Thread by @DisasterKenya

@ProfPLOLumumba What you are suggesting Prof has the potential to make an important contribution to regional economic growth & development. Air transport can open, connect markets, facilitate trade & enable East African firms to link into global supply chains. But our Honcho & their Egos? Thread

@ProfPLOLumumba Your idea can play an especially pivotal role in just-in-time, manufacturing production, in speeding fresh produce from agricultural communities within regional economies to markets in the industrialised world. But again our Honchos & their egos ? @waluwande @mlimakenya

@ProfPLOLumumba @waluwande @mlimakenya Recognizing these egos & their restrictions to growth, came the Yamoussoukro Declaration in 1999. & With it an agreement committing 44 signatory countries to deregulating air services & to promoting regional air markets opening to transnational competition. 22 years later ?

@ProfPLOLumumba @waluwande @mlimakenya The implementation of Yamoussoukro Declaration, especially within your target region remains slow, limited, & thus the potential benefits of your idea, which would in essence be strengthening intra-East African air market will for long remain largely unrealised. @VictorMwambacha

@ProfPLOLumumba @waluwande @mlimakenya @VictorMwambacha Your idea can lead to increased air service levels, lower fares, which would in turn stimulate traffic volumes, tourism, investment, various regional economic sectors, enhance productivity, growth & increase employment etc. But do you see our egoistic honchos buying into such?

@ProfPLOLumumba @waluwande @mlimakenya @VictorMwambacha During my time at ICAO, I gathered considerable evidence that your idea can provide substantial benefits for passengers & the wider economies. For example, a study of EU's single aviation market attests it, how it greatly increased competition & perks on many routes. @moalbrecht

@ProfPLOLumumba @waluwande @mlimakenya @VictorMwambacha @moalbrecht I was part of a technical team doing a viability study in the neighborhood when they were thinking of rebirth of their National Airline. I floated thoughts similar, their Honcho, recently deceased. Lucky I had traveled on my then employer passport. I would have been chucked out.

@ProfPLOLumumba @waluwande @mlimakenya @VictorMwambacha @moalbrecht That Honcho held Kenya & Rwanda in suspicion, & even secretly believed the bald headed geezer of a neighbor towards Lake Victoria, a conceited time wasting buffoon. With such sentiments would they really have coped amicably enough for such a marvel of an idea to flourish ?

@ProfPLOLumumba @waluwande @mlimakenya @VictorMwambacha @moalbrecht With most intra-African aviation markets remaining largely closed, subject to restrictive bilaterals limiting growth, development of air services & the potential for aviation to contribute to economic growth & development within. It would take to Messiah to enlighten them.

@ProfPLOLumumba @waluwande @mlimakenya @VictorMwambacha @moalbrecht With very slow moving regulatory processes, restrictive bilaterals, & the various changes, your idea entails. It would require negotiation by cuisine loving suits, create several years of delays, before it can begin to take shape. In short a no go, Prof. @threadreaderapp unroll