Zanzibar. A US-based firm, Delaware Investment Ltd, is making waves in Zanzibar’s burgeoning hospitality sector with a Sh60 billion investment to develop a luxurious five-star hotel on the Isles’ scenic outskirts.
The ambitious project aims to tap into Zanzibar’s rapidly expanding tourism industry and its increasingly investor-friendly climate.
The development underscores the growing international interest in Zanzibar as a premier travel destination and a hub for strategic investments.
During a recent site visit, Delaware Investment Ltd’s CEO, Rishen Patel, expressed confidence in the local business environment, praising the Isles’ government for fostering a climate conducive to foreign investment.
“We have seen a friendly environment for investment. Through the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (Zipa), we are confident this will not be our only project,” said Patel.
He further hinted at plans for diversification, pledging additional investments tailored to address other key sectors of the local economy.
The hotel, expected to be completed by mid-2025, will feature 74 rooms, including suites specifically designed for high-profile guests such as heads of state.
Patel disclosed that the project is set to create 300 direct jobs alongside numerous indirect employment opportunities, benefiting local suppliers and service providers.
“If all goes as planned, we hope President [Hussein] Mwinyi will inaugurate the hotel, as we are encouraged by the government’s efforts to open doors for investment,” he stated.
Construction is being overseen by JHS Enterprises Ltd.
Its director, Harbinder Singh Reehal, acknowledged challenges in sourcing building materials but expressed confidence in adhering to the 2025 timeline.
“In Zanzibar, procuring construction materials can be a time-consuming process. Essential supplies such as cement often need to be imported from mainland Tanzania, causing delays,” Reehal explained.
“Despite this, 70 percent of the work is complete, and we are on track to finish the project as planned,” he added.
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Tanzania Declares Marburg Outbreak – Africa CDC Mobilizes Immediate Response
Addis Ababa, January 20, 2025</Strong> — Tanzania has declared a Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak after confirming one case and identifying 25 suspected cases in the Kagera Region of Northwestern Tanzania. The Marburg virus, a highly infectious and often fatal disease, is similar to Ebola and is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and monkeys. This outbreak marks the nation’s second encounter with the deadly virus, following the outbreak in Bukoba District of Kagera Region in March 2023, which resulted in nine cases and six deaths.
In response to this urgent threat, the Africa CDC is mobilizing strong support to help Tanzania contain the outbreak. A team of twelve public health experts will be deployed as part of an advance mission in the next 24 hours. The multidisciplinary team includes epidemiologists, risk communication, infection prevention and control (IPC), and laboratory experts to provide on-ground support for surveillance, IPC, diagnostics, and community engagement.
The Director-General of Africa CDC, Dr. Jean Kaseya, has engaged with Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the Minister of Health to ensure coordinated efforts and secure political commitment for the response.
“Africa CDC stands firmly with Tanzania in this critical moment. To support the government’s efforts, we are committing US$ 2 million to bolster immediate response measures, including deploying public health experts, strengthening diagnostics, and enhancing case management. Building on Tanzania’s commendable response during the 2023 outbreak, we are confident that swift and decisive action, combined with our support and those of other partners, will bring this outbreak under control,” Dr. Kaseya stated.
Africa CDC has recently supported efforts to enhance the diagnostic and sequencing capacity of public health laboratories in Tanzania. PCR Test kits and genomic sequencing reagents have been dispatched, with additional supplies in the pipeline. To ensure rapid identification and confirmation of cases, the institution will also provide technical assistance to strengthen detection and genome sequencing for better characterization of the pathogen. Additionally, support will be provided to improve case management protocols and enhance the capacity to deliver safe and effective treatment.
Africa CDC is committed to working closely with the Government of Tanzania, regional partners, international organizations, and global stakeholders, including the World Health Organization, to stop the spread of the Marburg virus.
Source: allafrica.com
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‘No Marburg Confirmed In Tanzania’, But Mpox Remains ‘Public Health Emergency’
Monrovia — The Director General of the African Centers for Disease Control, Jean Kaseya, has said the center stands ready to support Tanzania and other countries in the region where suspected cases of the infectious Marburg Virus Disease have been identified. The World Health Organization earlier this week issued an alert warning of a possible outbreak in the country, although the Tanzanian Health Ministry has said tests conducted on available samples did not show the existence of Marburg in the East African nation.
“As of the 15 of January 2025, laboratory results from all suspected individuals were negative for Marburg Virus,” Tanzanian Health Minister Jenista Mhagama said in a statement. This would have marked the country’s second experience with the highly infectious disease that recently killed over a dozen people in neighboring Rwanda. Tanzania previously reported an outbreak of Marburg in 2023 in the Kegara region, said to have been the epicenter of the new suspected cases.
At the Africa CDC online briefing on Thursday, Kaseya also said another infectious disease, Mpox, “remains a public health concern”. He said that while in December 2024, the disease had afflicted 20 countries, a new country – Sierra Leone – has been added to the number after recent outbreak there. Sierra Leonean health authorities said on January 10 that two cases of Mpox had been confirmed in the country and dozens of contacts are being traced.
With thousands of confirmed cases of Mpox across Africa and more than 1000 people having died of the disease – mainly in Central Africa – Kaseya emphasized the need to increase testing, a theme he’s heralded before. The Africa CDC boss said over the next few months the continental health watchdog will deploy additional epidemiologists and community health workers to areas considered hot spots of infectious diseases in the region.
Source: allafrica.com
