Pastoralists damaging Selous Game Reserve, villagers` farms destroyed

By Aisia Rweyemamu

9th March 2014

 

The Maasai pastoralists keeping their cattle in a cage located in the protected area in Selou Game reserve, Morogoro Region. (Phot By Aisa Rweyemamu)

The country’s richest extended natural habitat, Selous Game Reserve (SGR) may turn into a bare desert land as the Maasai-mang’ati and Sukuma pastoralists have taken he liberty of apportioning the reserved land for their flocks, The Guardian on Sunday has learnt.

 

Notwithstanding concerted efforts by the government and other stakeholders in environmental conservation, and protecting the reserved area, pastoralists have invaded large parts of the reserve. 

 

They have cleared the same to make home for their herds. 

Some areas of the forest have been cleared by the cattle due to overgrazing of the animals during the day.

 

The Guardian on Sunday went to the invaders’ settlement for getting more information about the ongoing problem, but they ran away and left all of their properties including cattle.

 

This paper observed thousands of animals over the area, which they said to be grazing inside the protected area.

 

In an exclusive interview with this paper, the Ward Executive Officer of Kisaki Kituoni, Salumu Ngwagote said that the problem is highly present and has affected the village but they were struggling to end it.  

 

The official explained that the village has located a special area for pastoralist so as to avoid conflict but it doesn’t work, as the pastoralists invade areas using illegal passes through Chalinze and Mikumi, and for the past three years the animals had rapidly increased.

 

“We conducted an operation of arresting them but the operation has no impact because soon after the operation stops they were calling each other and coming back and the situation brings daily conflicts,” he stated.

 

“The problem persists and it is really challenging the village. We do not know what will end this problem,” the official intimated.

 

The village needs the cattle keepers to go back to their original areas as their population is big and as result the cattle have to be scattered.

 

The problem is observed to continue because the area which was located for them to conduct their activities is small and the number of cattle is increasing daily.

 

The ward officer told this paper that the pastoralists told them that they cannot witness their cattle die while they see a place with vegetation that is is available in the village. This is the reason why the conflict is not reached its end, he elaborates.

 

This paper also spoke with Kisaki villagers who expressed their disappointment over the invasion of pastoralists.

 

Said Abdallah Mbonde, is a resident at Kisaki village for over 20 years said they were affected with the invasion of pastoralists.

 

“The invasion of pastoralists has affected our lives because they destroy our farms, their cattle eat our produce and when we report to the police station no compensation is obtained,” the villager asserted.

 

Due to the situation, most families suffer a lot because they farm only once in a year and when it happens that the farm is trampled upon and plants eaten by cattle, their year’s expectations are drowned and they we have to wait until the coming season to start farming anew.

 

Saidi Mramba is another Kisaki resident since 1972, who said in past years they were living in peace although there were a number of pastoralists who were invited to the village.

 

“But this year we observed a number of pastoralists invading the village and when asked to leave the place they reacted by said if they have to leave where would their cattle be grazed,” he said.

 

The villagers asked the government to help the village to remove the pastoralists in the area in which they are not supposed to conduct their herding, so as to avoid reinforcing the conflict.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY