Friday 14 March, 1997 -- The newspaper that serves the nation

Aga Khan leaves after 4-day visit By CALEB ATEMI His Highness the Aga Khan yesterday left for Tanzania after a four-day official visit to Kenya. The spiritual leader of the Ismaili community was seen off by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, and scores of Ismailis. The Chief of Protocol, Mr Frost Josiah, and members of the Aga Khan Council for Kenya arrived at the pavilion at 10.50 am and formed a single file along the red carpet on the runway. At 11 am, the Aga Khan's motorcarde led by motorcycle outriders arrived. As he stepped out of his limousine, the Aga Khan was greeted by Mr Josiah and Musyoka. He shook hands with the Chairman of the Aga Khan Council for Kenya, Dr Nizar Verjee, and his Vice-Chairman, Mr Moez Jamal. He chatted briefly with Mr Musyoka and members of his community before strolling towards his jet. While in Kenya, the Aga Khan held talks with President Moi, business executives and members of the diplomatic corps. The highlight of his visit was the inauguration on Wednesday of a new Sh750 million printing facility for Nation Newspapers Ltd. The inauguration by President Moi marked the start of operations of the technologically highly advanced printing press. The press, built on a compound 19 kilometres from the Nairobi city centre, was made by a German consortium, Koening Bauer, Albert AG from Wurzburg/Bavaria. During a luncheon hosted in his honour on Tuesday, the Aga Khan announced several major development initiatives to be conducted under the Aga Khan Development Network. They inlude: An $80 million (Sh4.4 billion) phased development programme for the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi which, upon completion, will provide the region with ``a contemporary hospital facility of the highest quality''; The Kwale Rural Health Support Programme which will cost $4 million (about Sh224 million); The improvement of 200 schools through teacher-training and management support, and the possible establishment of a Professional Development Centre in East Africa with linkages to the Institute for Educational Development of the International Aga Khan University. Other initiatives were exploring the feasibility of setting up an institute of advanced nursing studies in Nairobi, affiliated with the Aga Khan University, the formal incorporation and further development of Madrassa Resource Centeres in Mombasa, Zanzibar and Kampala and the establishment, by the Aga Khan Foundation, jointly with Kenya experts, of a project to strengthen the capabilities of non-governmental and community-based organisations and to enhance the practice of philanthropy in Kenya. While in Tanzania, the Aga Khan will visit Zanzibar where, among other activities, he will witness the official opening of the 51-room Zanzibar Serena Inn whose establishment involved the restoration and rehabilitation of two historic buildings _ the Old Extelcoms Building and the Chinese Doctors' Residence.

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