WAY UP HIGH
At 5,895m above sea level, the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro stands tall and proud: Africa's tallest peak, and one of Tanzania's top tourist hotspots.
There has been much debate about the origin of its name, most popularly believed to be a corruption of the Swahili word kilima, meaning mountain, and the KiChagga word njaro, meaning great.
What is not debatable, however, is Mount Kilimanjaro's enduring allure, as it continues to draw around 25,000 tourists each year. Standing at a momentous 5,895m above sea level, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain in the world, Africa's tallest peak, and Tanzania's second-most popular tourist attraction.
Actually a dormant volcano, whose last major eruption took place some 360,000 years ago, Mount Kilimanjaro owes its distinctive shape to the formation of three volcanic cones: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira.
The first documented ascent was in 1889, when Hans Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller made their way defiantly to the top. The highest point, on Kibo ridge, they named “Kaiser-Wilhelm-Spitze," or Kaiser Wilhelm Peak. In 1964, after independence, this was re-named “Uhuru Peak," using the Swahili word for freedom.
These days, climbing one of the seven routes that wind their way up to the top is not for the faint-hearted, nor for the budget traveler. A study from 2005 showed that 63% of all intrepid hikers successfully reach the summit, but 77% suffer from Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) at some point during the trek. More worryingly, around three to seven people die on average per year, many of altitude-related afflictions, though in 2013, one tourist was reportedly struck by lightning half way up the peak.
In that same year, records show that Mount Kilimanjaro National Park generated USD51 million in revenue, making it the second top earner of all the country's national parks. A standard guided hike up the mountain, which lasts around one week, costs a ballpark USD1,000.
The visitors' book kept in a wooden box on Uhuru Peak is testimony to many weird and wonderful events that have graced Kilimanjaro's snow-capped summit. The youngest visitor was just seven years of age, the oldest 85. The fastest ascent to date was achieved by 22-year-old Spaniard Kilian Jornet, who raced up in just five hours, 23 minutes, and 50 seconds. 
In 2014, the mountain was host to a Tour de France bonding trip, as a team of well-known cyclists including Alberto Contador and Peter Sagan took to its slopes. The same year saw a team of cricketers scale the mountain to complete the world's highest cricket match. In 2017, a ladies football team broke a similar record for football. And, most weird and wonderful of all, in 2016 Pizza Hut took a slice of the action: to celebrate its entry into the Tanzanian market, it orchestrated the world's highest-ever pizza delivery, carting a pepperoni 8-incher 745km from its place of inception all the way up to Kilimanjaro's summit, and bringing a whole new definition to the phrase, “pie in the sky."
WAY UP HIGH
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Guest Speaker
Hon. Patricia Scotland, Secretary General, Commonwealth of Nations
TBY talks to Hon. Patricia Scotland, Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations, on the advantages of being a member of the Commonwealth, the need to celebrate diversity, and Tanzania's war against corruption.
read articleGuest Speaker
Libérat Mfumukeko, Secretary-General, East African Community (EAC)
TBY talks to Libérat Mfumukeko, Secretary-General of the East African Community (EAC), on Tanzania's importance to the EAC, the major achievements of regional integration, and obstacles ahead of a monetary union.
read articleInterview
Raymond P. Mbilinyi, Executive Secretary , Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC)
TBY talks to Raymond P. Mbilinyi, Executive Secretary of Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC), on its work to support the private sector in the country, tackling challenges in the economy, and clamping down on corruption.
read articleReview: Banking
The Quest for Depth
If Tanzania is to meet its 2025 vision of attaining middle-income status, it will need to corral its bank-centric financial and capital markets for greater depth by extending participation and rendering credit more accessible to SMEs, women, and the young to spur economic growth.
read articleInterview
Dr. Baghayo A. Saqware, Commissioner , Insurance, Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority (TIRA)
TBY talks to Dr. Baghayo A. Saqware, Commissioner of Insurance, Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority (TIRA), on achieving universal healthcare coverage, the brilliance of microinsurance, and how to partner with public and private entities to increase the industry's penetration.
read articleReview
Legal Thunder
With the stepping down of Minister of Energy and Minerals Sospeter Muhongo in May 2017 over transparency issues and the introduction of three new laws that give the government the right to renegotiate or revoke existing mining and oil and gas rights, private players in the country are unsure of what future lies ahead. On the other hand, project-specific developments bode well for a sector in need of a breakthrough.
read articleInterview
Kapuulya Musomba, Managing Director, Tanzania Petroleum Development Company (TPDC)
TBY talks to Kapuulya Musomba, Acting Managing Director of Tanzania Petroleum Development Company (TPDC), on the planned expansion of the Mtwara-Dar es Salaam natural gas pipeline, entering northern industrial hubs, and empowering nascent industries.
read articleInterview
Marc Den Hartog, Managing Director, Shell/BG Tanzania
TBY talks to Marc Den Hartog, Managing Director of Shell/BG Tanzania, on the critical need for economies of scale, the importance of developing LNG for export, and why renewables must be taken into account in any long-term plan.
read articleInterview
Hon. Charles Mwijage, Minister, Industry, Trade and Investment
TBY talks to Hon. Charles Mwijage, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, on how to reach middle-income status, employing the private sector toward this end, and what sets the country apart from the rest of East Africa.
read articleFocus: Helium
Discoveries of Magna-tude
Despite being the second most common element in the universe, helium is in short supply on earth. With global reserves of the gas steadily dwindling, and demand steadily increasing, the discovery of a whopping 1.53 billion cbm of helium in underground chambers in Tanzania could not have come at a better moment.
read articleInterview
Gilliard W. Ngewe, Director General, Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Agency (SUMATRA)
TBY talks to Gilliard W. Ngewe, Director General of Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Agency (SUMATRA), on transportation budget allocation and cross-sector dialog and partnerships.
read articleInterview
Jared H. Zerbe, CEO, Tanzania International Container Terminal Services Limited (TICTS)
TBY talks to Jared H. Zerbe, CEO of Tanzania International Container Terminal Services Limited (TICTS), on regional trade flows and Tanzania's potential to take a leading role in orchestrating cargo movement.
read articleFocus: Tanzania Strategic Cities Project (TSCP)
East Africa’s “Geneva”
If Rome wasn't built in a day, it is not surprising that Tanzania's project to revamp eight of its largest cities is entering its eighth year of implementation. A release of further funds from the World Bank has given the project a new lease of life.
read articleReview
Lost in the Maize
Agriculture accounts for 30% of Tanzania's GDP, and the sector has experienced above-average output in recent years compared to the rest of the African continent. However, the sector's development is held back by poor rural farming practices and general infrastructure bottlenecks.
read articleInterview
Fred Kafeero, Tanzania Representative, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
TBY talks to Fred Kafeero, Tanzania Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), on the organization's long-term support for Tanzania's development, recent initiatives in agriculture, and financing.
read articleFocus: 2020 Irrigation Target
Reap What You Sow
In 2006, the Tanzanian Ministry of Water and Irrigation set a target for Tanzania's agriculture sector: to irrigate 1 million ha of land by 2020. More than 10 years on and moving ever closer to the deadline, this target has not yet been met, though the first seeds are being sown.
read articleFocus: Southern Circuit Tourism
Hidden Gems
Tourism is frequently described as the jewel in Tanzania's economic crown. In 2016 alone, the industry contributed over USD2 billion in revenues. However, for at least three years, the government has expressed concern that tourism is not well distributed across the country.
read article
