Loliondo
Tensions have heightened in Loliondo, Ngorongoro District, following government decision to ‘stick to its guns’ in taking 1,500 square kilometres of land in eight villages inhabited by pastoralists for decades.
The area in dispute is the home of various animal species in the country’s northern tourist circuit.
Already, some ward councillors in the district have threatened to relinquish their positions in protest against government’s recent move to turn the area into a game conservation area.
Speaking at a meeting attended by more than 1,000 villagers, Ngorongoro District Council Chairman Elias Ngorisa said the situation in the area is tense as people want all local government leaders to step down from their political posts.
“As leaders we’re in a very difficult situation. Right now we’re working on how we can handle this issue because people are very furious with the government decision,” he said.
“Resigning from our posts will only worsen the situation … we’ll not resign at this early stage,” Ngorisa told the villagers of Loliondo and Sale wards, who camped at Wasso township.
He added: “We’ll sit with the government to find a lasting solution of handling the matter. Our hope is that government would re-consider its decision of allocating a huge land for being part of the Loliondo Game Controlled Area.”
Ngorisa’s statement received negative response of betrayal from the villagers who are coercing their leaders to resign over the matter.
Ngorongoro District Commissioner Elias Wawa Lali admitted that all 25 ward councillors had threatened to resign, but many have reversed the decision pledging to continue with their positions.
Three ward councillors – Daniel Ngoitiko of Soitsambu, Mathew Siloma of Aras and Yannick Ndoinyo of Ololosokwan still maintain their stand on relinquishing their positions.
Two weeks ago, Natural Resources and Tourism minister Khamis Kagasheki announced the government decision to divide the Loliondo Game Controlled Area measuring some 4,000 square kilometers into two parts.
The move would leave just 2,500 square kilometers under the residents of the area while the other 1,500 squares kilometers are to be strictly set aside for conservation to preserve water catchment areas as well as the wildlife corridor striding the adjacent Serengeti National Park.
The Loliondo Game Conservation Area -- comprising Loliondo and Sale divisions -- has 60,000 residents who also own 10,000 livestock.
Already, a great part of the Game Controlled Area has been leased to the Ortello Business Corporation (OBC) which conducts hunting in the area.
Many of these villagers as well as their animals stand to be highly affected by the pending displacement once the state starts executing the new land-use plan.
Loliondo borders the Ngorongoro highlands to the south, Serengeti National Park to the west, and the Maasai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya to the north. There are no physical barriers separating the LGCA from these other protected areas.
On March 26 this year the government announced the release of 2,500 out of the 4,000 square kilometres of the disputed area in Loliondo, Arusha Region, to the local population in what the government saw as the lasting solution to the 20-year land dispute.
Announcing the government’s decision, the Natural Resources and Tourism minister said the remaining 1,500 square acres of land would be used for conservation “for the benefit of the nation.”
He said the area given to the local population would be supervised by the surrounding villages in accordance with the Village Land Act No. 5 of the 1999.
“It is the government’s hope that this two-decade dispute would be solved once and for all,” he said.
Kagasheki said the government would provide services for the pastoralists living in the area which include dams for their livestock and facilities in the livestock auctions in the area.
He strongly spoke against politicians and activists who are of the view that investors in Loliondo area must be chased away to pave way for the local population.
He, however, said the government was ready to look afresh on the size of the area apportioned to Otterlo Business Corporation (OBC) and if possible be reduced so that the local population may get enough areas to conduct their activities “but not to chase the investor.”
On April 1 this year the government issued a statement pointing an accusing finger at some activists and non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) which it said were fueling disputes over Loliondo Game Controlled Area. Source the Guardian
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