Na hawa je, mbona nao wameuga watali badala ya waongoza watalii?
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Local porters take Chelsea teams invitation next
MARC NKWAME in Arusha, 26th January 2010 @ 11:00, Total Comments: 0, Hits: 73
LOCAL Mountain porters and tour guides who got invited to UK by the owner of Chelsea FC, billionaire Roman Abramovich last year, may fly to London in March this year.
Abramovich, the Russian billionaire sent an invitation to porters working at the Mount Kilimanjaro gate as well as guides who attended him during his Tanzanian trip last August, to tour the United Kingdom.
However, a group of ten potters could not make the trip as earlier scheduled, because reliable reports said there have been some problems with acquiring passports for some of the guides.
The problem has since been solved and the porters will now be flying to UK in late March.
Their host, Abramovich had to reschedule the porters itinerary after they failed to make it to the UK late last year and now we hope to have them there between the end of March and early April this year,
said Richard Beaty, the Director of African Environments Ltd, a tour company which handled the billionaires expedition to Kilimanjaro last August.
Abramovich, their host wants them to watch live Chelsea matches and some will be coming up between March and April, explained Beaty. Asked whether the porters and guides were football fans he seemed amused.
Really, is there anybody in this country who is not a soccer fan? The question should be whether they support Chelsea, he said.
While in UK, the guides and porters were supposed to enjoy the opportunity to watch a game between Chelsea and Apoel FC on December 8 and also Chelsea v Everton on December 12 last year an itinerary which got shelved after the group failed to make it to UK on time.
"Chelsea Football Club is writing to ask for your assistance in issuing UK visas for a group of Tanzanian nationals to visit the United Kingdom," that was an official letter from Eugene Tenenbaum, Director of Chelsea FC dated October 23, 2009. It was sent to the British High Commission in (Dar es Salaam) Tanzania
"They are planning to stay in London from 6th to 13th December 2009. Chelsea FC will pay for the flights and accommodation for the listed persons as well as provide a chaperone for them for the whole duration of their stay," Tenenbaums letter added.
Those listed in the letter as invitees were, Alexander Lemunge Shayo, Adamson Eliyahu Mollel, Godfrey Obedi Njamakuya, Isaack Simon Kitindi and Jane Alexander Lemunge.
Others in the list were Noel Eliyamin Mbwambo, Christopher Omollo Agger, Humphrey Jumbe, Manyamali Nnko and Silvery Herman Muhindi.
Alexander Lemunge, is the Director of East African Voyages Ltd, which specializes on Kilimanjaro climbs. The firm together with African Environments Ltd handled Abramovich itinerary here.
Lemunge, coincidentally happens to be a staunch supporter of Chelsea, so for him the invitation was from heaven. Lemunge, a global trotting Trip Leader, said the invitation was a golden opportunity to mountain guides and porters who have never travelled outside Tanzania.
"They have worked on the 5,895 meter high Kilimanjaro. Suddenly come Abramovich and turned them into tourists with other people guiding them on the London tour."
Humphrey Nnko, Logistics Guide at African Environments Ltd., is in fact a fan of Arsenal Football Club.
"I think Abramovich is a great man. I am a fan of Arsenal FC but that did not stop him from inviting me as one of his VIP guests. I have never been outside Tanzania. Abramovich has suddenly changed my life forever."