Government , tourism players to defuse Mt Kilimanjaro cable car row - The Citizen

By Gadiosa Lamtey

Dar es Salaam. The government expects  to meet with Mount Kilimanjaro stakeholders to discuss the planned cable car project, which is being opposed by tour operators.
In 2019, Tanzania announced an ambitious plan that would see a cable car installed on Mount Kilimanjaro in its quest for quadrupling annual tourists' number to Africa's highest mountain from 50,000 to 200,000.
The tour operators say the plan would degrade Mount Kilimanjaro's prime tourism status and the environment while others dispute the tendering process. However, the minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Damas Ndumbaro said the government will discuss with all stakeholders to reach consensus on the matter.
"On March 8, I will hold a meeting with stakeholders in Moshi so that we can discuss the issue. If we agree that the cable car project is not worth it then we will leave it. So, the discussion will decide," Dr Ndumbaro said at a meeting with editors yesterday.
Local investors contend that no tender was floated for a fair competition and that AVAN Kilimanjaro Ltd, a company 100 percent owned by six foreign shareholders, has in controversial circumstances, been picked to execute the project.
 A lawyer representing porters, Mr Engelberth Boniphace pointed an accusing finger at authorities allegedly for deliberately violating the law of the land by allowing the foreign investors to operate the cable car service on Mount Kilimanjaro.
 "The law provides for exclusivity of Mount Kilimanjaro services to local operators, how come a company owned by foreigner shareholders is licensed to operate a cable car against it?" he queries.
 Section 58(2) of the 2008 Tanzania Tourism Act No 11 clearly stipulates that mountain climbing or trekking registration will be issued to companies fully owned by Tanzanians.
 Details of the business plan though are scant, AVAN is claimed to be a consortium of globally reputed companies coming together to execute the unique project in Tanzania to attract 177,000 tourists per annum.