arusha Tanzania E-mail: coordinator@ngaleku.org Phone: +255 27 250 0642 Fax: +255 27 250 0643 Mobile/cell phone: +255 788 270458 E-mail: centre@ngaleku.org should you need contact with the centre's Sister-in-Charge. You can also become a friend of the Centre on Facebook and Instagram: @Cornlengalekuchildrencentre For corporate donations, please contact the chairman on: trustee@ngaleku.org
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31
Caracal Cats
What’s new, pussy cat? Thanks to its graceful looks and elegant bearing the African caracal has become a popular – albeit expensive – pet in some North American households. Clearly, this fine-looking animal belongs in the wild, where its speed and swift reactions can be used as nature intended.
I
f I had to choose my favourite
be dangerous when left with small
African cat, it wouldn’t be a lion,
children. In the United States, caracals
a leopard or even the sleek lines
fetch around US$ 2,500 or more and
of a cheetah. My choice of feline
can be found on specialist breeder
form is smaller, rarer and altogether
websites with images of proud
more handsome, I think. My choice
owners with their newly acquired
would be the caracal. The caracal may lack the distinctive markings of a cheetah, the regal
cuddly pets. Sublime grace
Not everyone agrees that caracals make suitable pets. Says
The caracal
presence of a lion or the solitary and
the cat family from the lynx and the
one US-based expert: “There’s still
highly successful hunting skills of a
bobcat and is more closely related
too much of the wild in them to be a
leopard. Yet this mid-sized cat has a
genetically to the African golden cat
domestic cat. “Caracals need outdoor
sublime grace and immense power as
(found in Central and West Africa) and
enclosures and safe spaces in which
well as the fluffiest of tufted ears.
the slender serval.
to play. I think anyone would fall
The 'desert lynx'
Adult caracal males can weigh up to
they are best left to roam free on the
20 kg, so this is no domestic pussy
African plains.”
With those distinctive ears, the caracal (meaning ‘black ear’ in Turkish) is not unlike a lynx or bobcat to look at and has been nicknamed the desert lynx. But it belongs to a different branch of
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Paa Tanzania
in love with this gorgeous cat, but
cat. Yet caracals, like cheetahs, can be
One problem with domestic
semi-domesticated. But should they?
caracals as that they tend to be ‘food
Caracals will not kill or seriously
aggressive’. Owners may be tempted
harm people, although they can
to overfeed them, leading to obesity
and the loss of those wonderfully sleek looks. It’s advisable to feed a pet caracal in a quiet place and, if it cohabits with other felines, to separate them at feeding time.
Adult caracal males can weigh up to 20 kg, so this is no domestic pussy cat.
Like servals and other wild feline
It’s the same with their quarry, says McBride: “With a bit of a head start, most antelope can outrun a lion or a leopard. Cheetah can outrun their prey, but only in fairly short bursts. At the same time, most antelope cannot
species, both male and female
run fast for long and have little
caracals use ‘scent marking’ to define
niche of the caracal and what
stamina. Wild dog exploit this lack
their territory. Caracals also have a
characteristics enable it to live in any
of staying power by running them
tendency to void on fluffy surfaces
one location? Maybe serval occupy
down in relays. So, this is their niche.”
such as down quilts, pillows and
a niche here [in Kafue] that in their
clothing left on the floor.
absence caracal could. So, we need to
Thriving in East Africa
Caracals purr, but very softly. A
ask, what is the niche for the caracal
“To understand why caracal are
contented caracal emits a bird-like
and what is the niche for the serval?
successful in some locations and
trill that conveys a happy greeting.
Have the latter outcompeted the
serval in others, we just have to find
Strangely enough, caracals respond
former here, or has something else
out the niches of the two cats and
eagerly to a human imitation of this
outcompeted them?”
the characteristics that enable them
sound. In the wild, Caracals are much more predatory than the similar-sized serval. And they have evolved to
“For example, lion are co-operative Not a pet
Caracals are wild
to fill those niches. It could be that
hunters and cannot operate in bush
here in Kafue the serval comes out
which is too dense as they cannot see
top, for whatever reason, and maybe
one another. Leopards hunt in thicker
the answer is climate.”
hunt larger prey such as dik-dik and
bush as they are mostly solitary. Both
But at least the caracal seems to
other small antelope. Caracals are
are mainly nocturnal, probably due
be holding its own here in East Africa
excellent jumpers and have swift
to temperature, whereas cheetah are
and perhaps we should just be thank-
reactions. They use these skills to
diurnal, so are not likely on average to
ful for that – even if some misguided
hunt birds – and it is here, in addition
meet the others. Different cats have
folk want to take this striking looking
to its fondness for dik-dik, that the
different niches.”
creature home as a pet.
caracal has created a niche for itself in the food chain.
Finding its niche This niche is important. Big cat expert Chris McBride, owner of McBrides’ Camp in Zambia’s Kafue National Park and author of three books on lions, explains: “All animals and plants have a niche or place in the ecosystem within which they live, and have characteristics which enable them and not anything else to live there – although there can be an overlap.” Noting the almost total absence of caracal in Kafue and the park’s comparatively large serval population, McBride asks: “What is the
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33
By Gary Gimson
Can buying new be cheaper than used?
T
hanks to increasing restrictions on imported vehicles (and with more to come), life
is getting tougher and tougher for those of us who always preferred to buy our used cars from Japan. Up until now, buying secondhand Japanese cars has been mutually beneficial. The Japanese have a ready outlet for their second-hand vehicles and we in East Africa can get our hands on a much cherished and mostly under-used car for a whole lot less than a new example.
Locally assembled Sadly, and over the next two or three years, the signs are that this option could be coming to an end. So, what’s the alternative?
Revenue Authority (or similar in
Since October 2019, the Hillux has
As I see it, there are three:
Kenya and Uganda). And if the latest
been screwed together in Mombasa
purchase a very expensive and
sales figures are any guide, then this
by Associated Vehicle Assemblers
heavily taxed brand-new import,
is exactly what we are doing and in
(AVA) at a new KES 1 billion plant.
buy a used example of one of these
growing numbers.
AVA is one of three such firms in
regular new imports and on which
In addition to the prospect of the
Classy
Kenya. There is also at least one
the door seems to be closing or opt
Kenya-designed and built Mobius (it
for one of East Africa’s slowly widen-
seems a long time finally coming to
ing list of locally assembled vehicles
market), there is, for the moment, a
– known in industry parlance as
relatively narrow band from which
complete knock downs (CKDs).
to choose. The newest of these is
association with AVA) had been
The advantage of the latter is
The interior
such Tanzania-Korean joint venture plant planned for the Kurasini area in Dar es Salaam. Up until now, Toyota Kenya (in
the Toyota Hillux and it’s a fair bet
assembling around 300 Hino trucks
that these vehicles don’t get clob-
that the pickup will soon be the
and 500 Land Cruisers (popular, of
bered with duties and are treated
most popular of these locally built
course, with tour operators) each
somewhat benignly by the Tanzania
vehicles.
year, plus some Yamaha motorbikes
Paa Motoring / Toyota Hilux pickup 34
Paa Tanzania
Toyota powertrain The HIllux
(the XTZ125E). The sure-to-be-indemand Hillux will no doubt greatly increase these annual output figures. Ok, it may be assembled in East Africa but what’s the CKD Hilux actually like to buy, own and drive? As far as the local market is concerned, the
The same goes for the colour
Elsewhere in the world, the
off-roader comes as both 4x2 single
options. Initially, the only available
double-cab sector has gone all
cab and 4x4 double cab.
colour was white but a wider range
upmarket and top-end examples
of colours are on their way.
can be priced north of USD 60,000
Let’s face it, the single cab variant is pretty basic and aimed, primarily,
and compete head to head with
at the industrial/business/delivery
Bargain
buyer. But the double-cab certainly
As for engines, there’s only a single
here in East Africa, prices for the
offers a degree of sophistication
workhorse 2.4-litre diesel producing
prosaic single-cab version on offer
and desirability – and especially if
148bhp and available with both a
are uber enticing and kick-in, for
you can add your own set of rims to
manual or five-speed automatic
example, in Kenya at around KES 3.1
replace the rather basic steel ones
gearbox. In fact, it’s a tried and
million. Expect to pay from KES 5.3
fitted by AVA. Toyota really needs to
tested Toyota powertrain and it has
million, though, for the double cab.
up-sell here.
reliability written into its DNA.
A bargain indeed.
more mainstream luxury SUVs. But
Images courtesy of: Toyota
www.precisionairtz.com
35
No-nonsense talk with Sona
Headstands and Humility Can I help you with that?” “No! I can do it myself. I don’t need any help!” This is an interaction between myself and my 7 year-old daughter (7 going on 17, but that’s another story). She’s fiercely independent and if she isn’t able to do something, she will, by hook or by crook, figure out how to do it and end up doing it pretty well. She really does remind me of myself.
Paa has a new columnist. Sona Parmar is a Nairobi-based clinical nutritionist certified by the Nutrition Therapy Council. In each issue the mum-of-three will take a wry look at the human condition inspired by events in her own life. To find out more about her work, visit nutritionbysona.com and instagram.com/inspirationbysona
But what her actions also reflect back to me is my lack of humility. And nowhere has this been more evident for me than in my
ego, that’s not the point. I can’t do one and I
that I’m 40. But I know when I was 39, and
yoga practice.
could before.
someone dared say that I was in my “forties”, I
I’ve been doing this a long time, so physi-
Actually, what my ego wants to write is not
definitely felt a twinge of annoyance.
cally I’m pretty adept. Or I was. Recently, by
that I can’t do one, rather that I shouldn’t do
burying various emotional issues in my body,
one. (The difference is semantics and yet I feel
emphasis placed on youth, whether it’s how
I’d become a chiropractor’s dream and yoga
the need to say it).
we look or how we feel. My failing headstand
postures that used to be like second nature
It makes me think of other changes that we
are actually completely off the menu for me
have no control over, even though we might
now. My ego is really struggling with this.
try. Aging is one.
One such asana (yoga position) is a simple
We live in a culture where there is so much
is part of this - but it also about realising that everything changes, even if it’s not about age. I realise that when you can no longer do something you used to be able to do, it’s
headstand. I know there are many people
Rediscovering yourself
who can’t do a headstand, whether they’re
Since I shaved my head, most people think I’m
attention and awareness to an area of your life
newbies or experienced practitioners. For my
in my late twenties. That works for me, given
that may have been on autopilot.
not about berating yourself, rather to bring
It’s not about holding on, rather about rediscovering yourself. And now that my yoga practice has changed, I am amazed at what I see in myself and the way I do things. It was an area of my life I didn’t give much attention to. It was just something I’d get up and do. How you do anything is how you do everything. Where else was I not paying attention? Where else was I on autopilot? So pause and rediscover. Get mindful and conscious. And look at everything with brand new eyes.
36
Paa Tanzania
Paa Royal Benefits
Benefits that will make you feel like royalty Precision Air is always looking to give its customers an exclusive and memorable service experience; and the Paa Royal benefits programme is part of that mission. The membership categories* are as follows:
Jade Member benefits
Silver Member benefits
Upon enrolment, members will be given their unique Paa Royal number, which they must always show whenever they buy tickets as well as during check-in at the airport. After flying three times or more, members will be given a Jade membership card. With the card, they will be recognised as members of the Paa Royal Programme.
After attaining Silver membership level, the member will be issued with a Silver membership card which he (or she) must show at all Precision Air point of sales in order to receive the recognition that he deserves. Should a member book online by logging into Paa Royal Pages, he will automatically receive points earned to his account.
Other benefits of Jade membership:
Members will be entitled to special treatment and priority treatment whenever they travel.
• Priority membership baggage tags to ensure tagged bags will be handled with special care and delivered first on the conveyor belt at the passenger’s arrival destination • An opportunity to get a free ticket within the Precision Air’s network after accumulating enough points in their account. *Please note that, in each membership category, if a member is unable to maintain the required number of flights in a year, he or she will be downgraded to their tier level achieved in that current year.
Other benefits of Silver membership: • Free 5 kg baggage every time member travels on a PW operated flight • Priority membership baggage tags to ensure tagged bags will be handled with special care and delivered first on the conveyor belt at member’s arrival destination • Opportunity to obtain a free ticket within the Precision Air network after accumulating enough points in your account • Priority telephone reservation in those times when you want to make your reservation and cannot visit our office or travel agent. Booking is a call away through our Paa Royal helpdesk line.
Gold Member benefits
Tanzanite Member benefits
After attaining the Gold membership, members will begin to experience royal and exclusive treatment whenever they fly. Members will be opened up to a new world of opportunities and experiences and, of course, receive more rewards. Should a member book online by logging into Paa Royal Pages, he (or she) would automatically receive points earned to his account. Other benefits of Gold: • Free 10 kg baggage every time member travels on a PW operated flight
When members reach Tanzanite member they attain ultimate royalty. We will always strive to give these royal members an exclusive and memorable flight experience. At this level, members will already be used to royal treatment; royalty will be their way of life. Other benefits of Tanzanite: • Free 15 kg excess baggage every time the member travels on a PW-operated flight • Opportunity to obtain a free ticket within the Precision Air network after accumulating enough points in your account
• Priority membership baggage tags to ensure tagged bags will be handled with special care and delivered first on the conveyor belt at member’s arrival destination
• Confirmation on any flight if a member is prepared to pay Y class fare, regardless of the flight booking status • Priority waitlist/airport standby whenever you want to travel and your selected flight is full
• Opportunity to obtain a free ticket within the Precision Air network after accumulating enough points in your account
• Priority telephone reservation at times when you want to make your reservation and cannot visit our office or travel agent. Booking is a call away through our Paa Royal helpdesk line.
• Priority telephone reservation at times when you want to make your reservation and cannot visit our office or travel agent. Booking is a call away through our Paa Royal helpdesk line • Priority waitlist/airport standby each time you want to travel and your selected flight is full.
• Priority membership baggage tags to ensure tagged bags will be handled with special care and delivered first on the conveyor belt at member’s destination.
• Silver,Gold and Tanzanite members also get discounts of up to 20 per cent when visiting GSM shopping malls Msasani and Pugu, Southern Sun Hotel, Akemi restaurant, East Point Restaurant and the Colosseum hotel and sports club - all in Dar es Salaam.
Contact Us For more details, email paaroyal@precisionairtz.com or call +255684202022
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37
Route Network
Precision Air route map
UGANDA
KENYA
Entebbe
Bukoba
Nairobi
Serengeti Arusha
Mwanza Tabora
Kilimanjaro Kahama
Zanzibar
Dodoma
Dar es Salaam
TANZANIA UNITED ARA AB EMIRATES ATE ATES ES
UGANDA DA A
KENY YA Y
TANZ NZ ZANIA Z
38
Paa Tanzania
Mtwara
Paa Contacts
Your nearest Precision Air office anywhere in the world TANZANIA DAR ES SALAAM HEAD OFFICE
Diamond Plaza, 1st Floor, Plot no 162 / 38, Mirambo Street / Samora Ave, Dar es Salaam Tel: +255 (0)22 219 1000 Contact Centre: +255 (0)787 888 409 / 408 / 417 Email: pwreservations@precisionairtz.com
DAR ES SALAAM SALES OFFICE
NIC HDQ Building, Samora Ave / Pamba Road, PO Box 70770, Dar es Salaam Tel: +255 (0)22 213 0800 / 212 1718 Fax: +255 (0)22 211 3036 Email: salesdar@precisionairtz.com
E-COMMERCE
(For users of VISA and MasterCard) Diamond Plaza, 1st Floor, Plot no 162 / 38, Mirambo Street / Samora Ave Dar es Salaam Tel: +255 (0)686 177 458 / (0)689 669 446 Fax: +255 (0)22 211 3036 Email: pwreservations@precisionairtz.com
ARUSHA
Ngorongoro Tourism Center First Floor Goliondoi & Makongoro Road P.O. Box 1636 Arusha - Tanzania Tel: +255 27 254 5489 / 254 5503 Email: pw-arksales@precisionairtz.com
BUKOBA
Bukoba Office-GSA, Bukoba Machinery and General Supplier, Bukoba Centre Kawawa Road Tel: +255 (0) 28 222 0545 / 222 0204 Mob: +255 (0) 713 316 806 / (0) 787 616 806 Email: bukobamachinery55@yahoo.com
DODOMA
Mtendeni street, Dodoma Tel: +255 787 845 200 / 754 972 173
MOSHI
KNCU Building, Ground Floor, Old Moshi Road Tel: +255 784 686 418 +255 (0)272 753495 / 753498 Mob: +255 (0)787 800820 Email: sales@acobtravel.com info@acobtravel.com
MTWARA
Tanu Road, Posta Building, PO Box 1066, Mtwara Tel: +255 (0)23 233 4116 Mob: +255 (0)787 818 442 / 767 818 442 Email: pw-mwzgsa@precisionairtz.com
MWANZA
Along Kenyatta Road, Plot no 002, Mwanza Tel: +255 (0)28 250 0819 / 250 0204 Fax/Tel: +255 (0)28 250 1054 Mob: +255 (0)784 402042 Sales Office Mobile: +255 (0)784 968427
ZANZIBAR
Zanzibar Airport Tel: +255 (0)24 223 4521 Fax: +255 (0)24 223 4520 Email: pwznz@precisionairtz.com
KENYA NAIROBI
Barclays Plaza, 7th Floor, Loita Street PO Box 50990-00100, Nairobi Tel: +254 (0)20 327 4282 / 4290 / 4297 Mob: +254 (0)724 76 0736 / +254 (0)736 046 595 Airport: +254 (0) 733 934 795 / 731 530 000 Email: pw-nbo@kenya-airways.com
SOUTH AFRICA
OR Tambo International, International Departures Terminal A, AVIAREPS Counter Johannesburg, South Africa Tel: +27 11 783 6415
UGANDA
Pan Africa House, Plot no.3 Kimathi Avenue P.O. Box 5619 Kampala Tel: +256-790 381 431 (24hr Emergency) Mob: +256 784(704) 329793 Email: precisionair.eva@utb.co.ug
AUSTRIA
Argentinierstrasse 2/4 A-1040 Vienna, Austria Tel: +43 1 585 3630 Fax: +43 1 558 536 3088
AUSTRALIA
Suite 1302, 109 Pitt Street Sydney, Australia Email: helpdesk@apg-ga.com.au
BELGIUM
Park Hill, J.E Mommaertslaan 16B 1831 Diegem, Belgium Tel: +32 (0)2 712 0584 Fax: +32 (0)2 725 8392 Mobile: +32 (0)47 770 9971
FINLAND
Precision Air C/o Aviareps PL 10 00750 Helsinki, Finland Finland Tel: +46 8 55569162 Email: PWres.scan@aviareps.com
FRANCE
Precision Air, 11 rue Auber 75009 Paris, France Mob: +33 (0)6 21 824 908 Reservation: +33 (0)1 534 35397 Fax: +33 (0)1 5343 7919
GERMANY MUNICH OFFICE
Josephspitalstrasse 15 80331 Munich Germany Tel: +49 (0)895 525 3373 Fax: +49 (0)895 450 6842
FRANKFURT OFFICE
Kaiserstrasse 77 60329 Frankfurt / Main Germany Tel: +49 (0)69 770 673 010 Fax: +49 (0)69 770 673 018
GREECE
7 Stadiou Street Athens 10562 Greece Tel: +30 (0)210 9341 500 / 501 Fax: +30 (0)210 934 1620 Email: precisionairsales@tal-aviation.gr
IRELAND
Precision Air GSA APG Ireland 27 Lower Ormond Quay Dublin, Ireland Reservations: +353 (0)1 804 5100 Email: info@apg-ga.ie
NETHERLANDS
Beechavenue 104 1119 PP Schiphol, Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)20 520 0280 Fax: +31 (0)2 6 23 0151
SPAIN
Bravo Murillo 101, Planta 6 Oficina 3, 28020 Madrid, Spain Tel: +34 (0)91 458 5560 Fax: +34 (0)91 344 1726 Email: Precisionair.spain@aviareps.com
SWEDEN
Aviareps, Riddargatan 17 11457 Stockholm Sweden Tel: +46 (0)8 55569162 Email: PWres.scan@aviareps.com
SWITZERLAND
Badenerstrasse 15, 8004 Zurich Switzerland Tel: +41 (0)44 286 99 60 Fax: +41 (0)44 286 99 00 Email: Precisionair-Switzerland@ aviareps.com
TURKEY
Discover The World -Turkey Nef22 E Blok 13. Kat No:194 Atakoy/ İstanbul 34156 TURKEY Tel: +90 212 806 11 87 Email: info@discover-tk.com
USA and CANADA
AirlinePros 420 Lexington Ave Suite 358-360 New York, NY. 10170 Tel: +1 877 496 9887 Email: reservations@precisionairlines.us Precisionair_tanzania@airlinerpos.ca
UNITED KINGDOM
APG Global Highbridge House, 581 Bath Road Longford, West Drayton Middlesex, UB7 0EW Reservations: +44 (0)844 482 2313 Email: info@precisionair.co.uk
OVERALL INTERNATIONAL MARKETS CONTACT LILIAN MUSYOKA
Tel: +254 (0)786800640 +254 (0)20 3274297 / 82 / 90 Email: imusyoka@precisionairtz.com lilian.musyoka@kenya-airways.com
www.precisionairtz.com
39
Welcome Aboard
Safety and well-being on board PASSENGER SAFETY Precision Air takes passenger safety very seriously. Aviation safety isn’t just the pilot’s or the cabin crew’s job – it takes all of us. It is easy for our natural sense of caution to be dulled in our modern environment, where things don’t go wrong very often. Whether in the air or on the ground, your life and the lives of your family members could some day be saved if you make it a point, in every situation, to create a mental plan of action in case of emergency. Here are some important tips to help you enjoy your travel experience with Precision Air – in flight and around the airport.
EXIT ROW SEAT A passenger who is allocated an emergency exit seat: A. Must be both willing and physically able to open the exit doors in an emergency B. Must completely understand the printed emergency evacuation techniques C. Must be 16 years old and above.
PAY ATTENTION TO PRE-FLIGHT BRIEFING Although the information seems repetitious, the locations of the closest emergency exits may be different depending on the aircraft that you fly on and the seat you are in.
CARRY ON BAGGAGE There are strict rules about what you can bring on board an aircraft. Because:
Carry-on bags must be small enough to fit under the seat in front of you or in the overhead bins. Please confirm with Precision Air rules before your travel to avoid delays. *Remember: All carry-on baggage must be left behind in an evacuation.
SAFETY ONBOARD Boarding and leaving an aircraft requires your full attention. As you move to and from the aircraft, you may be in a busy area with many other passengers and cargo, moving vehicles, other aircraft, slippery walkways and/or stairs.
RESPECT YOUR CREW AND FELLOW PASSENGERS Everyone has the right to safe and secure travel. That is why Precision Air employees and the aviation authority will not tolerate any behaviour that interferes with the flight or puts the safety of passengers and crew at risk.
SEATBELTS Seatbelts must be fastened during take-off, landing, during turbulence and any time the crew deem it necessary. Keeping the belt on when you are seated provides that extra protection you might need in case of emergency. If you are responsible for an infant or a child, you must first ensure that your own seatbelt is properly fastened, then secure the child and, if it is an infant, secure the child’s or the infant’s restraints.
A. Not all aircraft have space to store your carry-on baggage.
Important note: There are a number of events involving air turbulence that highlight the importance of keeping seatbelts fastened throughout the flight.
B. In an accident, baggage in the aisles makes it harder to get out of the aircraft quickly.
Though rare, in-flight turbulence is the leading cause of injuries to both passengers and crew.
40
Paa Tanzania
It’s a good idea to keep your seatbelt fastened even when the seatbelt signs are not on.
MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND PREGNANCIES If you have a medical condition and may need assistance during your travel, kindly ask the Precision Air offices or agents about procedures before your flight. If you are pregnant, you will need to fill a Precision Air medical form, to be signed by your doctor, to confirm that you are OK for travel. For further details, kindly ask while booking your ticket from our sales offices and/or customer services.
PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES Use of portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets, MP4 players, iPads, etc are not allowed during take-off, landing, taxiing, descent and climb. Precision Air prohibits the use of some electronic devices during flight because they emit signals that can interfere with the aircraft's instrumentation. Some of the items prohibited include cellphones, radios, remote-controlled games/toys, laser pointers, iPads or tablets that transmits frequencies, portable printers, walkie-talkies, scanners and laptops. These items need to be stowed away for these phases of the flight to avoid injuries in case of an emergency.
