Struggling to return the country’s tourism industry to full strength has Kenya done an apparent U-turn on plans by Emirates, Dubai’s award winning airline, to launch a third daily flight from Dubai to Nairobi.
Njengoba ukhetho lusondela ngasekupheleni konyaka - izinkulumo zosopolitiki abaholayo njengamanje azenzi lutho ukudambisa izinzwa zababambiqhaza kwezokuvakasha - uma kungenzeka izwe lizimisele kakhulu ukuheha izivakashi eziningi ezivela ezimakethe eziningi, kungakhathalekile ukuthi ngubani ongena kuleli, kungaba yiMombasa noma eNairobi.
Kodwa-ke, iKenya ibingakuthandi ukuvumela izindiza eziningi ezihleliwe zakwamanye amazwe ukuthi zivule izindiza eziya esikhumulweni sezindiza esikhulu sogu lwaseKenya kanti yiRwandAir kuphela, i-Ethiopia kanye neTurkey Airlines njengamanje ezinamalungelo okufika. I-Qatar Airways nezinye izinkampani ezithwala izimoto kuze kube manje ziye zashiywa ngaphandle emakhazeni naphezu kwezicelo ezinqala zemboni yezokungenisa izihambi yasogwini zokushintsha futhi zivumele izindiza zamazwe angaphandle ukuthi zisebenzele iMombasa.
Umbuso oshukumisayo kahulumeni waseKenya, wokuheha izindiza eziningi zokuqasha zibuyele eMombasa, nawo awubonanga amandla awo angafezeka njengoba izindiza eziningi ezisuka e-UK zisekhona ogwini lwaseKenya. Izinkomba zithi abanye bangaphinde baqale izindiza zabo ngemuva kokhetho luka-Agasti selufikile futhi lwahamba ngokuthula njengoba abahambi bezokuvakasha abahamba phambili, kanye nezindiza zabo, njengamanje bebukeka njengezinhlelo zezimo eziphuthumayo ezifana ncamashi nezakwenziwe okhethweni luka-2012.
Ngaphezu kwalokho imithombo yezokuvakasha manje iphazamisekile ukuthi i-Emirates, ebimemezele inhloso yayo yokwethula indiza yesithathu yansuku zonke isuka eDubai iye eNairobi ukuze inikeze ukuxhumana okungcono kakhulu okuvela emhlabeni wonke isikhathi esinciphile sokulinda, kubonakala sengathi ibhekiswe kuNobhala Omkhulu kahulumeni wezokuThutha uMnu u-Irungu Nyakera.
I-PS icashunwe yimithombo yezindaba evela eKenya ukuthi ibhalele abakwa-Emirates eNairobi beluleka ngokuthi ngeke kunikezwe imvume ngendiza yesithathu, noma ngabe isivumelwano esikhona manje seBilateral Air Services Agreement sivumela ini. Lokhu, uma kuyisinqumo sokugcina sikahulumeni waseKenya - njengoba i-UAE ngokuqinisekile izoba nokuthile engakusho ngalesi sinqumo - iyakwenqaba ngokuphelele imakethe yezokuvakasha yaseKenya kulo nyaka kuphela izinyanga eziyisikhombisa zezinsizakalo zansuku zonke zeBoeing B777 ezingaletha izinkulungwane izivakashi eziningi ezweni.
Ukuhamba kwalolo hambo bekunganikeza nomthamo omkhulu wezimpahla ukuze kuphakanyiswe izinhlanzi ezibandayo, imifino emisha, izithelo nezimbali kubathumeli baseKenya abafisa ukuthengisa imikhiqizo yabo ezindaweni ezilungele ukumaketha eGulf nangaphezulu.
Lesi simo sisikhumbuza ukuthi esikhathini esedlule i-Qatar Airways yayiphathwa kanjani lapho sekusele izinsuku ezimbalwa ukuthi bethule enye indiza eya eNairobi ukuze iqhubekele phambili eKilimanjaro kanti futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo yayizokwethula isevisi esuka eDoha iye eDar es Salaam iye phambili iye eMombasa . Zombili izindiza, kanye nemithombo ethembekile evela eQatar kugcizelela lokho, kucacisiwe ngomlomo kodwa ayikho incwadi eyake yabhalwa kwaze kwaba yizinsuku ezimbalwa yethulwa lapho iKenya ivimba nalezi zindiza.
Imithombo yezokuvakasha kuthiwa izobonisana njengamanje ngenhloso yokunxenxa uhulumeni ukuthi avumele enye yezindiza zomhlaba ezihola phambili emhlabeni ukufinyelela okwengeziwe emakethe yaseKenya ngenkathi ngesikhathi esifanayo inethemba lokuthi ngeke kube khona ukusabela okuphambene nendawo yemakethe yaseGulf vis ukumaketha i-Kenya njengendawo oyithandayo yokuya eholidini unyaka wonke.
