Events on the Way

20-21 September: Golf Competition.

Victoria Falls Town

28 September: World Rhino Day

2-4 October: Fishing Competition.

Kariba Town

26 October: Zambezi Kayak Festival.

Livingstone

26-31 October: World Adventure

Travel Summit. Windhoek

9 November: Fireworks at Acacia

School

7 December: Car Boot Sale. Protea

Hotel

Dear All

My header is of a dead tortoise which must have been caught in a bush fire …

Jewish Museum

There are some new exhibits at the Railway Museum given to them by the Jewish community.

They tell the story of the Jews who came to Zambia (then North Western Rhodesia) and set up

business. Livingstone was largely built by the Jewish people and the economy of the town

depended upon them. Notable businesses were cattle and timber. The cattle were walked from

Western Province to Livingstone via the Machile River route. The timber business was the logging

of teak around Livingstone and then around Mulobezi – hence the railway line.

Many of our buildings, including the Capitol Theatre, were built by the Jewish people.

You can read all about it and see some photographs at the museum.

ZANACO

The gardens around ZANACO look great at this time of

year. Love it.

Airport Cat

Just a quick one of the Airport Cat patrolling her territory

and entertaining our visitors.

ZAMBIA

Kafue National Park

I had decided that I really had ‘to do’ Kafue National Park. I had been to the southern section of the park many times

over the years, but not to the north for more years than I can remember. I knew, though, that it was a 2-day drive to

get to the north so I made a plan to visit other places on the way there and on the way back. Hence the reason for

being away for 12 days – I really ‘pigged out’ on the wilderness of Kafue National Park … and loved every minute of

it.

We set out from Livingstone at 8.30am heading towards Nanzhila Plains Safari Lodge … we arrived there at 4.30pm …

There was a bit of a

hiccup in Kalomo as

the petrol station did

not have fuel so we

had to buy from the

street vendors and

then I had a flat tyre

which had to be fixed.

It did take time.

What also took time

was the Kalomo to Dundumwezi Road – it has deteriorated

and took us 2 hours to cover the 75 km. The road is used by

trucks to pick up cotton and maize from the farm depots and

it had not been graded for ages. I really do not know why we

can’t get more graders in Zambia to maintain our dirt roads

because they should all be done at least once a year. On our

trip to Namibia earlier this year we passed so many graders

working on the dirt roads – it seemed as if each area had its

own grader which just kept on going throughout the year.

Getting back to Kafue National Park we arrived at the

Dudumwezi Gate and chatted with the Wildlife Officers for a

while and then headed north to Nanzhila. The road is a

seasonal road because it floods during the rains. The bush

was burned in many places and that was where we found a

sizzled tortoise. So sad. We pottered along the road for

about an hour, finally arriving at Nanzhila. Actually we didn’t

see a lot on the way in but bush is bush … and is beautiful

apart from all the burning.

What I did notice was that the wildlife was much calmer than previously. We saw waterbuck, wildebeest, zebra,

warthog, puku, impala, hartebeest, kudu, … and other mammals which I have forgotten … The waterbuck refused to

get off the road when we came along – just gave us one of those looks … If you don’t know how exciting this was to

see, you have to remember that the wildlife was almost shot out about 10 years ago and, since then has been very

skittish. To see them now relaxed and content was a testament to the hard work of Steve Smith and ZAWA during

the 8 years of Nanzhila Plains Lodge.

The lodge was full-ish but we were squeezed in a spare room and relaxed in the company of the other guests.

We headed off north early the following morning but did return on the way back from our marathon in Kafue

National Park.

Nanzhila has 6 double chalets and a campsite. If you are staying at the campsite you can order meals at the lodge if

you don’t feel like cooking. Around Nanzhila there are several loop

roads taking you to waterholes. The seasonal rivers dry up but leave

many pools for the birds and animals to drink.

The pool in front of the lodge is a great place to sit and watch with

waterbuck, puku, impala; they are always around. The birdlife too is

good with storks and cranes common visitors. North of Nanzhila,

towards Kalenje is Chilenje Pools – this is where to find the black-

cheeked lovebirds. Here is my attempt at a photograph. The lovebirds

tweet incessantly but fly off at the slightest disturbance …

We didn’t see any predators, but heard hyena. Wild dogs, leopard and lions are in the area but we weren’t lucky

enough to see them.

For Livingstonians, Nanzhila is a perfect getaway

for 3-4 days. There are many loop roads to

explore and Camp Phoenix, the Elephant

Orphanage, is not far away. We didn’t go to

Camp Phoenix this time as I had been before

about 2 years ago and told you all about it.

North of Nanzhila is Itezhi-Tezhi, the town next to

the lake. We were stopping there for our next

night, so I will tell you about it next week.

From the Zambia Weekly

Careful what you say online

It is now official! According to

internet service providers,

government can now snoop on

all your electronic

communications, including

emails, internet use, cell phone

calls and SMSes.

First fully solar-powered school

in Zambia

Sioma High School in Western

Province has become the first

fully solar-powered school in

Zambia, complete with its own

24 KW photovoltaic array

(picture) with battery storage.

The ground-mounted microgrid

will produce about 43,800 kWh

annually, covering all of the

campus’s energy needs.

The system involved an

impressive number of

organisations: It was organised

by Empowered by Light, which

has been distributing more than

1,500 solar-powered LED lights

to schools in Western Province

in the past two years – in

partnership with the Zambezi

Environmental Education

Centre. It was designed and

constructed by Standard

Microgrid. Empowered by Light

raised close to $200,000 to

complete the project, which

included several donations such

as solar panels from Suntech,

batteries and inverters at

reduced prices from SMA and

Rolls Surrette and LED lights

from Lighting Science Group.

Money was donated by several individual and corporate donors, including Zanaco Bank.

“We hoped to show the Zambian government, and the world, that energy poverty can be eradicated by replacing

generator-based power systems with clean, renewable energy, and that there is a short payback,” said Marco

Krapels, co-founder of Empowered by Light.

Sioma High School serves a large area of Western Province. Its more than 600 pupils used to work in an environment

filled with noise and air pollution generated by the school’s three diesel generators. In addition, the school spent

about $26,000 on diesel every year.

Zambia exports maize to Zimbabwe

Zambia has begun exporting 150,000 tonnes of maize destined for Zimbabwe. So far 8,450 tonnes have left the

country, Food Reserve Agency executive director Chola Kafwabulula told the Post. The World Food Programme has

estimated that 2.2 million Zimbabweans will be in need of food aid this year.

Public Service Vehicles

The Road Transport and Safety Agency has set a final deadline of 23 September for complying with new colours on

public service vehicles. The new colours were introduced earlier this year through Statutory Instrument 39 of 2013.

They differ according to provinces, including Lusaka (orange), Central (yellow), Copperbelt (copper), Northwestern

(silver), Western (light brown), Southern (purple amethyst), Eastern (emerald green), Muchinga (wispy or lime

green), Northern (red) or Luapula (sky blue). The colours are supposed to be applied as reflective ribbons along the

body of the vehicle.

Mpika man gets stuck in door

Lazarous Chanda Kashishi of TAZARA Township in Mpika has had to be cut free from his own grill door after trying to

force his way through it. Kashishi had returned from a drinking spree, only to realise that he had misplaced the key

to the door’s padlock. He then proceeded to wriggle his head and chest through the bars, before getting stuck.

Neighbours had to free Kashishi with a hacksaw. Kashishi told the Post he had used the same opening before.

Rangers Diary: 2nd – 08th September 2013

by PeteMorrie

For wildlife lovers this is definitely the time to be in the bush. As we

wait for our first rains, waterholes in the Kafue National Park are

drying up and animals come to the Kafue River to drink. The lodge

lawns are also a green oasis compared to the dry grasses

surrounding us.

The combination of the two attracts a wide diversity of animals right

to our door step and you don’t really have to leave the lodge to have

an amazing safari.

Daily we can count on puku, impala, warthogs and vervet monkeys

visiting the camp. Guests were amazed when a herd of elephants

crossed the river near to them whilst they sat on the deck enjoying a

drink.

Sitting at the deck, one morning, we heard the roar of lions and it

was not long after that two male lions appeared. They walked down

the bank across from us, and with the morning sun making their

coats shine, it was a beautiful sight.

At night some of the antelope stay on the lodge lawns, well that’s

when there are no lions around. They are joined by hippo, normally

just Max, who comes almost every night. But, this week guests saw

6 hippos just outside their chalet shortly after retiring after dinner.

Ginger, our resident lion, made his appearance early one evening,

entering the lodge at our furthest chalet. He paraded past all the

chalets, then past the kitchen to the staff village. A staff member

who was preparing dinner got such a fright and ran and hide in one

of the rooms until he had past.

The African bush is not only about the big five and we have been

fortunate, and enjoyed seeing a number of the smaller animals such African Wild Cat, Genets, White-tailed

Mongoose, Civets and Jackals.

Rangers Diary: 26th August – 1st September 2013

After witnessing the power and speed of lionesses hunting on a game drive, guests had their hearts in their mouths,

when later, after the drive, as they sat on the deck with a drink, two

lionesses came onto the lodge lawns and were moving in their direction.

The lionesses moved off their line some distance from the guests, walked

past the kitchen and through the parking area, before disappearing into the

bush.

Birding has been exceptional at the moment with a few of the migrants

already returning, which indicates that winter is finally over. The first to

return, as normal, was the Yellow-billed Kite then this week we saw the most striking Lilac Breasted Roller.

During boat cruises on the river the number of water birds we are finding is

fantastic and we often see endangered birds such as Wattled Cranes, Pel’s

Fishing Owl, Ground Hornbill and African Finfoot.

Every morning you are greeted by the Shallow's Turaco flying over your head

to the Sycamore Fig's, often with a few Green Pigeons in tow.

All these birds are all big points on a twitcher's check-list whilst visiting

southern Africa and considered incredibly difficult to find, but at Leopard

Lodge they can be found with ease.

Mawimbi Bush Camp

I was told about a new camp in Kafue, just off the spinal road.

They are specialising in canoeing on the Kafue River.

Royal Chundu

Such excitement at Royal Chundu last night with the

AMAZING sighting of 11 lions on the banks of the

Zambezi (Matetsi side) whilst we were enjoying our

sunset cruise.

Sausage Tree Camp, Lower Zambezi

ZIMBABWE Mana Pools

A recent visitor to Mana Pools has commented that the road to Nyakasikana Gate is very bad. It took them 3 hours

to get into the park from the main road.

Elephant Hills Conference Facility Dismantled

According to a report in The Herald, the Conference Facility which was used for the UNWTO has been taken down,

packed up and sent on its way.

According to Walter Mzembi, Minister of Tourism, the facility was meant to stay to promote conferencing at Victoria

Falls Town, but it seems not.

Victoria Falls Safari Lodge

A very rare sighting at the water hole at Victoria Falls Safari

Lodge!! You don't often see giraffe here, and if you do you have

to get your camera out quickly as they never hang around for

more than a few minutes!

The Matobo Rhino Initiative Trust is needing help to

complete the fence around Matobo Game Park. It is a

huge undertaking but is necessary to maintain the

health of the park and the wildlife within it (including

the rhino).

The black boundary with arrows on the map shows the

distance they have managed to complete (14km). There

is a long way to go.

They are appealing for help.

Web: www.rhodesmatopos.com

BOTSWANA Meno A Kwena

Meno A Kwena works with the San people who are used

for tracking. Guests at the lodge are taken out into

Makgadikgadi to learn from them.

Khwai River Lodge

" Hello ! "

How cute is she ?

Baboons are always fun and very interesting to watch. The

group dynamics are very entertaining: hierarchy, politics,

curiosity, games...

This little female was very curious about our car... — at

Khwai River Lodge.

NAMIBIA

Residents petition governor over elephants (Namibia)

New Era

Around 1 000 residents of the Ozondati settlement in the Erongo

Region will today hand a petition to the governor calling for the

removal of marauding elephants from Ozondati. …

Last week concerned residents said about 30 elephants invaded

the settlement searching for water at water holes close to the

settlement. Concerned farmers yesterday told New Era they are

sick and tired of empty promises by their leaders that the

elephants would be removed permanently from their settlement.

In a telephonic interview yesterday a concerned farmer said the

settlement has been dealing with the elephant problem for

several years now, which is a clear indication that not enough is

being done to separate the beasts from the population. “Every

year our leaders say the problem will be dealt with, but the

elephants continue to invade our settlement. We on numerous

occasions requested that an electrical fence be set up which will

definitely keep the elephants from invading our settlement,” said

another farmer who did not provide his name. Elephants not only

drink up their scarce water, but also cause major damage to their costly water infrastructure, he said. …

Residents also expressed fear for their lives due to the menace posed by the marauding jumbos. It is believed that

the elephants enter Ozondati from the Kunene Region at unfenced places in the area of Khorixas. The Daures

constituency councillor, Ernst Katjiku, last week admitted the frequent elephant visits are angering residents,

including farmers, who want the situation to be addressed by their leaders before the giant beasts kill someone.

According to Katjiku, the invasion of elephants in the constituency is a growing concern, since the elephants not only

destroy vegetation in the area but also deplete the scarce water resources meant for livestock. “The farmers are

already affected by the drought and the area also lost a considerable amount of grazing due to veld fires,” he

explained. He also revealed that they have already consulted the relevant authorities to collectively address the

problem so that the terror-stricken community can finally have peace of mind.

Bamunu Conservancy

New Era

The Bamunu Conservancy, some 65 kilometres west of Katima Mulilo in the Chinchimane area of the Sibbinda

Constituency has become the latest conservancy to be proclaimed bringing the number of conservancies in the

region to fourteen.

Even though the conservancy was initiated and formed in 2003, it was only officially opened on Sunday by Colga

Sikopo, the Director of Parks in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism on behalf of the Minister of Environment

and Tourism Uahekua Herunga. The

conservancy, which boasts abundant

wildlife, borders the Mudumu and Nkasa

Lupala national parks as well as Botswana in

the south. Speaking on behalf of the

minister Sikopo said communal

conservancies have resulted in an increase

in wildlife populations, which in turn has

benefited communities through what is

known as community-based natural

resource management (CBNRM). “Through the communal conservancy programme, rural Namibians have gained

rights over wildlife and tourism and are generating income from the sustainable use of wildlife. Due to the

commitment shown by Namibians, there has been a remarkable recovery and increase in wildlife populations,” said

Sikopo.

According to Sikopo, given the abundance of both flora and fauna in the Zambezi Region, the community-based

natural resources management approach encompasses not only the establishment of conservancies, but also other

tourism business ventures such as community forests in efforts aimed at reducing abject poverty among

communities. “CBNRM approaches are also being developed in other sectors, for example community forests, which

focus more on woodland resources and aim at promoting the wise use and management of plant resources available

to rural communities,” Sikopo said. …

There are currently 79 registered conservancies in Namibia.

WOLFGANG’S COLUMN

VAT IMPLEMENTATION PILES YET MORE WORRIES ON TOURISM SECTOR

Only a day after the shock news began to circulate that the Kenya Revenue Authority insisted with immediate effect

to levy a 16 percent VAT on park and conservancy fees, has the tourism sector gotten yet more of the same as

Serena Hotels published an announcement about the same happening to game drives offered in the parks as part of

their air safari packages.

VAT Act 2013 - Introduction of VAT on game drives

Following the introduction of 16% VAT on game drives as per the VAT Act 2013 and the implementation of the same

by the government as with effect from 2nd September 2013, we would like to inform our esteemed business suppliers

that Serena Hotels will levy the 16% VAT on game drives – thus the air and ground packages prices as well as game

drives prices ( non package arrangements) have been reviewed as with effect from 2nd September 2013.

We appreciate your understanding and thank you for your continued business support.

Other companies issued similar notices to their clients, resulting in a mini tsunami of invectives being thrown at the

Kenyan government and the Kenya Revenue Authority over the fork tongued double standards now becoming clear.

‘You cannot tell us that our Vision 2030 has tourism as a main cornerstone and then do this. You cannot tell us that

you want 5 million visitors and then do this. You cannot tell us in public speeches one thing and then do another like

this. Earlier this week have coast hoteliers raised the alarm over their continued low occupancies. Word is out that

Indian Ocean Beach Club may have to close down for lack of enough business. Our government tells us one thing and

does another, just like previous governments did. This sector needs incentives for airlines to fly to Kenya. It needs an

open sky policy in particular for Mombasa. It needs preferential funding with reduced interest rates to access loans to

refurbish our resorts, upgrade and modernize them. What our sector does not need is to make it more expensive for

visitors by 16 percent with that VAT nonsense. Tourism is an invisible export. Exports are under government policy

free of VAT. They speak with forked tongues. The only outcome of this will be a life and death struggle for our sector.

If that is how those two want to achieve their double digit economic growth, they are very sadly mistaken. If

tourism’s bottom drops out again, their card house will come down on them’ wrote a regular contributor after

literally screaming down the phone in an initial contact when discussing this latest setback for Kenya’s tourism

industry.

‘We had as a sector made representations to government and to parliament about the impact of the budget

proposals but it seems those people were deaf on both ears. We gave them facts and figures and our projections

what impact VAT would have on the sector. While some apparently just ignored it, I think others may simply lack the

capacity to understand such impact studies and the consequences. Overseas tour operators are already up in arms

over the sudden increases in cost. It is not what we expected from this government. They have just removed the fuel

tank from a locomotive for economic growth and if in a year they start crying it will be over milk they spilled

themselves’ added another source closely associated with one of the sector’s leading trade associations.

The sad fact though remains that several key tourism products have now been subjected to VAT, raising the cost of

such packages by 16 percent and only time will tell how this ultimately pans out, if the market is good and ready to

accept and absorb such increases or if it will impact on demand and reduce visitor numbers even further. Watch this

space.

VAT ON PARK FEES MAKES TOUR PACKAGES EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE

Kenya’s tourism stakeholders are coming to terms with the insistence by the Kenya Revenue Authority to demand

payment of 16 percent VAT on park and reserve fees, once again raising the cost of safari vacations at a time when

the industry faces continued challenges. A mail received overnight from the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, an organization

committed to wildlife conservation at a huge cost, speaks volumes about what struggle must have been going on

behind the scenes to have KRA halt that move while lobbying parliament to scrap all new tax measures which could

make visits to Kenya less competitive. Besides, as equally seen in Uganda, where upcountry accommodation in

lodges lost the VAT exemption at the start of this financial year, contracts entered into with overseas tour operators

ordinarily are longer term and bind a local safari operator to honour quoted rates, shielding tourists from sudden

price increases against which consumer legislation in particular in Europe provide protection. Subsequently do the

big league operators in Europe compel their local partners to sign relevant documents to the effect of keeping tariffs,

once quoted, for the duration, leading in this particular case to sustained losses as the tax has to be absorbed and

paid to prevent the wrath of the tax man. The mood among some regular contributors was distinctly turning ugly, as

it did in Uganda too, blaming governments of not investing enough in tourism marketing and providing incentives to

airlines to fly in particular to the Kenya coast while at the same time increasing the cost burden by introducing VAT

payments for services long exempted. ‘When I hear government mouthpieces talk of improving competitiveness it

sounds like a broken record. Where is the competitiveness in this tax measure. It increases the cost for tourists and

even the option to claim back VAT on departure as many other countries do does not exist. And the worst, no prior

consultations on the impact of such measures but just wait until the cry babies in government start to lament that

there is a downturn and how come. A big disappointment for sure’ ranted one source after seeing the mail

attachment received from Ol Pejeta.

THE SMILE

Some guy bought a new fridge for his house.

To get rid of his old fridge, he put it in his front yard and hung a sign on it saying: 'Free to good home. You want it,

you take it.'

For three days the fridge sat there without anyone looking twice.

He eventually decided that people were too mistrustful of this deal.

So he changed the sign to read: 'Fridge for sale $50.'

The next day someone stole it!

Have a good week

Gill