PRESIDENT SAMIA ACTS ON NGORONGORO CHALLENGES

President Samia Suluhu Hassan has announced she will form two committees to address complaints of residents of Ngorongoro. One committee would investigate land-related issues, while the second will assess implementation of the government scheme of voluntary relocation of the Maasai from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authoriyt (NCAA). The President told Maasai leaders she invited at the Arusha State Lodge during her recent visit in Arusha region that the government was keen to improve the performance of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) to foster a harmonious relationship between people and wildlife. She said there should be deeper community engagement in planning and implementing local development projects and government accountability to its people. The National Coordinator of the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC), Mr Onesmo Olengurumwa, praised the initiative to consult Maasai community leaders and expressed optimism that the presidential commissions would help identify sustainable solutions to the Ngorongoro challenges. The NCAA in northern Tanzania has long endured conflict between wildlife conservation efforts and the rights of the indigenous Maasai community. The multi-use area established in 1959 allowed the Maasai to maintain their pastoral lifestyle alongside wildlife conservation and tourism. However, over the years, this delicate coexistence has been strained by expansion of the Maasai population from 8,700 in 1966 to over 93,000 by 2017. This rapid growth has led to increased competition for resources and environmental degradation, prompting authorities to look for solutions that balance human habitation with conservation objectives. They included the relocation scheme, encouraging the Maasai to move to Msomera village, 600 kilometres away in Handeni district, Tanga region and other areas. While officials maintain these relocations are voluntary and necessary to preserve the NCAA’s ecological integrity, organisations like Human Rights Watch (HRW) allege coercion, citing withdrawal of services to compel compliance. Criticism of these efforts has been widespread. Human rights organisations have decried forced evictions, labelling them violation of the Maasai’s right to live in their ancestral land. In June 2022, UN experts urged the Tanzania government to halt evictions and engage in genuine consultations with the Maasai community. Three months ago, in a shift toward reconciliation, President Samia restored essential services in the NCAA, including education, healthcare and water supply, which had been curtailed. She also reinstated local administrative units, restoring the Maasai’s voting rights. These measures signal a notable change in the government’s approach, aiming to harmonise conservation objectives with the rights and we