Kilimanjaro, anyone?

This year, as for the past two years, I continue with my efforts to raise funds for charity through climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain and the world's tallest free-standing mountain.

Images from the 2008 and 2009 climbs:

 

At the summit; you cannot stand higher on the African continent

 A partial view of Furtwangler Glacier, seen from Crater Camp

 Boulders along the route to Barranco Camp

 Mawenzi, Kilimanjaro's other peak, bears itself during last year's descent

Unique vegetation on Mt. Kilimanjaro

Kibo, just before sunset

Following the considerable publicity received during last year's climb I expect a larger number of climbers to join me this year. Because it is an election year, I will avoid scheduling the 8-day climb during the official election campaign period which runs from August to October. I therefore expect the climb to take place during the first week of November.

Some of the people who intend to climb Kilimanjaro with me this year to raise funds for charity (or just for the adventure) include:

• Amrani Batenga, former Chairperson of Mwanza region's branch of Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA), also a Mwanza-based businessman
• Cutlatt Mazengo, who works at the National Insurance Corporation
• Fred "Fredwaa" Fidelis, the radio presenter at Radio Free Africa in Mwanza
• Gerald Hando, the radio presenter at Clouds FM who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with me last year and is Fredwaa's cousin
• Imruh Bakari, a lecturer in Media, Film and Communication at King Alfred's College, Winchester, England
• Jaffar Amin, the son of Idi Amin who visited me at Butiama in 2008 and was to join me last year, but could not
• Khoti Kamanga, my lookalike and Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Dar es Salaam
• Makongoro, my brother and the ruling party's Chairperson for Mara Region, who has climbed Kilimanjaro in the past as part of his cadet training at the Monduli Military Academy
• Matare, my cousin and businessman, who was to join me last year but could not
• Mustapha, my friend from Nakuru, Kenya, who has continued sending messages of encouragement and has even called me during my past climbs
• Nuru Inyangete, my cousin and renowned architect, who climbed Kilimanjaro while studying at Weruweru Secondary School many years ago and has recently decided she will climb the mountain again, probably prompted by the recent succesful climb of Kilimanjaro by her daughter
• Phillip Kissanga from Austria who visited Tanzania last year and has climbed the Austrian Alps
• Salum Mwaimu, journalist and television presenter at Dar es Salaam's Channel 10/DTV
• And others who have yet to confirm

If you want to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro for charity or just for fun, please get in touch with me through the email address on my profile.

Le's despatches

Le Huynh, who accompanied me on my first Mt. Kilimanjaro climb in 2008, is an individual who likes to travel. He also shares experiences of his travels with friends he has met along the way. He sent this despatch after his recent visit to the Peruvian Andes.

He sent these fascinating photos of Manchu Pichu, the ruins of the ancient Incan city located on the Peruvian Andes mountains. Manchu Pichu was built about 1500 AD.

Le is a member of the Kilimanjaro Club, which lists people I know who have scaled Mt. Kilimanjaro, including those who join me every year on the annual Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Charity Climb and those who join me for my non-charity climbs.

Famous names in radio broadcasting

Recently on board MV Victoria...

I met Fred Fidelis...

known to listeners as "Fredwaa", the famous radio presenter at Mwanza's Radio Free Africa. We traveled on the ship, commissioned in 1957, on the overnight voyage from Bukoba to Mwanza.

Also on board was Peter Omari...

Programs Manager at Mwanza's Kiss FM. Fredwaa is also the Programs Manager at Radio Free Africa. Fredwaa also regularly anchors a special end-of-the year program on BBC's Swahili Service reviewing the year's music hits.

For the past five years, "Fredwaa" he has won the best announcer award for the Lake Zone at the Kilimanjaro Tanzania Music Awards.

He told me he keenly monitored my Kilimanjaro Climb last year and is interested to join me during this year's climb. He also informed me he is a cousin to Gerald Hando who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with me last year. Gerald has confirmed he will join me on this year's climb for the second consecutive year. I am looking forward to seeing the two cousins going head-to-head, representing two of Tanzania's leading FM stations