Bikers due to ride from Dar to Arusha in anti-poaching drive

By Devota Mwachang`a

13th August 2015

Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, Dr Lu Youqing

The governments of Tanzania and China have launched a five-day bike tour from Dar es Salaam to Arusha to raise awareness on elephant poaching in Tanzania.

Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday   during the launch of the tour dubbed; “Youth Cycling for Elephants” Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Dr Lu Youqing said the tour is aimed to raise public awareness on elephant poaching.

“China has been working closely with Tanzania in the conservation of natural resources…the tour will involve 60 Tanzanians and Chinese  youth in a bid to promote public awareness on wildlife protection” he said.

Ambassador Dr Youqing said the participants will conduct a series of publicity and charitable programmes among local people, such as donations, seminars, interviews and playing of documentaries.

One of the participants, Mohamed Kamuta from the Authorised Association Consortium said; “I do believe that through this campaign of biking for Elephants, people will be aware on the effects of poaching and advantages of keeping wild animals…individuals, institutions, NGOs and the government together can unite to ensure the poaching in our country is becoming a history.” 

He said the event, is organised and sponsored by the Chinese embassy together with Population Priority Service, a local volunteer group and involves several primary and secondary school students from the city based schools. 

“The response of you here today, illustrates that young men and women in Tanzania are against elephant poaching in an effort to stop the global ivory trade,” he said.

In July this year, the Chinese Embassy donated various equipment including vehicle, telescopes and generators worth 2.6bn/- to beef up Tanzania’s anti-poaching operations in its national parks.

In June this year, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Lazaro Nyalandu officially launched a campaign called the Wildlife Pride Campaign to fight against poaching in the country and emphasised  that the government alone cannot manage to stop poaching and wildlife trafficking without involving various people and institutions.

 SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Govt probes ivory seized in Zurich

 
Mr Heinz Widmer, chief of customs at Zurich Airport, shows confiscated ivory on Tuesday. The elephant tusks had been sawn into 172 pieces, and were being transported from Dar es Salaam to Beijing via Zurich. PHOTO | AFP 

In Summary

Natural Resources and Tourism minister Lazaro Nyalandu said in a statement yesterday that the investigation was being jointly carried out by the ministry he is in charge of, Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA) and security agencies.

By The Citizen Reporter and Agencies

Dar es Salaam/Geneva. The government has launched an investigation to establish how 262 kilogrammes of ivory worth $413,000 (Sh826 million) were smuggled out through Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) last month.

Natural Resources and Tourism minister Lazaro Nyalandu said in a statement yesterday that the investigation was being jointly carried out by the ministry he is in charge of, Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA) and security agencies.

He said the probe was aimed at identifying those who facilitated the smuggling of the haul so that “appropriate” measures could be taken against them, and urged anyone with information that could be of help in the investigation to volunteer it.

Mr Nyalandu added that interception of the ivory and a kilogramme of lion teeth and claws showed that poaching was still a big problem in Tanzania despite the government’s efforts to stamp it out.

The ivory was seized at Zurich Airport in Switzerland on July 6 on its way from Dar es Salaam to China.

TAA Legal Secretary Ramadhan Maleta told The Citizen earlier yesterday that airport security officials had teamed up with other investigative agencies to establish how the haul passed through JNIA undetected.

“I’m upcountry but I am aware of the issue and relevant authorities have already started to investigate the matter,” said Mr Maleta when reached by telephone, adding: “I will get back to you as soon as I get feedback.”

TAA Public Relations Officer Godfrey Lutego also wondered how such a large haul could pass through state-of-the-art airport security equipment unnoticed.

“The airport has state-of-the-art scanning gadgets to detect unauthorised cargo, including ivory and drugs,” said Mr Lutego, adding: “The scanners can even detect traces of a narcotic on the hands of a person who has shaken hands with a trafficker ferrying drugs.”

The French news agency AFP reported on Tuesday that the 262 kilogrammes (577 pounds) of ivory had been chopped up and stashed in eight suitcases, along with around a kilo of lion teeth and claws.

The suitcases, registered to three Chinese citizens, were intercepted at Zurich Airport on July 6 during a routine control of tourists arriving from Dar es Salaam.

“In light of the offences committed by the three men against customs law and species conservation efforts, they can expect to receive steep fines,” said a statement by Swiss authorities.

Contacted for comment on Tuesday, the Director of Wildlife in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Mr Herman Keraryo, said the government was contacting authorities in Zurich for more details.

Mr Heinz Widmer, chief of customs at Zurich Airport, said it was estimated that the ivory came from between 40 and 50 elephants.

Mr Gustav Babile, Tanzania’s Chief of Interpol National Central Bureau, said his office was liaising with Interpol in Zurich on the seizure of the ivory.

A wildlife expert told The Citizen that the Chinese opted to ferry the ivory through Zurich hoping that there was lax security.

“If there is an airport known for strict screening it is Zurich Airport and the ivory might have been detected by scanners,” said the expert who preferred to remain anonymous.

He said the Chinese might have bribed some officials at JNIA.

“There is no other explanation why such a big quantity of ivory could have been smuggled through the airport,” he added.

The United Nations last week voted to work harder to combat the poaching of endangered species, and expressed concern over what it called a steady rise in the level of rhino poaching and alarmingly high levels of killings of elephants in Africa.

There are now an estimated 470,000 African elephants living in the wild, compared to 550,000 in 2006, said the NGO Elephants Without Borders.

China meanwhile accounts for 70 percent of world demand for ivory, NGOs say. They say Chinese hunger for ivory is responsible for the death of 30,000 African elephants each year.

Last year, President Jakaya Kikwete said he was not happy with the state of security at key airports in the country, adding that he was particularly concerned about the continued use of Julius Nyerere and Kilimanjaro international airports as conduits for drug trafficking.

President Kikwete was speaking in Dar es Salaam during the laying of the foundation stone for the construction of JNIA Terminal Three, which was expected to significantly expand the capacity of Tanzania’s biggest and busiest airport.

He expressed his disgust at how easily drug kingpins were using local airports.

In August 2013, the United Kingdom Department of Transport handed over state-of-the-art aviation security equipment to tighten security at the JNIA.

 
 SOURCE-THE CITIZEN 6,AUGUST 2015

Ofisa Mhifadhi Wanyamapori atupwa jela miaka mitatu.

Ofisa Mhifadhi Wanyamapori atupwa jela miaka mitatu.

Na Hellen Mwango 

 6th August 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taasisi ya Kuzuia na Kupambana na Rushwa (Takukuru).

Mahakama ya Wilaya ya Ilala jijini Dar es Salaam, imemhukumu Ofisa Mhifadhi Wanyamapori wa Wizara ya Maliasili na Utalii, Richard Nchasi, kulipa faini ya Sh. 900,000 au kwenda jela miaka mitatu baada ya kukutwa na makosa matatu.

 

Hukumu hiyo ilisomwa na Hakimu Mkazi, Juma Hassan, juzi  baada ya kupitia ushahidi uliotolewa na upande wa Jamhuri  na kumtia mshtakiwa hatiani kwa makosa hayo matatu.

 

"Kati ya makosa manne, mahakama imemtia hatiani mshtakiwa kwa makosa matatu ya kutumia nyaraka kwa lengo la kumdanganya mwajiri kwa kutoa hati za uwindaji wa wanyama," alisema Hakimu Hassan.

 

Hata hivyo, mahakama hiyo ilisema upande wa Jamhuri umeshindwa kuthibitisha shitaka la kuisababishia wizara hiyo hasara ya Dola 1,860 za Marekani (sawa na Sh. 2,976,000).

 

Awali, Mwendesha Mashitaka wa Taasisi ya Kuzuia na Kupambana na Rushwa (Takukuru), Leonard Swai, alidai kuwa katika tarehe tofauti kati ya Januari na Septemba, 2008, katika ofisi za wizara hiyo, jijini Dar es Salaam, mshtakiwa akiwa na wadhifa huo, aliandaa hati yenye namba 01235414 ya Agosti Mosi, 2008.

 

Inadaiwa kuwa hati hiyo ilikuwa ikionyesha kwamba Safari Club (T) Ltd, inatakiwa kulipa Dola 5,080 za Marekani (sawa na zaidi ya Sh. milioni 8.5) ikiwa ni ada ya uwindaji wa wanyama sita katika eneo la Kilwa South Mbemkulu, huku akijua si kweli.

 

Nchasi anadaiwa kuwa katika kipindi hicho, aliandaa tena hati yenye namba 01235410 ya Februari 21 mwaka 2008, kuonyesha kwamba kampuni hiyo inatakiwa kulipa ada ya Dola 6,580 (sawa na zaidi ya Sh. milioni 11) ya uwindaji wa wanyama watano katika eneo hilo.

 

Ofisa Mhifadhi huyo anadaiwa katika kipindi hicho, aliandaa tena hati yenye namba 01235415 ya Agosti Mosi, 2008, kuonyesha kampuni hiyo inatakiwa kulipa Dola 6,335 (sawa na zaidi ya Sh. milioni 10.6) ikiwa ni ada ya uwindaji ya wanyama saba kwenye eneo hilo.

 

Katika shitaka la nne, Nchasi anadaiwa katika kipindi hicho, jijini Dar es Salaam, akiwa mwajiriwa wa wizara hiyo, kwa kuelewa na kwa uzembe, aliisababishia wizara hiyo hasara ya Dola 1,860 (sawa na zaidi ya Sh. milioni 2.9) .

 

Hadi NIPASHE inaondoka mahakamani hapo jana 7:30 mchana mshtakiwa alikuwa hajalipa faini hiyo. 

CHANZO: NIPASHE

BREAKIN NEWZZ!!:- KUKAMATWA KWA MENO YA TEMBO USWISS WAZIRI NYALANDU AFUNGUKA LIKE NEVER BEFORE SOMA HAPA LIVE!!

BREAKIN NEWZZ!!:- KUKAMATWA KWA MENO YA TEMBO USWISS WAZIRI NYALANDU AFUNGUKA LIKE NEVER BEFORE SOMA HAPA LIVE!!

Posted by Williammalecela.com on Thursday, August 06, 2015

Wizara ya Maliasili na Utalii imepokea taarifa kupitia Vyombo vya Habari inayohusu kukamatwa kwa nyara zinazojumuisha meno ya tembo yenye uzito wa kilo 262, kucha na meno ya simba vyenye uzito wa kilo moja(1). Tukio la kukamatwa kwa nyara hizo limetokea kwenye uwanja wa ndege wa Zurich nchini Uswisi tarehe 06 Julai, 2015. Kwa mujibu wa taarifa hizo, nyara hizo zilipatikana ndani ya masanduku manane (8) zikiwa njiani kwenda Beijing-China kutokea uwanja wa ndege wa Dar es Salaam kupitia Zurich.

Wizara inachukua nafasi hii kupongeza Uongozi wa uwanja wa ndege wa Zurich, na Serikali ya Uswisi na wote walioshiriki kubaini na kukamata nyara hizo. Wizara imepokea kwa masikitiko makubwa taarifa hizi na kwamba nyara hizo zimesafirishwa kupitia uwanja wa ndege wa JN Dar es Salaam. Tukio hili linadhihirisha kuwa tatizo la ujangili bado linaendelea ndani na nje ya nchi yetu licha ya jitihada nyingi zinazofanywa na Serikali kwa kushirikiana na Jumuiya za Kimataifa.
Wizara inapenda kuuhakikishia umma kuwa sisi kama nchi tunafanya na kutumia jitihada zote kupambana na vitendo vya ujangili unaotishia kutoweka kwa rasilimali za wanyamapori wetu.
Baada ya kupokea taarifa hizo, Wizara imeanza kufanya uchunguzi kwa kushirikisha mamlaka husika ikiwemo Mamlaka ya Viwanja vya ndege (TAA) pamoja na vyombo vya Ulinzi na Usalama ili kuchukua hatua stahiki ikiwa ni pamoja kuwabaini wote waliohusika na kadhia hii. Wizara inapenda kutoa wito kwa yeyote mwenye taarifa zinazoweza kusaidia kufanya uchunguzi huu aziwasilishe kwenye mamlaka za Ulinzi na Usalama.
Imetolewa na

Lazaro S. Nyalandu
Waziri wa Maliasili na Utalii.