Saturday 22 July 2017

What does the Government want in Loliondo? – Still Waiting


Parliament 23-24 May
The Kidupo director
The Jamhuri again
The turn of events in the NCA
Summary for newcomers


In memory of Moringe Parkipuny, today missed for four years.
This blog has been silent for too long and it’s partly because Loliondo is waiting for Prime Minister Majaliwa to say something about the 1,500 km2 that the “investor” OBC, some journalists, and parts of the Tanzanian government, notably the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, want alienated for a protected area. On 20th April the report by Arusha RC Mrisho Gambo’s select committee – that had been targeted by the PM to find a “solution” - was finally handed over to PM Majaliwa. Then silence and waiting has apparently been the mood in Loliondo. Strangely, the report hasn’t been made public, but it’s known that it recommends a Wildlife Management Area (WMA, a protected area that still is village land) as the way forward to “solve the conflict”, which is a kind of defeat, that due to the seriousness of the situation has been seen as a victory, when the Maasai of Loliondo have managed to reject a WMA for a decade and a half since it would give more power to “investors” and the Director of Wildlife, while grazing land would have to be vacated for the “investor”.