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

Wanyama wakubwa kama tembo hatarini kutoweka kutokana na kasi ya ujangili

 Wanyama hawa wakubwa wako hatarini kutoweka kutokana na kasi ya ujangili kama inavyoonekana hapo

Simba akinywa maji ,lakini eneo hilo pia hulitumia kwa mawindo

WANYAMA NI KIVUTIO KIKUBWA CHA UTALII

NDEGE HUYU NI KIVUTIO KIKUBWA KWA WAGENI NDANI YA HIFADHI ZA TAIFA NA MAPORI YA AKIBA.

 WAKIWA NA SHIBE SIMBA HUCHEZA MICHEZO MINGI BILA HOFU NA HUWAVUTIA WAGENI.

 TEMBO NI MNYAMA TEGEMEO KWA WENZAKE,NI MUHIMILI MKUBWA WA UHIFADHI.

 SIMBA AKITAFAKARI NAMNA YA KUPATA MAWINDO

SIMBA AKITAFUTA ENEO ZURI KWA AJILI YA KUWEKA MSOSI WAKE,HAYA YOTE UKITEMBELEA HIFADHI ZA TAIFA NA MAPORI YA AKIBA UTAYAONA.

Utunzwaji Mzuri wa Mazingira huvutia hata ndege katika eneo lako.

Mussa Juma,Mwananchi


Arusha,Serikali  imetangaza kusitisha mgomo wa wapagazi wa mlima Kilimanjaro na uliotarajiwa kuanza Machi 7 mwaka huu kwa kushirikisha zaidi ya wapagazi 15,000 wa Mlima Kilimanjaro na Meru.


Wapagazi walipanga kugoma kubeba mizigo ya watalii,kupanda watalii mlima Kilimanjaro na Meru, ili kushinikiza malipo ya dola 10 kwa siku kupanda Mlima huo tofauti na malipo kati ya Tsh 6000 hadi 10,000 ambazo zinalipwa na makampuni mengi.



Mkuu wa mkoa wa Kilimanjaro, Leonidas Gama, alitangaza uamuzi huo, baada ya kukutana na vyama vya wapagazi na vyama vya makampuni ya utalii na uongozi wa Mlima Kilimanjaro  na kufikia muafaka wa kusitisha mgomo.


Akizungumza katika kikao hicho, Mkuu huyo wa mkoa alitangaza kuunda kamati  maalum ya watu 20 wa sekta ya utalii kutoka mkoa wa Kilimanjaro, Arusha na wizara ya Maliasili na Utalii ili kuchunguza mgogogo huo na hatimaye kumshauri.


"ni kweli tulipokea barua ya chama cha wapagazi cha (TPO), kugoma lakini tumekaa na kujadiliana kusitisha mgomo huu ili kuipa kazi kamati maalum kuchunguza mgogoro huu"alisema Gama.


Alisema Kamati hiyo inatarajiwa kumaliza uchunguzi wake ndani ya siku 30 na baadaye atatoa maamuzi juu ya mgogoro huo wa wapagazi.


Awali Katibu Mkuu wa TPO, Mugabo Sereri alisema walitoa notisi ya siku 30 ya kufanya mgomo huo, ambayo itaisha Machi 7 siku ambayo walipanga kugoma.


Hata hivyo, alisema baada ya majadiliano na Mkuu wa mkoa wamekubaliana kusitisha mgomo huo ili kupisha uchunguzi juu ya madai ya wapagazi na matatizo mengine katika sekta ya utalii.


MWISHO

Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa TANAPA, Allan Kijazi akimkabidhi mmoja wa wafanyakazi wastaafu hundi ya mkono wa kwa heri kulia ni Meneja uhusiano wa TANAPA,Pascal Shelutete

Urafiki wa Mashaka: je waliishia kunywa maji tu. haya ndio maajabu ambayo unapaswa kuyaona katika hifadhi za Taifa nchini.