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Mowlana Hazar Imam Shah Karim Al-Huseini was given a rousing welcome by the Jamat at Dar es Salaam airport when he arrived there on Tuesday, the 10th November at 8 p.m. in his personal Grumman Executive jet.
Amongst the leaders of the Jamat who welcomed him and garlanded him on his alighting from the plane were Sir Eboo Pirbhai, president of Supreme Council, Vazir Abdulla Tejpar, president of Council for Tanzania, Mr. Amir Pirbhai, president of Dar es Salaam Provincial Council. Mukhis and Kamadias of the Jamats, the Councillors and other leaders were present to greet him.

Prince Amyn Muhammand, His Highness's younger brother, who had reached Dar es Salaam a night earlier, was also there to receive him. Mowlana Hazar Imam affectionally hugged him in the traditional Islamic manner. Also was there to receive him the President of His Highness's Executive Council for Africa, Count Fatehali Dhala.

The two officials direclty concerned with the IPS and TPS projects, Mr. George Kahama, general manager of the National Development Corporation, and Mr. Gabriel Mawalla, general manager of Tanzania Tourist Corporation were also at the airport.

Describing Mowlana Hazar Imam's visit to Dar es Salaam, the Honorary Secretary of the Provincial Council of Dar es Salaam, Mr. A. Z. Karsan, says, Mowlana Hazar Imam was in an exceptionally good mood and this mood continued throughout his four day visit. From the airport Mowlana Hazar Imam was driven straight to his residence (Count Kassum's bungalow in Oyster Bay).

Hundreds of people had lined up the route all the way from airport to Hazar Imam's bungalow and all the vantage points were crammed with onlookers who greeted the Imam with enthusiastic cheers. Mowlana Hazar Imam smilingly waved to the crowds.

HAZAR IMAM AT THE STATE HOUSE

On Wednesday morning, Mowlana Hazar Imam paid a courtesy call on President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere at the State House. Mowlana Hazar Imam spent more than half an hour with the President and it is believed they discussed matters of mutual interest in a very cordial atmosphere.

In the afternoon, Mowlana Hazar Imam held talks with the top officials of the State-owned National Development Corporation. The talks were held at the Kilimanjaro Hotel in which Prince Amyn Muhammad and His Highness's industrial and economic advisor, Dr. Peter Hengle, also participated.

VISIT TO JAMAT KHANAS

In the evening Mowlana Hazar Imam first paid a visit to the Diamond Jubilee Hall where the Karimabad and Changombe Jamats had gathered for holy didar. From there Mowlana Hazar Imam proceeded to Upanga Jamat Khana. The Darkhana Jamat Khana, in the heart of the city, was the third to be visited. The last visit was paid to Kariakoo Jamat Khana.

For several days the Ismaili youths of Dar es Salaam had been putting up great efforts working until late hours in decorating all the five Jamat Khanas and the result was a magnificent display of decorations and illuminations. Mowlana Hazar Imam was very pleased with the decorations and gave his blessings to those who had contributed in creating such a beautiful sight.

Mowlana Hazar Imam performed a total of 33 weddings in Dar es Salaam Jamat.

IPS BUILDING

On Thursday, the 12th November, Mowlana Hazar Imam attended the opening of the IPS building by the President (a full report of which has appeared in our last issue).

On Friday, Mowlana Hazar Imam attended a reception by Tourist Promotion Services held at the residence of Mr. Noorali Sayani in Oyster Bay.

(Mowlana Hazar Imam left Dar es Salaam for Kampala on Saturday, the 14th November at 3:30 in the afternoon. Before leaving he attended a number of conferences in which plans for assisting the growth of tourism in Tanzania were finalized. An estimated 20 million shillings is to be invested in hotels and lodges).

MOWLANA HAZAR IMAM IN UGANDA

Mowlana Hazar Imam received a rousing welcome from a crowd that included Ministers, diplomats, senior Government officials and thousands of members of the Ismaila community when he reached Uganda.

The purpose of his visit was to discuss and finalize projects connected with tourism in which the Ismaili community was taking an active part. He said that during his 14 years as Imam he had continually appealed to the Ismaili community, wherever they were, to be loyal to the Government and identify themselves with the countries they had adopted as their home.

This, he explained, had contributed to the fact that many members of the Ismaili community were now Uganda citizens.

He said he hoped he could return to Uganda for a much longer visit and that he would bring his wife with him so that as many people as possible would meet her.

The Minister of Works, Housing and Communications, Mr. Shaban Nkutu, who received His Highness on behalf of the Uganda Government, said he was standing in for the Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Tourism, who was unable to be present.

Among the enthusiastic crowd which welcomed him were several Girl Guides, led by Mrs. Bataringaya, wife of the Minister for Internal Affairs.

Mowlana Hazar Imam received a thunderous welcome from a large crowd at the Jamat Khana where he officiated at the marriages of 30 couples.

On his arrival at the Jamat Khana His Highness was garlanded amidst wild applause and walked through a line of Cubs and Brownies to enter the packed Jamat Khana. He stopped for a moment to touch the shoulder of an elderly woman in a wheelchair who had waited for several hours outside the Jamat Khana to get his blessing.

WITH PRESIDENT

Earlier, Mowlana Hazar Imam had been received by President Obote at Parliament Building in Kampala.

With the President were the Minister for Finance, Mr. L. Kalule-Settala, Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sam Odaka, Commerce and Industry, Mr. W. Kalema, and Education, Dr. J.S. Luyimbazi-Zake.

Accompanying His Highness were Sir Eboo Pirbhai, Vazir Malik Kassim-Lakha, president of the Ismaili Council in Uganda, and Mr. Abdul Samji, president of the Ismaili Council in Kampala.

UGANDA TOURIST LODGES

Mowlana Hazar Imam chaired the meeting at the Grand Hotel, Kampala when representatives of the Uganda Development Corporations and of IPS (Uganda) met representatives of local and overseas investors and discussed the financing of two tourist lodges and safari touring activities in Uganda involving an investment of some 16,000,000/.

Prince Amyn also participated.

The delegation examined a number of legal and financial documents relating to the project. Mr. Nyanzi, chairman of UDC, said it was expected that matters should be finalized by early next January.

The two tourist lodges are in the Murchison Falls National Park and the Queen Elizabeth National Park. It was agreed that possible extension to this programme will be discussed as soon as feasible.

The delegates to the meeting represented the following organizations: Olin Corporation, USA; International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank group; Intercontinental Hotels Corporation; Deutsche Lufthansa; British Overseas Airways Corporation; Tourism Promotion Service; IPS Switzerland; IPS Uganda; Diamond Jubilee Investment Tourist (Uganda); and the Uganda Development Corporation.

The UDC expressed confidence in the future of this regional project, and deep appreciation for the efforts of the IPS group which had played the major role both locally and internationally in bringing together the various investors in this important project.

NEW SCHOOL SITE

On Tuesday, Mowlana Hazar Imam visited the site of Bugolobi where a senior secondary school for which he has donated funds is to be built. He was accompanied to the site by the Minster for Eduction, Dr. J.S. Luyimbazi Zake, and officers from the Ministry.

His Highness spent about 15 minutes at the site during which he chatted with Dr. Zake and was shown a model of the school to be built.

MOWLANA HAZAR IMAM IN NAIROBI

Mowlana Hazar Imam arrived in Nairobi from Uganda on Wednesday, the 18th November, and was met by the Vice President, Mr. Daniel arap Moi, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Njoroge Mungai, the Attorney-General, Mr. Charles Njonjo, Mr. Mwai Kibaki, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Mr. Jackson Angaine, Minister for Land and Settlement, Assistant Minister and Government officials and the President of the Supreme Council for Africa, Sir Eboo Pirbhai. More than 100 representatives of Ismaili Councils in Nairobi and other centres in East Africa crowded the VIP Lounge to greet His Highness. Present also were President of Ismailia Council for Kenya, Rai Akbarali Nanji and Alijah Mohamedali Rajan President of the Nairobi Council.

Mowlana Hazar Imam was given a VIP police escort to Sir Eboo's residence, where he stayed during his Nairobi visit.

On Thursday, Mowlana Hazar Imam visited all Nairobi Jamat Khanas where he performed several marriages. Mowlana Hazar Imam spoke on religious matters to the Jamat and on the need for intensive education and career guidance. Earlier, he had met the Minister of Tourism and Wildlife, Mr. J.L.M. Shako, to discuss Government participation in the new project Kenya Safari Lodges Properties Ltd. to be shortly launched. Mowlana Hazar Imam spent Friday with the East African Printers and Publishers Group and visited Kenya Litho Limited and Nation House. Mowlana Hazar Imam passed whole Saturday in Conferences. Earlier in the day he visited the President and his wife at his Gatundy country home.