nngu007
JF-Expert Member
- Aug 2, 2010
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* Lowassa and CCM Government ignore the Kilimanjaro Airport for a reason not the area to be developed for the benefits of building no where to go airport in Bagamoyo maybe A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
By In2EastAfrica - Sun May 15, 2:44 pm
Former Prime Minister, Edward Lowassa
A diplomatic row is simmering between Tanzania and Kenya over the latters plan to build a state-of-the-art airport at Taveta, nearly 120km from Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA).
Kenyas idea to put up a $119 million plus ultra-modern airport near KIA has stiffly scared the usually calm southern neighbour Tanzania, saying the move is tantamount to sabotaging its economy.
Analysts say the Nairobi move is against the East African Communitys spirit that discourages its member states to create investments that compete, predicting that the issue is likely to create bad blood between the two pioneer EAC partner states.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee for Defence, Security and Foreign Affairs opposes the proposed Taveta airport, arguing that it will pose stiff competition to the Tanzanias second largest airport, KIA.
The most powerful house committee under Former Prime Minister, Edward Lowassa, is totally against the airport project and is reported to have instructed the minister for EAC affairs, Samuel Sitta, to refer the matter to the EAC Council of Ministers attention.
We are against the move by Kenyan authorities and this is not going to stop here, our minister will execute the resolution. We have KIA in Tanzania, and they plan to build yet another airport close to ours? That is sabotage, Lowassa is on record as saying.
Word has it that should diplomatic means to stop Kenyas plan fail, Tanzania may file a lawsuit in the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) against its partner state over the stand-off. Kenyas High Commissioner to Tanzania, Mutinda Mutiso, was quoted last year as saying that his country had a plan to build a major airport near the Holili border post in order to boost economic activities, including tourism in the area.
The facility, hardly 80km from KIA, is expected to cost over $119 million and construction was expected to start this year.
The new airport in the area will be the third because the vicinity already has two international airports; the KIA in Tanzania and Moi International Airport in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa.
Ambassador Mutiso said the new airport was likely to be located only seven km inside Kenya and a short distance from Holili (Tanzania), an important border town along the Moshi-Voi-Mombasa highway.
Also to be constructed in the area is an inland port to handle cargo traffic from the Mombasa port to the hinterland and landlocked countries in the region. Besides serving Kenya, the port handles cargo from or destined to northern Tanzania regions, especially Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Manyara regions.
Mutiso said the new airport is aimed at tapping the tourism potential of south east Kenya and north east Tanzania which are endowed with various attractive sites for the visitors.
These include Tsavo West and Amboseli game reserves in Kenya and Mt.Kilimanjaro and newly elevated Mkomazi national park in Tanzania.
We want to see the Taveta/Holili border region fully integrated for investments and business, he said, adding that his country would upgrade the Mombasa-Taveta railway line to attract more traffic, especially to northern Tanzania.
Other transport infrastructure in the area lined up for upgrading include the Mombasa-Lunga Lunga road to the Tanzanian border and Horohoro-Tanga section in Tanzania.
The diplomat defended the new international airport for his country, saying it would reduce the costs and inconveniences by tourists from abroad who had to change planes several times to reach the famous game sanctuaries in the area.
Aviation watchers say should the project go ahead, it is likely to impact negatively on KIA which had not been used to the optimum due to high landing and fuel charges which have resulted in less traffic than anticipated when it was constructed 41 years ago.
KIA was intended to attract more visitors to Tanzania from abroad ,especially the tourists heading to the famous national parks in the northern circuit, to land there instead of Nairobis Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
By Jack Mikaili, The Guardian
By In2EastAfrica - Sun May 15, 2:44 pm
A diplomatic row is simmering between Tanzania and Kenya over the latters plan to build a state-of-the-art airport at Taveta, nearly 120km from Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA).
Kenyas idea to put up a $119 million plus ultra-modern airport near KIA has stiffly scared the usually calm southern neighbour Tanzania, saying the move is tantamount to sabotaging its economy.
Analysts say the Nairobi move is against the East African Communitys spirit that discourages its member states to create investments that compete, predicting that the issue is likely to create bad blood between the two pioneer EAC partner states.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee for Defence, Security and Foreign Affairs opposes the proposed Taveta airport, arguing that it will pose stiff competition to the Tanzanias second largest airport, KIA.
The most powerful house committee under Former Prime Minister, Edward Lowassa, is totally against the airport project and is reported to have instructed the minister for EAC affairs, Samuel Sitta, to refer the matter to the EAC Council of Ministers attention.
We are against the move by Kenyan authorities and this is not going to stop here, our minister will execute the resolution. We have KIA in Tanzania, and they plan to build yet another airport close to ours? That is sabotage, Lowassa is on record as saying.
Word has it that should diplomatic means to stop Kenyas plan fail, Tanzania may file a lawsuit in the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) against its partner state over the stand-off. Kenyas High Commissioner to Tanzania, Mutinda Mutiso, was quoted last year as saying that his country had a plan to build a major airport near the Holili border post in order to boost economic activities, including tourism in the area.
The facility, hardly 80km from KIA, is expected to cost over $119 million and construction was expected to start this year.
The new airport in the area will be the third because the vicinity already has two international airports; the KIA in Tanzania and Moi International Airport in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa.
Ambassador Mutiso said the new airport was likely to be located only seven km inside Kenya and a short distance from Holili (Tanzania), an important border town along the Moshi-Voi-Mombasa highway.
Also to be constructed in the area is an inland port to handle cargo traffic from the Mombasa port to the hinterland and landlocked countries in the region. Besides serving Kenya, the port handles cargo from or destined to northern Tanzania regions, especially Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Manyara regions.
Mutiso said the new airport is aimed at tapping the tourism potential of south east Kenya and north east Tanzania which are endowed with various attractive sites for the visitors.
These include Tsavo West and Amboseli game reserves in Kenya and Mt.Kilimanjaro and newly elevated Mkomazi national park in Tanzania.
We want to see the Taveta/Holili border region fully integrated for investments and business, he said, adding that his country would upgrade the Mombasa-Taveta railway line to attract more traffic, especially to northern Tanzania.
Other transport infrastructure in the area lined up for upgrading include the Mombasa-Lunga Lunga road to the Tanzanian border and Horohoro-Tanga section in Tanzania.
The diplomat defended the new international airport for his country, saying it would reduce the costs and inconveniences by tourists from abroad who had to change planes several times to reach the famous game sanctuaries in the area.
Aviation watchers say should the project go ahead, it is likely to impact negatively on KIA which had not been used to the optimum due to high landing and fuel charges which have resulted in less traffic than anticipated when it was constructed 41 years ago.
KIA was intended to attract more visitors to Tanzania from abroad ,especially the tourists heading to the famous national parks in the northern circuit, to land there instead of Nairobis Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
By Jack Mikaili, The Guardian
