A report detailing the performance of Air Tanzania Company (ATCL) during the fiscal year 2020/21, has revealed that the airline increased its revenue and almost halved its losses for that period.
The performance of the flag carrier’s regional fleet contributed to the airline’s increase in revenue. ATCL’s four Bombardier Q400s and two Airbus A220s broke-even after recording a marginal profit of TZS 12.26 billion ($5.27 million) and TZS 12.09 billion ($5.20 million) respectively for the year ending June 30, 2021.
According to Tanzania’s Controller and Auditor General, Charles E Kichere, ATCL reduced its total losses by 40% in FY 2020/21 compared to FY 2019/20. The airline cut its operating losses from TZS 60.25 billion ($25.9 million) in 2019/20 to TZS 36.18 billion ($15.5 million) in 2020/21.
Kichere ascribed the reduction to ATCL’s management trimming the airline’s direct costs by 3%.
Additionally, the flag carrier increased its total revenue by TZS 16.99 billion ($7.31 million) to record TZS 174.59 billion ($75.1 million) during the year 2020/21, up from TZS 157.60 billion ($6.78 million) in 2019/20. This is an 11% increase from the previous year, says Kichere.
Despite being hampered by low demand as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the report attributes ATCL’s financial results to the performance of its fleet.
“The consecutive losses were due to inability of the individual aircraft to attain break-even point,” said Kichere.
Ethiopian Airlines (EA) adds two Dash 8-400 aircraft to its regional fleet capacity leased from TrueNoord, a specialist in leasing regional aircraft.
From June 30, 2021, ATCL operated a fleet of nine aircraft: two Boeing 787s, four Bombardier Q400s, two Airbus A220s and One Dash-8 Q300.
However, Air Tanzania’s single Dash-8 Q300 was not operational in 2020/21, having been grounded for more than three years over unresolved repair issues.
A delay in starting operations on international routes contributed to the underperformance of airline’s long-haul fleet. ATCL’s 787s recorded higher operational costs than revenue generated, resulting in a loss of TZS 23.61 billion ($10.1 million).
Kichere said: “The underperformance of the Boeing aircraft was attributed to the reasons of low load factors, few destinations (routes) in comparison with planned cycles.” By Michael Jonga, Aerotime Hub
Kenyan soldiers joined a United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo last year. PHOTO | COURTESY | MONUSCO
Summary
The Kenyan soldiers, who have been fighting alongside armies from Tanzania, South Africa and Nepal, are part of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Monusco).
For nearly three decades, eastern Congo has been characterised by insecurity that has led to the displacement of millions.
Over 120 armed groups are present in the region, according to the Centre on International Cooperation.
Elite soldiers from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) have killed five militants belonging to the IS-CAP terror group in the eastern DR Congo.
The unit, which has been fighting alongside armies from Tanzania, South Africa and Nepal, is part of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Monusco).
The Kenyan soldiers launched an offensive attack against the terrorists' stronghold in Beni.
IS-CAP, which stands for Isis Central African Republic, has been terrorizing the residents of eastern DRC, Mozambique and Uganda for the last five years.
Last year, President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered KDF to send its Quick Reaction Force (QRF) to DRC to help stabilize the region.
For nearly three decades, eastern Congo has been characterized by insecurity that has led to the displacement of millions. By VINCENT ACHUKA,The East African
A file photo of Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai. Photo: NPS. Source: Facebook
A recent medical examination conducted on all police officers across the country has shown about 2000 officers are not mentally fit to be working
The revelation was made by Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai, who said it adds to the growing concerns about rising cases of suicide and depression among officers.
The officers will undergo counselling sessions before they resume official duties as Mutyambai noted it was not easy to fire them. The Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai says close to 2,000 police officers are mentally unfit to serve in the service.
A file photo of Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai. The IG said the cases were discovered after a thorough medical examination conducted on all police officers across the country.
Addressing the Anglican Bishops and Senior Clergy in Westlands on Tuesday, April 19, he said these add to the growing concerns about rising cases of suicide and depression among officers. By Linda Shiundu, Tuko
Boris Johnson has said he was "taken aback" by the Archbishop of Canterbury's criticism of the government's plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, but denied "slandering" the church leader after Labour called for an apology.
In a fiery session of Prime Minister's Questions, Boris Johnson dismissed the claim that he had criticised the Archbishop of Canterbury following reports that the Prime Minister had complained the church leader had expressed more objection to the government's Rwanda policy than he had over Putin's invasion of Russia.
Labour leader Keir Starmer urged Johnson to apologise for "slandering" Archbishop Justin Welby in the comments reportedly made during a meeting of Tory backbenchers on Tuesday evening.
Starmer said the Prime Minister was more interested in "blaming" others than accepting responsibility for attending lockdown-breaking gatherings in Downing Street, for which he issued an apology to the Commons on Tuesday.
"Yesterday's apology lasted for as long as the Prime Minister thought necessary to be clipped for the news, but once the cameras were off, the Prime Minister went to see his backbenchers and he was back to blaming everyone else," Starmer said.
"He even said the Archbishop of Canterbury had not been critical enough of Putin. Would the Prime Minister like to take this opportunity to apologise for slandering the Archbishop?"
But Johnson hit back at Starmer, and accused him of being a "Corbynista in a smart Islington suit" and dismissed criticism of the Rwanda policy.
"I was slightly taken aback for the government to be criticised over the policy that we have devised to end the deaths at sea as a result of cruel, criminal gangs," Johnson said.
"I was surprised we were attacked for that."
Johnson also accused the Labour leader of being in a "Dr Who timewarp" after he again called on him to resign for the Partygate gatherings.
Johnson has apologised "unreservedly" after he was fined over his attendance at a gathering in Downing Street during lockdown, but insisted he had not misled MPs when he said previously that he believed Covid rules had been followed at all times.
Senior Conservative MP Roger Gale said a meeting of Tory backbenchers led by the Prime Minister on Tuesday evening had descended into a "lot of bluster and pantomime performance".
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister also restated claims there were "more people in work than there were before the pandemic", despite previously accepting a rebuke from the UK Statistics Authority and promising not to make the claim again.
Johnson had been warned the claim was innaccurate because despite people on payrolls was up over the period, the total number of people, including the self-employed was down by almost 600,000.
Speaking to MPs last month, he said he would take "particular care" not to make the claim again following the "chastisement" from the head of the UKSA.
MPs will vote on Thursday for a Labour motion which would trigger an investigation by a Commons committee over whether Johnson deliberately misled parliament when he denied any of the gatherings in Whitehall had breached lockdown rules.
The motion states that Boris Johnson's claims from previous Commons statements that the "guidance was followed and the rules were followed at all times" amounted to "contempt" of Parliament in light of the fixed-penalty notice.
In a statement, Starmer urged Conservative MPs to do the "right thing", adding: "The British public know that the rules were broken in Downing Street.
"Voting to say otherwise won’t persuade the public that everything was fine but will further damage the reputation of any Conservative MP who is happy to say it was one rule for the public and another for this government."
But the Labour-led motion is unlikely to pass the Commons vote after it was reported that Conservative MPs were being told by party officials to vote against the plans.
But some Tories have expressed their concerns with Johnson's leadership, including former chief whip Mark Harper, who has publicly called on the PM to step down.
On Tuesday, Harper confirmed he had submitted a letter of no confidence in Johnson. "I'm very sorry to have to say this, but I no longer think he is worthy of the great office that he holds," he wrote. By Laura Hutchinson, Politics Home
A file image of the Nairobi Expressway in Nairobi. FILE/Photo Courtesy Kenyans.co.ke
As you traverse along Waiyaki Way, Westlands, you may have come across a signboard that is denoted in the Mandarin language, which is the widely spoken version of Chinese, on the acclaimed Nairobi Expressway.
The signboard had raised questions among motorists over the intention of the signage and its use of the Mandarin language, which will not be understood by the majority of the motorists once the Ksh87.9 billion expressway is launched by the end of April 2022.
According to the Moja Expressway company, the essence of the signboard is to inform the road users of any alerts such as road accidents ahead as well as announcements of the closure of lanes.
President Uhuru Kenyatta was accompanied by Infrastructure CS James Macharia and NMS DG Mohamed Badi to inspect the Expressway on December 23, 2021.
PSCU
"It's an information board that will be used to inform road users of any upcoming things such as road accidents ahead, closure of lanes as well as a reminder of policies. So, it's vital for Kenyans to stay alert and keep checking the board," personnel from Moja Expressway company told Kenyans.co.ke.
Alluding to the future proposal of the signboard, the source further intimated that plans were in place to allow advertisement for various businesses to capitalise on the strategic locations.
They added that the Mandarin language was part of a test phase by the Chinese contractors but the signboard information would be in the English language once the expressway is launched.
"It was still under testing hence that's why it was written in Chinese but when the expressway will be launched then it will be in English. In the near future, we foresee that it may also act as a place of advertising but for now, it's an information board," they stated.
Moja expressway company is an affiliate of the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and is tasked with operating and maintaining the road for 27 years before handing it over to the government in the Public-Private Partnership-based programme.
The aim of the expressway is to provide alternative routes hence decongest traffic as well as enhance the link between different counties transiting through the Central Business District (CBD).
An aerial photo of the Nairobi Expressway. DANITO KINYANJUI By Brian Kimani, Kenyans.co.ke
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