Dar es Salaam. Airlines that have not joined the Zanzibar Airports Authority’s (ZAA) preferred ground handler, Dnata, at the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (AAKIA) face eviction from the Terminal Three building.
In an email that was sent to international airlines that were yet to comply with the September 14 directive, and are served at the Terminal 3, the authority gave them up to January 15, or shift to the Terminal 2 building.
“I would like to inform you that you are required to make contact with Dnata handling company for continued operations of your flights in Terminal 3,” reads part of the email.
It further stated: “Dnata is the sole ground handler authorised to provide services for flights that operate at Terminal 3.”
The email signed by Aman Hamdun Zubeir, the airport manager further advised the airlines to contact Dnata’s representatives to avoid the inconveniences that may arise.
Airlines have confirmed receiving the email and some have already complied and signed contracts with ZAA’s preferred ground handler at Terminal 3.
However, though there are certain airlines that are ready to move to the Terminal 2 building, a source that spoke to The Citizen on condition of anonymity, says the conditions at the terminal are not attractive at all.
“The conditions at Terminal 2 need to be improved to match international standards for airlines to go there or else they will end up with the preferred ground handler, even if it is against their wishes,” he said.
On September 14, the Zanzibar Airports Authority (ZAA) issued a directive which gave the Dubai based company exclusive access to the new terminal which was constructed at a cost of $120 million.
The order by ZAA, gave ground handling firms at the airport until December 1, 2022 to move to the newly constructed Terminal 3, instructing airlines to make arrangements to work with Dnata.
Several other steps followed the order which included the auditing of the ground handlers in October and a meeting with airlines to fast-track their transitions towards a new ground handler.
Whereas the other two ground handlers were denied access to Terminal 3, Dnata on the other hand can still operate in Terminal 2 as well.
Documents that the press have seen show that ZAT has been operating at the airport for the past 27 years with a concession agreement that runs until 2030 with a client base that features world class airlines, employing over 300 people.
Prior to the order, some of the Airlines that ZAT handled included Etihad, Qatar Airways, Oman Air, Turkish Airlines Lot polish, Air Tanzania, Precision Air, Tui and Ethiopian Airlines.
On the other hand, Transworld, which has been operating at the airport for the past 6 years, had Kenya Airways, Air France, KLM, Edelweiss, and Eurowings as part of its clientele profile.
It is unclear whether the regulator TCCA gave the nod for the changes that are taking place in Zanzibar which many stakeholders maintain break the laws enacted by the authority.
However, even as the ZAA went ahead to implement the order, Tanzania airline operators association (Taoa) say it is contrary to the decision of the board of directors of Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) No. 01 of 2022 which prohibits, among other things, monopolisation and segregation of terminals.
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Dar es Salaam — Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has declared an outbreak of Marburg virus, confirming a single case in the northwestern region of Kagera after a meeting with WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The confirmation follows days of speculation about a possible outbreak in the region, after the WHO reported a number of deaths suspected to be linked to the highly infectious disease.
While Tanzania’s Ministry of Health declared last week that all suspected cases had tested negative for Marburg, the WHO called for additional testing at international reference laboratories.
“We never know when an outbreak might occur in a neighbouring nation. So we ensure infection prevention control assessments at every point of care as routine as a morning greeting at our workplaces.”Amelia Clemence, public health researcher
Subsequent laboratory tests conducted at Kagera’s Kabaile Mobile Laboratory and confirmed in Dar es Salaam identified one positive case, while 25 other suspected cases tested negative, the president told a press conference in Dodoma, in the east of the country today (Monday).
“The epicentre has now shifted to Biharamulo district of Kagera,” she told the press conference, distinguishing this outbreak from the previous one centred in Bukoba district.
Tedros said the WHO would release US$3 million from its emergencies contingency fund to support efforts to contain the outbreak.
Health authorities stepped up surveillance and deployed emergency response teams after the WHO raised the alarm about nine suspected cases in the region, including eight deaths.
The suspected cases displayed symptoms consistent with Marburg infection, including headache, high fever, diarrhoea, and haemorrhagic complications, according to the WHO’s alert to member countries on 14 January. The organisation noted a case fatality rate of 89 per cent among the suspected cases.
“We appreciate the swift attention accorded by the WHO,” Hassan said.
She said her administration immediately investigated the WHO’s alert.
“The government took several measures, including the investigation of suspected individuals and the deployment of emergency response teams,” she added.
Cross-border transmission
The emergence of this case in a region that experienced Tanzania’s first-ever Marburg outbreak in March 2023 has raised concerns about cross-border transmission, particularly following Rwanda’s recent outbreak that infected 66 people and killed 15 before being declared over in December 2024.
The situation is particularly critical given Kagera’s position as a transport hub connecting four East African nations.
Amelia Clemence, a public health researcher working in the region, says constant vigilance is required.
“We never know when an outbreak might occur in a neighbouring nation. So we ensure infection prevention control assessments at every point of care as routine as a morning greeting at our workplaces.”
The Kagera region’s ecosystem, home to fruit bats that serve as natural reservoirs for the Marburg virus, adds another layer of complexity to disease surveillance efforts.
The virus, closely related to Ebola, spreads through contact with bodily fluids and can cause severe haemorrhagic fever.
Transparency urged
Elizabeth Sanga, shadow minister of health for Tanzania’s ACT Wazalendo opposition party, says greater transparency would help guide public health measures.
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“This could have helped to guide those who are traveling to the affected region to be more vigilant and prevent the risk of further spread,” she said.
WHO regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti says early notification of investigation outcomes is important.
“We stand ready to support the government in its efforts to investigate and ensure that measures are in place for an effective and rapid response,” she said, noting that existing national capacities built from previous health emergencies could be quickly mobilised.
The situation coincides with leadership changes in Tanzania’s Ministry of Health, with both the chief medical officer and permanent secretary being replaced.
This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.
Source: allafrica.com
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