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It has been a stop start feel to the relaunch of Uganda&#8217;s national carrier, Uganda Airlines with the flyer littered in controversy over the past months.

Transport Minister Wamala outlines the path to profitability for Uganda Airlines

STATEMENT
OF THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, FIKILE MBALULA, ON THE OCCASION OF UNPACKING
LOCKDOWN IMPLICATIONS FOR TRANSPORT ON 25 MARCH 2020 



In
announcing the nation-wide lockdown, the President indicated that provision
will be made for essential transport services to continue, including transport
for essential staff and for patients who need to be managed elsewhere.&nbsp;
The measures we are announcing today are in line with this injunction, while
ensuring that the objective of the lockdown is achieved. &nbsp;



Rail



<ul><li>All long-distance passenger rail services, both public and private, will stop operations for the duration of the lockdown.  Services of Shosholoza Meyl, Premier Classe and Blue Train operated by PRASA and Transnet respectively, have already been suspended.  The new regulations mean that private rail operators such as Rovos Rail will also cease operations.  </li></ul>



<ul><li>All commuter rail services will shut down for the duration of the lockdown.  This includes all Metrorail and Gautrain services.  </li></ul>



Aviation



<ul><li>All international and domestic flights are prohibited, irrespective of the risk category of the country of origin.  </li></ul>



<ul><li>Only essential air cargo will be allowed.  However, cargo from high risk country must be sanitized.</li></ul>



Maritime



<ul><li>The ban on cruise ships calling at any of our Sea Ports will be strictly enforced.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Essential cargo will be allowed at our 8 Sea Ports.  However, cargo from high risk countries must be sanitized. </li></ul>



Taxis



MINIBUS
TAXIS



<ul><li>As part of the relief measures for small businesses in distress as announced by the President, those taxis that have been financed by the National Taxi Finance administered by the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA) will be granted a 3 months repayment holiday.  Commercial banks are also considering similar measures.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Minibus-Taxis will be allowed to transport essential services workers and those allowed to make the necessary permitted movements. Transport movements in this regard will be allowed to operate from 05h00 to 09h00 and again from 16h00 to 20h00.  </li></ul>



<ul><li>Operators should put measures in place to adhere to social distancing in order to curb the spread of the virus.</li></ul>



<ul><li>All minibus-taxis must be sanitized after every trip.</li></ul>



<ul><li>All taxi ranks must be sanitized at regular intervals.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Where appropriate, government will provide assistance.</li></ul>



METERED
TAXIS AND E-HAILING



<ul><li>Metered Taxis and e-Hailing vehicles will be allowed to transport essential services workers and those allowed to make the necessary permitted movements. Transport movements in this regard will be allowed to operate from 05h00 to 09h00 and again from 16h00 to 20h00.  </li></ul>



<ul><li>Metered Taxis and e-Hailing vehicles must be sanitized after each journey.  The industry will take responsibility for this. Where appropriate government will assist.</li></ul>



<ul><li>The number of passengers each vehicle is allowed to carry will be reduced.  A vehicle licensed to carry up to 4 people will only be permitted to load 1 person.  A vehicle licensed to carry up to 8 passengers will only be permitted to load a maximum of 3 passengers.  </li></ul>



<ul><li>Sanitizers used in all taxi vehicles must have a minimum of 60% alcohol content.</li></ul>



Buses



<ul><li>Limited bus operations will be allowed to transport essential services workers and those allowed to make the necessary permitted movements.</li></ul>



Cross-Border
Road Transport



<ul><li>All cross-border road passenger movements will be prohibited for the duration of the lockdown.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Cross-border freight movement for essential goods will continue to and from our neighbouring countries.  </li></ul>



During
the lockdown period most services rendered by our entities will be
suspended.&nbsp; Vehicle Testing Centres and Drivers’ Licence Testing Centres
(DLTCs) will be closed.&nbsp; Should your drivers’ licence expire during the
duration of the lockdown it shall be deemed to remain valid until the end of
the lockdown, with the grace period of renewal within 14 working days thereafter
unless otherwise determined.



We
will maintain skeleton staff for purposes of safe road operations, clearing of
accidents, maintenance of tunnels as well as road traffic enforcement.



In
addition to the measures I have outlined, as a Minister of Transport, I am
empowered by the Disaster Management Act Regulations to issue Directions.&nbsp;
I will therefore issue Directions covering the following areas:



<ul><li>Movement of cargo (aviation, maritime, road – including cross border).  This will cover measures such as prohibition of crew change and movement of essential cargo across all our modes of transport.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Limiting movement of allowed essential public transport to specific times. </li></ul>



<ul><li>Movement of cross-border road transport. </li></ul>



<ul><li>Suspension of services rendered by our entities.  </li></ul>



<ul><li>Closure of Vehicle Testing Centres and Drivers’ Licence Testing Centres (DLTCs).  </li></ul>



<ul><li>Expiry of drivers licences. </li></ul>



We
are encouraged by the positive response to the existing regulations by all
stakeholders.&nbsp; These include sanitization of taxis and surfaces by the
taxi industry and initiatives by e-Hailing providers to assist with
transportation relating to healthcare logistics.&nbsp;



For
more information: Ayanda Allie Paine on 072 566 0827



Issued
by the GCIS on behalf of the Department of Transport 



25 March 2020

How South Africa’s lockdown will impact transport sectors

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The Development Bank of Southern Africa has entered into the Rwandan market. The financial institution will be working closely with Development Bank of Rwanda to finance infrastructure projects by both the public and private sectors, with key focus in the transport, energy, utility services and ICT sectors. Head of Coverage: Financial Institutions, SADC Region at DBSA, Mdu Dlamini joins CNBC Africa for more.

DBSA: Where we see investment opportunities in Rwanda

LAGOS (Reuters) &#8211; Global ride-hailing firm Uber Technologies Inc on Friday launched a pilot test of a boat service in Nigeria’s commercial capital Lagos to attract commuters seeking to avoid the megacity’s notoriously congested roads.



The United Nations predicts that Nigeria’s population will more than double to 400 million by 2050, which would make it the third most populous country in the world after China and India.



The combination of population growth and congestion has made Nigeria, and more broadly West Africa, attractive to foreign transport companies.



Uber’s chief business officer told Reuters in June the company planned to launch the service to carry travellers in the Lagos megacity of around 20 million people that is built on a lagoon.



The waterway service, UberBOAT, is operated in partnership with local boat operator Texas Connection Ferries and the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), said the ride-hailing firm.



“This initiative is aimed at providing commuters with an easy and affordable way to get in and out of the city’s business districts,” Uber said in a statement.



The pilot phase will operate on weekdays from 0700 GMT to 1600 GMT on a fixed route between two locations in the city.



Passengers will be charged a flat fare of 500 naira ($1.39) per trip, compared with about 300 naira by minibus for a similar journey in the commercial hub of the West African country where most people live on less than $2 a day.



At a press conference on Friday, Uber officials said there would be four trips a day, carrying up to 35 people on a boat, during the two-week pilot.



Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos state, said the Uber boat service, and the use of waterways in general, were part of a raft of initiatives aimed at easing congestion that include a programme of road repairs.



“We want ferries that carry 60 to 80 people,” he said, referring to his hopes for the future use of waterways, on Thursday at a forum with businesses.



Uber’s boat initiative follows a number of motorcycle ride-hailing firms that have targeted West Africa as an area for expansion in the last few months.



Technology giant Google also launched a new feature in July that allows Nigerians to hear travel advice in a local voice on Google Maps. Another feature allows users in Lagos to seek directions from “informal transit” services, such as private minibuses.



Reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram and Nneka Chile; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise

Uber launches boat service in Nigeria’s megacity Lagos, what you need to know

NAIROBI (Reuters) &#8211; The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $98 million financial package for Ethiopia for a road transport corridor project to neighbouring Djibouti, it said late on Tuesday.



The project’s total cost is $255 million, comprising an AfDB grant of $98 million to Ethiopia’s government and an AfDB grant of $5.3 million to Djibouti’s government, plus a co-financing contribution of $151 million by Ethiopia’s government.



“The project will enhance trade by significantly reducing transport costs, thereby accelerating the economic growth of Ethiopia and its neighbour Djibouti, as it is part of the main import-export corridor,” the AfDB said in a statement.



Reporting by Omar Mohammed; Writing by Maggie Fick; Editing by Duncan Miriri

AfDB approves $98 million financing for road transport corridor project in these two East African nations

What will Africa’s heavy haul railway system look like in 2030 as artificial intelligence, big data analytics and the Internet of Things moulds traditional sectors? This is the question that railway companies across the globe are grappling with as the 4th Industrial Revolution shapes the way we work, live, travel and transport freight.
With a view to answering this question, the International Heavy Haul Association (IHHA) has called on its member organisations to devise a roadmap ahead of a major industry conference to be held in Norway in June 2019.
In the build up to the event, the South African Heavy Haul Association (SAHA), will be bringing experts from across the continent together to debate the implications for Africa, where safety and security, infrastructure constraints and other challenges have impacted the movement of goods across borders.
Next week’s technical workshop, held from 4-6 September 2018, will bring together skilled professionals from the Southern African Railways Association (SARA), which has members in countries including Zambia and Swaziland.
“Are we ever going to have driverless, fully automated trains in Africa, considering our landscape? I’m hoping that by the end of the three-day workshop, delegates would have formulated a clear vision on how we can collaborate on ensuring African railways are future-proof,” says IHHA global chairperson Brian Monakali, who is also the General Manager of Capital Planning at Transnet Freight Rail.
“Due to South Africa’s position as the global chair of the IHHA, we are also expected to lead the discourse on how to revive African railways, promote intra-Africa trade and embrace new technology,” Monakali adds.
He says intra-Africa trade stands at roughly 12 percent compared to our counterparts America, Europe and Asia at 60-80%. This is due to because of a lack of interconnected railway systems, poor condition of our rail infrastructure, amongst other things.
Monakali says insights shared during the workshop will inform a working document that will be an input into the Development of a Global 2030 Vision for Heavy Haul, by IHHA member countries, and to be presented to the conference in Norway.
Monakali is available for interviews to talk about SAHHA and IHHA latest developments, Transnet’s involvement in this new journey and the vision development for Africa’s heavy haul railways.
&nbsp;
South African Heavy Haul Association press release

What does the future of Africa’s railways hold?

Urbanisation is spreading across Africa at great speed. Projections suggest that more than <a href="http://www.worldbank.org/en/events/2015/06/01/urbanization-in-africa-trends-promises-and-challenges">half of the total population</a> will live in urban areas by 2050. Urbanisation in Nigeria is happening at a particularly astonishing rate. The population density of urban dwellers in Nigeria is growing at an annual rate of 50 per square kilometre and it’s <a href="https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/DataQuery/">expected to rise</a> to 450.9 per square kilometre by 2050.
These urban dwellers include a large number of people over the age of 60. The number of old people on the continent is expected to rise to <a href="https://www.afro.who.int/health-topics/ageing">67 million by 2025</a>, up from an estimated 43 million in 2010. Nigeria will experience an <a href="http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/popfacts/PopFacts_2016-1.pdf">exponential increase</a> the number of older people.
These developments call for a new urbanisation agenda. A large number of old people in urban spaces in Nigeria suffer from homelessness, abuse, neglect and <a href="http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/38487/">destitution</a>. The situation is further compounded by the absence of social protection policies that can reduce vulnerability in old age.
Old people in Nigeria’s cities can’t even rely on public transport. The urban renewal has led to the phasing out of the popular Molue buses while pedestrian bridges are built in a way that makes <a href="https://www.naija.ng/479948-10-reasons-people-ignore-pedestrian-bridges-lagos.html#479948">access challenging</a> to physically challenged and older people with mobility problems. Access to safe public transportation system is one of the indicators of <a href="http://www.who.int/ageing/projects/age-friendly-cities-communities/en/">age-friendly cities and communities</a>.
Among Nigeria’s 36 states, Lagos is leading in <a href="http://www.populationconnection.org/article/african-urbanization/">urban regeneration initiatives</a>. Unfortunately, there are indications that older people and their needs are being marginalised. My research is motivated by the need to understand vulnerability and <a href="https://criticalgerontology.com/neoliberalism-resilience/">resilience in old age</a>. The findings presented here focus on what it means to grow old in the city and how urban renewal initiatives might be shaping vulnerability in old age.
<h2>The study</h2>
Data was sought through individual interviews and media reports. All these sources have their focus on demolition of markets, shops and houses in Lagos State from 2012 to 2018. The City of Lagos has a <a href="http://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/publications/files/FIWON-Poor-Also-Must-Live-Oct2016.pdf">history of demolitions</a> of markets and neighbours that are predominantly inhabited by the less privileged. Older people are included among the victims of these demolitions. Those trading among them have <a href="https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/265284-octogenarian-others-detained-as-lagos-govt-plans-demolition-of-market.html">lost their means</a> of livelihood without the freedom to protest or any hope of compensation.
The report highlights the findings about mobility concerns, fears and experiences of using the public transportation system in Lagos.
Drawing from the experiences of 13 older people aged 60 to 78 years, the research found that the existing public transport system isn’t conducive to being used by older people.
The participants’ narratives and media reports portray the urban renewal efforts in the city as ageist and lopsided. While a great deal has been done to transform some crowded areas and commercial motor parks in the city, the changes made weren’t done in a way that helped old people. For example, pedestrian bridges had been built too high. There had also been a loss of means of livelihood and accommodation in the city.
All the interviewees had spent 29 years on average in the city. More men (8) than women had engaged in menial jobs to earn a living and have had to travel hours within traffic from one part of the city to another throughout their youthful life. The women were more into petty trading, and only one worked with one of the local government authorities before retirement.
All the interviewees had used public transport when they were younger until it became more difficult to move around the city. Even the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) was described as mostly inaccessible. In the words of one of the interviewees:
<blockquote>I have been told that there are seats for older people in BRTs, but the drivers and commuters are often in a hurry that it becomes difficult for older people to catch up with them or even use the available seats.</blockquote>
<h2>Towards inclusive urban renewal</h2>
Urgent measures are required to avert or minimise the risks that come with using public mode of transportation in the city of Lagos. Existing public modes of transportation are in need of overhauling. Presently, the public mode of transport, pedestrian bridges and walkways are designed to reflect the needs of the young urban population. Walkways that will accommodate older people and their various mobility needs are urgently needed. Creating such pathways can enhance the safety of other social categories of commuters in the city.
More legislation and conscious efforts are required to protect the vulnerability of older people to abuse in public spaces. Buses can be provided for older people and those that are physically challenged.
The urban renewal initiatives must be inclusive and participatory. The demolition actions must be done in transparency and proper accountability. Inclusive urban regeneration framework is urgently required in addressing the existing gaps and the future mobility needs of the growing population of older people in the city. These efforts amongst others will place the City of Lagos on the march towards becoming one of the age-friendly cities in Nigeria and Africa.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/101926/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ojo-melvin-agunbiade-539700">Ojo Melvin Agunbiade</a>, Post-Doctoral Researcher, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/african-population-and-health-research-center-2107">African Population and Health Research Center</a>
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-africas-largest-city-is-failing-its-older-people-101926">original article</a>.

Why old people in Nigeria’s cities can’t even rely on public transport

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Rwanda has signed a $66million loan agreement with India Exim Bank to construct a 63km road in the Northern Province. The project is in line with the country’s drive to develop transport and encourage economic activity. CNBC Africa filed this report.

Rwanda secures $66mn funding for major road construction

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Rwanda continues her trendsetting journey in technology and various related initiatives. The country has now introduced electronic payment in motorcycle transport. CNBC Africa filed this report for more.

Yego Innovision introduces cashless payment for moto taxis

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Anthony Eke, Acting Divisional Head of Infrastructure and Transport at Diamond Bank joins CNBC Africa to discuss how Nigeria can develop its airport infrastructure.

Upgrading Nigeria’s airport infrastructure

<div class="storify"><iframe loading="lazy" src="//storify.com/cnbcafrica/live-taxistrike/embed?border=false" width="100%" height="750" frameborder="no"></iframe><script src="//storify.com/cnbcafrica/live-taxistrike.js?border=false"></script><noscript>[<a href="//storify.com/cnbcafrica/live-taxistrike" target="_blank">View the story &#8220;LIVE: #TaxiStrike in Johannesburg&#8221; on Storify</a>]</noscript></div>

LIVE: #TaxiStrike in Johannesburg

<div id="article-byline"> <a href="https://www.reuters.com/journalists/heather-somerville">Heather Somerville</a> and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/journalists/joseph-menn">Joseph Menn</a> | SAN FRANCISCO</div>
Uber Technologies Inc Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick told employees on Tuesday he will take time away from the company he helped to found, one of a series of measures the ride-hailing company is taking to claw its way out from under a mountain of controversies.
Kalanick&#8217;s move comes after a months-long investigation led former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who was hired by Uber to look into its culture and workplace practices after a female former employee publicly accused the company of what she described as brazen sexual harassment.
Uber on Tuesday released the recommendations from that report, which include reducing Kalanick&#8217;s sweeping authority and instituting more controls over spending, human resources and the behavior of managers. (<a href="http://bit.ly/2rX2xA5">bit.ly/2rX2xA5</a>)
Kalanick&#8217;s departure, even if it is temporary, is a thunderclap for the Silicon Valley startup world, where company founders in recent years have enjoyed great autonomy and often become synonymous with their firms.
It also marks a pivotal moment for the world&#8217;s most valuable venture-backed private company, which has been largely defined by Kalanick&#8217;s brash approach.
Kalanick, 40, said he needed the time away to grieve for his recently deceased mother and to work on his leadership skills, according to a staff email seen by Reuters. He did not say how long he would be away.
&#8220;If we are going to work on Uber 2.0, I also need to work on Travis 2.0 to become the leader that this company needs and that you deserve,&#8221; Kalanick wrote in his email. &#8220;During this interim period, the leadership team, my directs, will be running the company.&#8221;
According to a source familiar with the matter, Kalanick can return to the company whenever he would like.
MORE OVERSIGHT NEEDED
The company on Tuesday shared with its staff 47 recommendations for management and policy changes that were unanimously adopted by the board on Sunday. Kalanick was not at the meeting, said a source who was present.
The meeting was marred by private equity executive David Bonderman making a sexist remark about women talking too much. He later resigned from the board of directors, calling his comment &#8220;careless, inappropriate, and inexcusable.&#8221;
The recommendations from Holder&#8217;s firm, Covington and Burling, include adding an independent director to the board and considering an independent chair; mandated manager training; and a bigger and more independent audit committee to oversee spending and management.
&#8220;I would now suggest to any startup, here are the Covington rules, and when you get passed 100 people, put these in place,&#8221; said Steve Blank, a startup founder and mentor and adjunct professor at Stanford University.
Other recommendations prohibit romances between bosses and their subordinates and create clearer guidelines on the use of drugs and alcohol.
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&#8220;I think it paints a picture of a company pretty out of control with no oversight from the board or basic controls,&#8221; said Elizabeth Ames, senior vice president at the Anita Borg Institute, which advocates for women in technology.
At Tuesday&#8217;s employee meeting, human resources chief Liane Hornsey thanked the former employee who wrote about harassment, Susan Fowler, for being a catalyst for the changes. She received applause from employees, according to the source at the meeting.
Holder&#8217;s recommendations stressed the importance of a new chief operating officer. The company has been searching for a No.2 executive for more than three months and is also looking for a chief financial officer.
A number of senior Uber managers left in recent weeks as the Holder investigation and a parallel probe focused strictly on sexual harassment and other employee complaints, conducted by the law firm Perkins Coie, moved forward.
The most recent departing executives included Emil Michael, head of business and Kalanick&#8217;s closest confidant, and Eric Alexander, who ran the Asia Pacific region.
Uber said last week it had hired two women to fill top roles: Harvard Business School management professor Frances Frei will serve as an executive coach and Apple Inc marketing executive Bozoma Saint John was hired to mend Uber&#8217;s brand. Uber also added a second woman to its board, Wan Ling Martello, an executive vice president at Nestle, to serve as an independent director.
There are 14 people at Uber who report directly to Kalanick and who will likely take on more responsibility in his absence. They include Ryan Graves, head of operations and one-time chief executive at Uber.
FOUNDER POWER
Uber grew to a valuation of $68 billion in seven years amid non-stop controversy. It has upended the tightly regulated taxi industry in many countries and changed the transportation landscape, but has run into legal trouble with a rough-and-tumble approach to local regulations and the way it handles employees and drivers.
Uber has suffered a series of damaging setbacks in recent months, including a federal probe into the company&#8217;s use of technology to evade regulators in certain cities and a trade secrets lawsuit filed by Alphabet Inc&#8217;s self-driving unit, Waymo.
Some venture capitalists say Uber&#8217;s challenges should serve as a warning that the Silicon Valley ethos of leaving founders in control of companies, even after they grow into big corporations, can be a dangerous proposition.
&#8220;Inevitably, this will help drive the pendulum back toward better governance inside an organization,&#8221; said Robert Siegel, a lecturer at Stanford University and venture capitalist at XSeed Capital. &#8220;Sometimes we conflate great business leaders with strong personalities with great governance.&#8221;
(Reporting by Heather Somerville and Joseph Menn; Editing by Bill Rigby, Peter Henderson, Jonathan Weber and Lisa Shumaker)
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Uber CEO takes leave of absence amid sweeping changes after scandals

By Chantel McGee
Add to the list of problems at Uber: Driver retention. Only 4 percent of people who sign up to drive for the ride-hailing service are still driving a year later, according to a report in <a class="inline_asset" title="https://www.theinformation.com/how-uber-will-combat-rising-driver-churn" href="https://www.theinformation.com/how-uber-will-combat-rising-driver-churn" target="_self">The Information.</a>
The company&#8217;s accelerating driver drop off rate is partially due to increased competition from companies like Lyft. But the number one complaint among Uber drivers is the pay, according to undisclosed data seen by The Information. Many Uber drivers have complained about unfair compensation for long trips, and not being able to accept tips.
An Uber spokesman told The Information: &#8220;We recognize we need to improve our relationship with drivers and their experience using Uber. We&#8217;re working on a range of improvements across our products, our policies, our customer support and how we communicate.&#8221;
The company is considering things like better targeting financial bonuses to certain drivers and allowing tipping, which could allow drivers to earn more, according to <a class="inline_asset" title="https://www.theinformation.com/how-uber-will-combat-rising-driver-churn" href="https://www.theinformation.com/how-uber-will-combat-rising-driver-churn" target="_self">The Information.</a> Lyft, its main competitor, already gives riders the option to leave a tip.
Read the entire <a class="inline_asset" title="https://www.theinformation.com/how-uber-will-combat-rising-driver-churn" href="https://www.theinformation.com/how-uber-will-combat-rising-driver-churn" target="_self">The Information</a> report.
&nbsp;

Only 4% of Uber drivers remain on the platform a year later, says report

Rwanda&#8217;s airline will start three weekly flights to London&#8217;s Gatwick airport on May 26 and it expects to exceed one million passengers on all its routes in the next three to four years, Chief Executive John Mirenge said on Monday.
The London route, which will be served by two newly acquired Airbus A330s, will be East African airline RwandAir’s 22nd destination.
&#8220;We see this as another way to increase tourism from Europe and UK in particular which is one of the key contributors of tourists to Rwanda,&#8221; Mirenge told Reuters.
Mirenge also said the airline planned to start flights to New York, Bamako in Mali, Conakry in Guinea and Lilongwe in Malawi. It would also soon start flights to Mumbai and Guangzhou in China.
&#8220;Africa is still underserved in terms of aviation services so that&#8217;s why we cannot stop from growing especially on the continent,&#8221; Mirenge said.
For the year ending July 2017, Mirenge said RwandAir was targeting a total of 750,000 passengers, up from 600,000 in the previous period.
RwandAir has 11 aircraft and expects delivery of a 12th, a Boeing 737-800, in May.
Rwanda&#8217;s government signed a deal with Portuguese construction firm Mota-Engil this year to build and operate a bigger airport in Bugesera, south of the capital. It is due to be completed in 2019.
(Reporting by Clement Uwiringiyimana, Editing by Susan Thomas)

Rwanda’s airline to start flights to London

Jeff Jones, the president of Uber, is quitting the car-hailing company after less than a year. The move by the No. 2 exec, said sources, is directly related to the multiple controversies there, including explosive charges of sexism and sexual harassment.
Uber confirmed the departure and will be sending a statement.
Jones also confirmed the departure with a blistering assessment of the company. &#8220;It is now clear, however, that the beliefs and approach to leadership that have guided my career are inconsistent with what I saw and experienced at Uber, and I can no longer continue as president of the ride sharing business,&#8221; he said in a statement to Recode.
Jones, said sources, determined that this was not the situation he signed on for, especially after Uber CEO Travis Kalanick announced a search for a new COO to help him right the very troubled ship.
That was not the reason for Jones&#8217; departure, sources said, even though it meant that Kalanick was bringing in a new exec who could outrank him. Instead, these sources said, Jones determined that the situation at the company was more problematic than he realized.
Jones was certainly touted by Kalanick as a big hire when he arrived at Uber last fall from Target, where he was its well-regarded CMO. His job, among others, was to remake the company&#8217;s tainted image. He also was president of its main ride-sharing business.
Kalanick and Jones met just a year ago at the TED conference in Vancouver and there was much excitement that the company was attracting top-level corporate execs.
Jones replaced board member Ryan Graves, who started at the company as CEO but relinquished that role to Travis Kalanick in 2010, as president. Graves now heads up the company&#8217;s delivery business, UberEverything. The transition was pitched as a necessary move as the ride-hail company continued to scale.
&#8220;Over the last six months, Ryan and I have become increasingly convinced that our rapidly growing marketing efforts needed to be far more integrated with our city operations,&#8221; Kalanick <a class="inline_asset" href="https://newsroom.uber.com/jeff-jones/" target="_self">wrote</a> in a post announcing Jones&#8217; hire.
Jones spent much of the beginning of his tenure as the president of ride-sharing driving for Uber and meeting with drivers, after which he sent drivers an email about what he learned and what the company intends to do.
&#8220;It&#8217;s clear that there&#8217;s much we can be doing better. Listening is where we get our best ideas, because they come from you, the people using Uber every day &#8221; he wrote.
But in February, Jones&#8217; second public attempt to reach drivers went awry when drivers began flooding Jones&#8217; Facebook page with angry comments and complaints during a question and answer session.
Jones&#8217; decision to leave Uber likely won&#8217;t surprise people who worked with him at Target. &#8220;Jeff does not like conflict,&#8221; a source previously told Recode.
The situation at the company has deteriorated since then, obviously, after a blog post by a former female engineer chronicled a deeply dysfunctional management led by Kalanick that favored what board member Arianna Huffington called &#8220;brilliant jerks.&#8221;
Jerks indeed, as what has happened since then has made clear. Since the post, the company has fired its engineering head after revelations of a serious sexual harassment investigation at his previous employer, saw its head of product leave after questionable sexual behavior was uncovered at a company event and has initiated an investigation into the entire situation with a former Attorney General of the United States at the lead.
In addition, the now persistently apologetic Kalanick announced the search for a COO to help him do a better job.
—By Kara Swisher and Johana Bhuiyan, <a class="inline_asset" href="http://recode.net/" target="_self" data-nodeid="101305756">Recode.net</a>.
CNBC&#8217;s parent NBCUniversal is an investor in Recode&#8217;s parent Vox, and the companies have a content-sharing arrangement.

Uber president Jeff Jones is quitting as management turmoil at the ride-hailing company deepens

The Kenyan unit of U.S. ride-hailing firm Uber Technologies Inc has increased its fare by 20 percent, a move that follows protests and strikes by Uber drivers who said a lower fare made their service uneconomical.
Uber, which operates in several African countries, cut its fare in Kenya to 35 shillings ($0.3400) per kilometre last year, after local rival Little &#8211; backed by Kenyan telecoms operator Safaricom Ltd &#8211; introduced a service with a lower price.
Uber drivers have staged regular strikes and protests in Nairobi in recent weeks over the low fare, local media reported.
Lawmakers and ministry of transport officials also supported a higher price.
The company has now raised its fare to 42 shillings per km.
&#8220;We believe driver-partners will earn more as a result of these changes,&#8221; Uber Kenya said in a statement on Thursday.
As in other markets, Uber drivers in Kenya initially faced opposition and sometimes hostility from other taxi drivers. In March last year, six men were charged with attempted murder and malicious damage to property over an attack on an Uber driver.
($1 = 102.9500 Kenyan shillings)
&nbsp;

Uber Kenya hikes fare by 20 percent after strikes

South African taxi drivers on Friday blocked roads to Johannesburg&#8217;s airport, holding up thousands of travellers in the latest protest against ride-hailing app Uber.
Uber Technologies Inc&#8217;s service has triggered protests by taxi drivers from London to Hungary and New Delhi as it upends traditional business models that require professional drivers to pay steep licensing fees to drive cabs.
Hundreds of drivers blocked the main highway to Africa&#8217;s busiest airport, O.R. Tambo International, causing long traffic jams on Friday.
&#8220;Uber is illegal,&#8221; Reuben Mzayiya, a spokesman for the metered taxi business in Gauteng province, told broadcaster 702 Talk Radio.
&#8220;If you want to operate, you must register with the department of transport and fulfil all the requirements. Uber doesn&#8217;t do all those things.&#8221;
He added, &#8220;It just operates a parallel structure with a fraction of what we are charging.&#8221;
The protests have prompted the South African imports operator, ACSA, to begin talks with airlines about possiblee flight delays, spokeswoman Refentse Shinners said.
&#8220;We are currently negotiating with our airline partners to see how we can accommodate them,&#8221; Shinners said. &#8220;We cannot as yet make any guarantees in terms of those arrangements.&#8221;
Uber has attracted more than 500,000 users and 4,000 drivers across South Africa since its 2013 launch.
(Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
&nbsp;

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