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Volcanoes National Park Reopened for Gorilla Trekking

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Kigali, Rwanda – Many of us are aware that Volcanoes National Park is the number one gorilla trekking destination in the whole world, but did you know that it is now open for tourist visits? The world’s most popular home to mountain gorillas has reopened for tourists and you can get started with planning your gorilla trek.

The Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda, also known as Parc National des Volcans (in French) is situated within the Northwestern corner of the country bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. The fact that it also lies within the Virunga Massif means that it is continuous with Virunga National Park of DRC and Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park.

It was gazetted in 1925 with the aim of conserving the critically endangered Mountain gorillas, thus making it one of Africa’s oldest Protected Areas. It shelters a rich avifauna, hence the reason you cannot miss to experience what it offers to nature enthusiastic tourists.

What You Need To Know Before You Go Gorilla Trekking in the Rwandan Volcanoes

The global health crisis brought about the closure of all national parks in Rwanda. In the first week of June 2020, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) issued a press release informing the public about the opening of all the national parks in Rwanda. The Volcanoes National Park, the favorite destination for gorilla trekking is now open and can receive visitors.

According to the Guide to Rwanda, there are a number of standard operation procedures (SOPs) that were put in place to ensure safety not only for the tourist but also for the wildlife species more so the primates.

Gorilla Trekking S.O.Ps In Volcanoes National Park

  • Every tourist will be required to possess a certificate showing their clean bill of health. The certificate must have been acquired not later than 72 hours at the point of arrival in Rwanda.
  • The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has maintained an 8 maximum per group of gorilla trekkers
  • Gorilla trekkers are required to carry a minimum of two surgical masks. Preferably N95 covering the nose and the mouth.
  • Guests are required to carry their own sanitizers even though the national park will provide sanitizing services at the entrance of the park.
  • Tourists are not allowed to use public transport means. You can only transfer to the park in a tour company vehicle
  • There will not be any isolation requirements for tourists, only a verified health certification is required upon arrival

Gorilla Permit Rates For Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Gorilla trekking permits in for Volcanoes National Park remain at US$1500 and can be booked at the RDB offices in Kigali.

Where to Sleep Before and After Your Visit to Rwanda

Since March 2020, most of the lodges and hotels in Rwanda have been closed. Some are gradually opening. Therefore, before you include any of your favorite lodges on your itinerary, first confirm whether that particular lodge has opened up again. Also, get to know whether they have rooms available on your desired dates.

Check out our list of gorilla safari lodges for the best recommendations on where to sleep when you go for the gorilla trek in Rwanda.

Is it safe to go for a safari in Rwanda?

Yes, it is safe to go on a safari in Uganda. There are standard operational procedure guidelines that have been set to be followed by tourists. The nature of tour operation has changed and the safari vehicles take visitors at half capacity. Random tests are also made to ensure that visitors are healthy even before they leave Rwanda on a departure flight.

The neighboring country, Uganda has continued to steadily lift its lockdown and in very few weeks you will be able to explore the whole of East Africa. Most of the national parks of East Africa have been reopened for tourist visits.

Get Started with Planning Your Visit?

Gorilla Trek Rwanda is at your service to help you plan your next gorilla tour in Rwanda, Uganda, or the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The company offers great tours at very affordable prices to visitors. All tours are guided by well-trained guides who take you safely on guided tours in the whole of East Africa.

Conclusion

The reopening of the national parks including primate national parks gives hope to gorilla tourism. Potential travelers who had pre-booked trips are urged not to cancel trips but rather postponed and travel anytime to promote sustainable tourism in Africa.

Tragic deaths shocks Kenyan athletics, now 8 death

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2013 Kenya national youth champion Ian Mutuku (19y) is dead, he collapsed and died in Machakos town. He is the eighth Kenyan athlete who suddenly has passed away.

Mutuku is a 2014 Africa Youth Games silver medalist

Kenya’s athletics fraternity is mourning the death of highly promising sprinter Ian Mutuku who died after collapsing at a hospital in Machakos on Monday, October 24.

According to Mutuku’s coach, Peter Muia, the athlete had checked into Machakos Level 5 Hospital on Friday, October 21, with swells all over his body before and his condition worsened.

Mutuku was only 19 years and his death is a big blow for Kenyan athletics.

In a tragic twist the athlete’s wife and young son were also admitted in the same hospital.
Mutuku’s son was admitted with kidney failure. The deceased was walking to the ward where his child was admitted before collapsing.

-“When I left the Madoka Half Marathon, I came to visit him on Sunday and he was very healthy although his feet were swollen. He had been admitted together with the wife who was with their toddler in another ward,
-“At around 8am in the morning he had difficulties in breathing and after removing his oxygen mask, he woke up to go visit his child, it was as if he knew his end was near,
-“After returning to his bed, he collapsed barely five minutes later. ,” the coach is quoted.
-“The doctors came, but Mutukus life was not to save,” he continued.

Mutukus deaths joins as the eighth of Kenyan athletes who suddenly passed away.

Ian Mutuku’s coach now demanding that Kenyan Athletics (AK) starts an investigation by themself.

– “We have to look at the supplements our athletes are use by them self,” he says.

He has seen more young athletes take supplements without a doctor’s certificate for later collapsing and dying.

– “As a coach, I know that many of our athletes confuse things that they do not have knowledge to ingest supplements. We have lost eight athletes in the country because of this and we must address the problem now,” he says.

The Athletics coach are working inside the Kenyan Athletics (the Kenyan Athletics National Federation) and has now been commissioned by management to investigate the cause of that eight practitioners have lost their lives.

– “Previously we have not had this problem. Now we need to ascertain what they can use and what they can not use,” he says.

Mutuku is the 2013 400 -metres national youth champion and also a silver medalist in the 2014 youth games.

Mutuku also finished fourth in the 2013 IAAF World Youth Championships in Donetsk, Ukraine and 2014 Olympics Youth Games.

Charcoal Addiction: How Can Africa’s Households Kick the Habit?

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Energy technology has advanced by leaps and bounds in recent years, yet in 80 percent of African homes charcoal and wood remain the primary sources of fuel.

The negative effects are high. Charcoal is dangerous for health, saps incomes, and ruins the environment. Nonetheless the charcoal industry across the continent continues to grow at a staggering pace while electricity access and clean fuels lag far behind.

Today charcoal production is a multi-billion dollar – and largely illegal – industry. In Uganda, for example, the National Forestry Authority estimates 80,000 hectares of private and protected forests are being cleared annually to produce charcoal.

As demand continues to outstrip supply, innovative companies are stepping in to plug the fuel gap with alternative energy solutions. Their hope is African households will reduce or replace charcoal in their homes, given a better alternative.

Kenyan company Sanivation’s solution comes in the form of fuel briquettes. There is a catch, however: the briquettes are made from human waste.

Sanivation has developed a process which, using thermal energy from the sun, raises human waste to very high temperatures, inactivating all pathogens and rendering it safe for reuse. This is then mixed with carbonised waste products to make briquettes, which look much the same as charcoal but burn more efficiently.

“Our briquettes preserve 88 trees per ton, save people 15 to 20 percent of their fuel expenditure, and have lower smoke than traditional charcoal,” explains co-founder and CEO Andrew Foote. By the end of 2016, the company will have sold some 100 tonnes of briquettes.

Sanivation tackles two problems at once: providing a sustainable, cleaner burning fuel. “By addressing the full value-chain we are able to be one of the most cost effective options for a city processing its waste. We are on track to have one of the highest cost recovery rates of a waste treatment plant in the world,” Mr Foote says.

Charcoal costs can account for up to 30 per cent of a family’s daily income. “We sell our briquettes for less than or comparable prices to charcoal and they burn longer than traditional charcoal, decreasing the amount families have to spend on their fuel needs,” he argues.

With these benefits in mind, Mr Foote says Africa could lead the world in developing and adopting alternative energies.

“Just as Africa jumped over the landline, we’re hoping Africa will quickly bypass destructive forms of fuel for renewable and healthy options such as sustainable biomass, solar, wind, and geothermal.”

However, establishing alternative fuels is a long-term game. Sanivation concedes it is unlikely that charcoal will be replaced as the primary fuel source in African homes within the next 15 years.

Other innovators are looking to tackle the problems posed by charcoal from other angles. BURN, another company based in Kenya, manufactures an innovative cooking stove, the “Jikokoa”, which cuts charcoal use by more than half.

The stove lights and burns more efficiently than traditional devices, and produces 64 percent less smoke. Families using the Jikokoa save more than 50 percent on charcoal costs and enjoy better health. So far, more than 200,000 Jikokoas have been sold.

Chris Akin, vice-president of sales and marketing at BURN, says that while the company cannot predict whether charcoal will ever be replaced as a key fuel in Africa, BURN’s vision is to ensure families have access to cookstoves that reduce their health risks.

“We see a future where African homes adopt improved clean cooking solutions, [and] that will see the improvement in the health of women and children,” he says.

Similar initiatives have popped up in other countries. Zambia’s Project Optima, for instance, uses a franchise model so women can sell their cleaner burning wood chip stoves within their communities. The US State Department under Hillary Clinton allocated some $114m to a global Clean Cookstoves initiative between 2000 and 2015.

However there is clearly a long way to go. While some progress has been made to introduce alternative energy solutions in Africa, Tim Christophersen, senior expert on forests and climate change at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), says the results have been modest due mainly to pricing challenges and lax regulation.

He cautions that innovators must focus on keeping prices low if they are going to convert consumers to alternative fuel solutions at large scale. “Behavioural change in urban centres as far as demand for cooking energy is concerned is intimately related to the price issue,” he says.

Regulation is also essential to bringing about change, according to Mr Christophersen. Currently governments are not doing enough to regulate the charcoal supply chain, allowing the cycle of increasing demand and informal supply to continue.

Policies are needed to support scaling up alternative energy innovations, to incentivise sustainable charcoal production – including through better forest management – to promote alternative livelihoods for informal charcoal producers and to address current illegal trade.

With political will, planning and some creative thinking, better fuel options could be rolled out to millions of households across Africa. Given the advantages, ending charcoal dependency should not be a hard sell.

Dance for Peace gone viral

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The Video “Dance for peace” from Loreto Kiambu Girls High School that is trending with more than 47.000 views on Facebook in the first week since it was posted on the 11th of October 2016 has the participation of Art Directors Garage that was handling set design, make-up, costumes, and Nancy Aluoch founder of the Art Directors Garage also participated in some of the Choreography. Leah Gathoni is the producer of the modern Dance piece. The video is a modern Dance video that involves different aspects of tribes, cultures, etc. from Kenya honoring the Kenyan flag and peace among Kenyans.

The video is celebrating Kenya and the Kenyan people as one people, that can and should live in peace with each other. The girls from the video is from different tribes, cultures, religions, and they all represent the picture of peace that the flag of Kenya is.

More People Die from Air Pollution than Malaria and HIV/Aids

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More than 3 million people a year are killed prematurely by outdoor air pollution, according to a landmark new study, more than malaria and HIV/Aids combined.

Wood and coal burning for heating homes and cooking is the biggest cause, especially in Asia, but the research reveals a remarkably heavy toll from farming emissions in Europe and the US, where it is the leading cause of deaths.

The report warns that, unless action is taken, the number of deaths – already equivalent to six deaths every minute – will double by 2050. “This projection should sound alarm bells for public health agencies around the world,” said environmental health expert Professor Michael Jerrett, at the University of California and who was not involved in the research.

Most air pollution deaths are caused by tiny particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs. These cause heart attacks and strokes, which account for three-quarters of the 3.3 million annual deaths, with lung cancer and respiratory diseases responsible for the rest. The work did not include the effect of indoor air pollution, from cooking fires for example, which is estimated to cause an additional 3.4 million deaths a year.

The new work, published in the journal Nature, is the first study to single out different outdoor air pollution sources and estimate the number of premature deaths they each cause, considering road traffic, fossil fuel power stations and other sources. The researchers used a detailed computer model of the global atmosphere to assess the impact of air pollution on different populations, including new information on how pollution affects people in China and India.

A third of all premature deaths were the result of using smoky fuels such as wood and coal for heating homes or cooking and using dirty diesel generators for electricity, all well-known hazards. This domestic energy use causes half the 645,000 annual deaths in India and a third of the 1.4 million annual deaths in China.

But the research found that agricultural emissions of ammonia had a “remarkable” impact, according to Professor Jos Lelieveld, at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany, who led the research. A fifth of all global deaths resulted from these emissions, which come mainly from cattle, chickens and pigs and from the over-use of fertiliser.

The ammonia reacts with fumes from traffic and industry to produce tiny particles and is the largest cause of air pollution deaths in the eastern US, Japan and in Europe. “For London, agriculture is the main source,” said Lelieveld. Across the UK, 48% of the premature deaths were ultimately the result of agricultural pollution.

Traffic pollution was still important in developed countries, causing a fifth of deaths, despite crackdowns on dirty vehicles. It only caused 5% of deaths across the globe as a whole, but this is likely to rise as more cars take to the road in developing countries.

Air pollution from power stations, mainly coal-burning plants, was significant globally, causing one in seven deaths. It is the biggest single factor in the US, causing a third of the 55,000 annual deaths, compared to 16% in the UK.

Natural air pollution, mostly dust in arid regions, caused almost a fifth of global air pollution deaths. This source is a major factor in some dry countries, accounting for 92% of deaths in Egypt and 81% in Iran.

“The overlap of high pollution and large populations takes a huge toll on public health, but little [was] known about the pollution sources that are responsible for premature deaths,” said Jerrett. “The results are surprising and potentially important for protecting public health globally.”

Currently it is assumed that all particulates are equally toxic. But if those from fuel burning are more toxic, as some scientists suspect, the proportion of premature deaths attributable to farming emissions would be lower. Even so, Jerrett said, “the finding is highly valuable … because agriculture has generally not been seen as a major source of air pollution or premature death, and because it suggests that much more attention needs to be paid to agricultural sources, by both scientists and policymakers.”

Dr Oliver Wild, an atmospheric scientist at Lancaster University in the UK said: “The study really brings home the need for air quality controls to avoid these additional deaths, particularly in heavily populated parts of Asia.”

KEBS Suspends Licenses of 369 Water Bottling Firms

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The Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) has suspended the licenses of 369 water-bottling companies for non-compliance with quality standards.

KEBS CEO Charles Ongwae warned other water bottlers that they risk losing their licenses if they fail to meet the set standards.

The move follows the rise of counterfeit substandard bottled water products that pose a risk to human health.

According to Kebs, there are 600 registered water-bottling firms in the country.

The Kebs boss made the announcement Wednesday during a crisis meeting with representatives of water-bottling companies.

The meeting was held to address the rise of counterfeit products that are posing health risks to consumers.

A recent World Bank/IFC study detailing the bottled-water market in Kenya estimated sales at Sh12 billion per year.

According to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), over 60 per cent of water and juice products in the market are counterfeit.

KRA Commissioner-General John Njiraini said last month that the illegal trade was denying the country billions of shillings in revenue.

“The water and juices sector is one of the fastest growing industries in the country, but statistics indicate that over 60 per cent of the water and juices are illicit,” he said.

10 Good Reasons to Use Coconut Oil

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Coconut oil is found everywhere today: In the kitchen, the beauty shelf and in the bedroom. The oil has been one of the major players within beauty – and it is not without reason.

The oil can with its content of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants namely do wonders for both your skin and hair – whether you have dry, fine, curly, damaged or frizzy hair, or if your skin is dry, oily or normal.

We have summarized 10 good reasons why you can safely let the coconut oil move into the bathroom … and the bedroom.

  1. Makeup remover. Coconut oil is great as a makeup remover, and it dissolves all – even waterproof mascara. Just dab coconut oil on some cotton wool and wipe onto your skin, and voila – all makeup is removed!
  2. Hair mask. Coconut oil may bring life back into even the saddest strain of hairs. Massage the oil well into the hair and scalp. Wrap hair in a towel, a shower cap, plastic film or bag and allow the oil to work a few hours or overnight. Then massage shampoo into your hair before you wash the oil out, to avoid that your hair becomes greasy. Wash hair once again and rinse thoroughly.
  3. Moisturize. Moisten your skin with coconut oil and you get nice, shiny arms and legs. And yes, it can become a little greasy affair if you use too much. Therefore, be careful when dosing.
  4. Dry and cracked feet and hands. Fight the dry skin on the hands and feet by lubricating your dry elbows and hands with coconut oil.
  5. Towards sunburn. Give first aid for your sun-burnt skin with coconut oil, which are healing and dissipates heat.
  6. Lip balm. The dry, chapped lips do not have a chance when you give them a some coconut oil! Buy possibly a small box where you can put a little oil, then you can carry your new lip balm with you in the bag.
  7. Shaving cream. Tired of expensive shaving cream? Let coconut replace shaving cream when you shave your legs, or other more intimate parts of your body. Coconut oil is both cheaper, antibacterial and combats the small irritation buds, and moisturize the skin. Win-win-win situation!
  8. Massage Oil. Take the oil with you in the bedroom, and treat your partner with a nice massage!
  9. Hair oil. Rub a tiny lop of coconut oil of the size of a pea in your hands to warm it up. Then add the oil in your hair, and it becomes shiny and soft and will shine as the sun. Bonus: If you have large, curly hair, oil also goes in and tames curls!
    Tip! Coconut oil is very economical in use, so be careful when dosing!
  10. Bodyscrub. Mix half a cup of salt, or sugar with an equivalent amount of melted coconut oil and you have a homemade scrub that moisturizes and removes dead skin cells. The result is unmistakable: a nice, soft skin.

Tip! If you have areas where your skin is a little extra dry – for example, your feet and elbows – you can add a little more salt or sugar

Tip! Coconut oil can be melted over a water bath or in a microwave.

Are not you loving the smell of coconut? So choose a fragrance and taste-free variant – you can also spice up the scent with a few drops of ethereal oils.

Lenders in Need of Bail-out Cash Given Strict Central Bank Rules

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The Central Bank has set tough conditions for the money it has offered to bail out banks facing liquidity pressures as a result of Chase Bank’s closure last week.

The interest-free cash, which will be extended for between seven days to four weeks, will only be given to banks facing pressures that are not of their making.

“This is not a loan, credit or a bailout. It is interest-free but CBK will be all over you if you are provided with this support,” the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Patrick Njoroge told journalists on Friday.

Banks will be required to present an action plan for getting out of their financial woes including re-establishing lines of credit with other lenders.

They will also be required to reorganise assets, consolidate their investments and even present proposals for raising more cash from debt, equity and shareholders.

The CBK boss said banks wishing to access the money will even have to go slow on lending and sell their foreign currency to raise capital.

After receiving the money, the banks will be forced to submit daily and weekly reports to the regulator and will be subject to targeted inspection “every so often”.

“They must come up with an action plan, this is not a tap or an ATM,” he said.

The CBK governor said the measure is a new way of dealing with situations such as the one that Chase Bank faced.

Dr Njoroge said some of the lenders, including the big ones, have approached him to understand how the funds will be issued.

He however did not disclose the number of banks which have applied for the cash or even the amount CBK had already disbursed.

The Central Bank has other tools to support banks including overnight lending, the discount window such as buying back securities from lenders to release money into the banking system through reverse repos transactions.

The governor said the framework will help banks which do not even have the securities to trade and are struggling for funding on the interbank market as a result of the Chase Bank contagion which may have seen financial institutions lend less to each other.

Last week, CBK also extended the window for reverse repos by increasing the time it will hold securities from banks from one week to a month.

Rwanda Tops East Africa’s Adventure Destinations

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Rwanda tops Africa’s best adventure destination for 2016 with its decade treasure well conserved attractions the mountain gorillas. Today Rwanda the smallest country in East Africa has become the finest destination not only for travel but also business attracting hundreds of foreign investors worldwide .The US A business delegates, hotel investors and many other have chosen Rwanda as best out of all the African countries.

Tour operators have introduced new Rwanda safari itineraries with many focusing exclusively on the country’s main attractions, the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park plus other new adventures. There is a vast range of quality adventure activities on offer in this charming beautiful and friendly country in the East Africa region. The great opportunity of exploring the magnificent and varied attractions of Rwanda, which experiencing its rich culture is what draws millions to the country every year.

Rwanda tour operators have designed several new tour adventures with special emphasis on culture and natural beauty and the tourist interest exceeded their expectations. Many foreign tourists to Rwanda for Rwanda safaris enjoy seeing mountain gorillas in the wild, watch birds, view wildlife, hike the volcanoes, track chimps & golden monkeys as well as exploring the countries culture and the friendly people well being. Among the many trips done in Rwanda each day Rwanda gorilla tracking tours rank best with 99% interest every year, followed by chimpanzee tracking and golden monkey with 80% and hiking the volcanoes with 70% plus birding and wildlife viewing.

The shortest Rwanda gorilla safari goes for 1 day, followed by a 3 day gorilla tracking tours. Those with more time like heading out for Rwanda gorillas and chimpanzee tracking safari from 5-7 days. Discovering Rwanda beautiful attraction isn’t only for Rwanda tourists but also for business travelers as wells as locals and foreign investors. Rwanda as a country has all it takes for one to have a fabulous Africa holiday so its time and the time is now to start planning for a Rwanda tour holiday.

Rwanda safaris include Budget & camping tours, luxury tours as well as midrange tours. This is because travelers to the country spend differently depending on their interest and reason of travel. Big spender travelers require exclusive luxury Africa holidays while other spends moderately and other love adventuring on a tight budget. In addition to Rwanda adventures, the hotel industry is also growing day by day near different attractions in order to cater or the increasing travel demand of travelers to the country of all kinds. Lodges cater for all budgets according to the traveler’s interest and budget.

Already on offer are Rwanda advanced travel trend and quality services which specialists believe will inspire more travelers to the country not only in 2016 but even after .Besides there are also itineraries which call for multiple cross boarder adventures especially to Rwanda and Congo and Rwanda and Uganda giving travelers a chance to also explore other neighboring countries and have several amazing stories and memories to keep and tell others. As you know Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo are one of the lucky countries with the world remaining mountain gorilla population which shared with only Rwanda in the region. Besides one can view wildlife, track gorillas and chimps, take boat rides, Hot Balloon safaris as well as engage in other adventures which will make your stay more outstanding. Above all Rwanda become the most exclusive gorilla tracking destination because it offers travelers a unique chance to track manageable gorilla families as well as easy hiking grounds for those travelers who can walk but not too fit.

Highlights of a Rwanda Trip include coming face to face with Mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, golden monkeys, and other 13primate species. Enjoying a warm hospitality of the Rwanda people from hotels to communities boost the countries culture and love for people every day. Elephants, giraffes, Lions, Antelopes, Buffaloes also wait for you at Akagera Rwanda’s birding paradise and a wildlife haven. The Rwanda amazing views is something which you will fall in love with at first sight following other attractions. Tour operators and driver guides are well informed and organized offering affordable Rwanda trips to all Rwanda travelers year round. The local belief of locals about some rocks and water falls is too interesting .But there is also a wide variety of local Art, crafts in the markets and village community retail shops please make it a point to stop by and take one home as a souvenir in memory of Africa and Rwanda in particular.

Kenyan passports to be phased out next year, to adopt East Africa travel permit

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Kenya will phase out issuance of its national passports from next year and adopt the East Africa travel permit in the quest by the six countries to harmonize business and regulatory processes.

The phase-out period will last two years and the six countries including South Sudan that was this week admitted to the East Africa Community (EAC) expected to only issue the regional e-passport by the start of 2019.

The EAC e-passport launched Wednesday during the Heads of state summit is expected to have additional security features to protect against identity theft and data skimming.

The regional passport comes as the EAC countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, which have already signed a common market and a single customs union, move to progressively converge their currencies and increase commerce.

“The EAC Heads of State launched the new international East African e-passport and directed that commencement of issuance of the EA e-passport takes effect from January 1, 2017; and implement the phase out program for the current East African and national passports from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2018,” said a joint communique issued at the end of the summit.

The presidents further instructed that the six partner states undertake programs to create awareness of the new passports internationally.

This will see regional authorities start writing to different international bodies to ensure that it is a recognized travel document worldwide. The passports were to be launched in October last year but this was postponed.

The e-passport will have an electronic chip that holds the same information in the biometric form as that printed on the passport’s bio data page, including the holder’s name, date of birth, passport number and what the holder does for a living, among other things.

It will also contain a biometric identifier, a digital photograph of the holder and security features to prevent unauthorized reading or scanning, which will in turn reduce cases of forgery.

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