Hawai for Tourism and Investment, a foremost tourism development company, announced the launch of “Cairo Eye” project, the first observation wheel in Cairo and the largest wheel in Africa. 

Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities Khaled El-Enany and Cairo governor Major-General Khaled Abdel Aaal laid the first foundation stone yesterday at the construction site of the much-awaited Cairo Eye.

In line with Egypt’s strategic development plan across sectors, the company with an initial investment of EGP500million is set to establish Egypt’s first observational wheel.

The project, set to launch next year, will be one of modern Cairo’s iconic landmarks and the next tourist destination.

The Cairo Eye standing at 120m is the same height as China’s Tjanjin Eye. It will be built at Zamalek’s Obelisk Park, ‘Hadiqat Al-Masala’ on the Eastern bank of the Nile in Zamalek, opposite the Cairo Tower.

The company’s Chairperson Ahmed El Sayed Metwally announced on Thursday that it will partly fund it by 50% while banks working in the Egyptian market will fund the remaining half.

The project will offer a unique panoramic view of the city from a distance of 50 km and welcome between 2million to 2.5 million guests annually. It will be Africa’s largest wheel and the fifth largest wheel around the world after London, Dubai, Las Vegas and Singapore.

Metwally added that negotiations with national banks are expected to be finalised in February 2021.

The first of its kind in Egypt, Cairo Eye project seeks replication in the regions of Galala Resort on the Red Sea coast at A’in Sokhna, and the city of New Alamein on the Mediterranean coast, Metwally noted. He said, according to feasibility studies, tickets for guests to the project will range between EGP 250 and EGP 350.

The project is the outcome of cooperation between various parties, including the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority, which falls under the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and the Cairo Governorate.   

South Africa jazz trombonist and composer, Jonas Gwangwa, whose music powered the anti-apartheid struggle, died on Saturday aged 83, the presidency said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa led the tributes to the legendary musician who was nominated for an Oscar for the theme song of the 1987 film “Cry Freedom”.

“A giant of our revolutionary cultural movement and our democratic creative industries has been called to rest,” Ramaphosa said.

“The trombone that boomed with boldness and bravery, and equally warmed our hearts with mellow melody has lost its life force” the president added.

There were no immediate details on how or where Gwangwa died.

He passed away on the third anniversary of the death of the “father of South African jazz” Hugh Masekela and the second anniversary of the death of Zimbabwean musical legend Oliver Mtukudzi. Jan. 23 had become “the day the music died” The South African and other media outlets said.

Gwangwa was born in October 1937 in Soweto and went on to have a career spanning 40 years.

“He delighted audiences in Sophiatown until it became illegal for black people to congregate and South African musicians were jailed merely for practicing their craft,” the presidency’s statement said.

He was awarded the Order of Ikhamanga, South Africa’s highest national award presented for achievements in art and culture, in 2010.

The award recognised his work as composer, arranger and musical director of the Amandla Cultural Ensemble, a cultural group formed by activists from the African National Congress in the 1970s.

Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, Najib Balala, has defended the decision to name British model and actress, Naomi Campbell, as the country’s international tourism ambassador, saying actress Lupita Nyong’o had been unreachable for the last five years.

Nyong’o, a Kenyan and Hollywood actress, in a reaction posted a photo of herself laughing on Twitter with the message: “Me when I hear the Kenya Ministry of Tourism has been looking for me for five years.”

The post was accompanied by hashtags with the phrases: “I am right here baby” and “alternative facts”.

Last week, Balala had named Campbell has Kenya’s international tourism ambassador. The announcement did not go down well with many Kenyans who questioned the minister’s decision to snub Nyong’o for the role.

In defending the decision, Balala said the Kenyan Oscar-winning actress had been unreachable for the last five years.

Balala said Campbell had taken up the role pro bono and that the government was working on the details on how to use her influence to promote tourism.