Good News, Strange News, Worrying Developments, Idiotic Comments and Inexplicable Silences about Loliondo Land Threats

After some months of silence central government reappeared and disappeared in Loliondo. Then the Prime Minister appeared and declared that the 1.500km2 belong to the Maasai and their coming generations thereby reversing the threats and lies by the Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism.

Long term FZS head comes out in support of the Government and OBC.

The court case against Thomson Safaris is ongoing, there’s still unity, but sinister old manager is back.

This dry season turned bad and grazing in Serengeti NP was needed. Cows and people were arrested with strange charge sheets.

After the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Khamis Kagasheki, had spent the first part of 2013 issuing threatening and bizarre statements about the Government’s intention of taking 1,500km2 of important grazing land for a “wildlife corridor” and several protest delegations from Loliondo had visited Dar es Salaam and Dodoma, the Prime Minister wrote a letter to the Arusha Regional Commissioner on 30^th May and everything went quiet. Kagasheki had gone as far as calling the Maasai “landless” invaders of their own land, and saying that they were being “given” land since the Government would not take the whole of Loliondo Game Controlled Area (that in its totality is village land). The Prime Minister, in contrast, did recognise that the land does belong to the villages, but otherwise his letter wasn’t very promising since the PM did not show an understanding of the importance of this land for pastoralism. Nothing was ever heard from the Regional Commissioner about the Prime Minister’s letter.

Brief Summary of the – Hopefully Now Forever Stopped – Plan of Grabbing 1,500km2 from the Maasai of Loliondo

The Government of Tanzania has repeatedly declared interest in taking 1,500km2 of important dry season grazing land bordering Serengeti National Park from the Maasai of Loliondo and Sale divisions of Ngorongoro District.

Under the provisions of the Village Land Act No 5 of 1999 – and under customary land tenure since as long as can be remembered - this land belongs to the villagers of Ololosokwan, Soitsambu, Oloipiri, Oloirien, Maaloni, Arash, Malambo and Piyaya – and the land is also of vital seasonal importance for pastoralists beyond the borders of these villages. The loss of this land would signify the destruction of tens of thousands of lives and livelihoods.

Another Loliondo Visit - A Kind of Safari Report

In memory of Moringe Parkipuny

In July 2013 I managed to return to Loliondo and meet some people affected by Thomson Safaris’occupation of 12,617 acres of Maasai land.

This report is maybe too personal, but not of the kind written in another time. It focuses on the land threats (and me seeking information about them) and not my inadequacies as a tourist, weird and wonderful people and animals I've met, or efforts to wash my hair without running water. The report may contain some whining and ranting.

Loliondo Land Threats - Latest Developments

In memory of Moringe Parkipuny who too early passed away in Karatu on 22^nd July 2013. You are sadly missed and your spirit will never be allowed to die.

A long awaited letter from the Prime Minister regarding 1,500sq km under threat contradicts the lies repeated by the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, but does otherwise not have much substance.

Newfound unity among the villages around the land occupied by Thomson Safaris.

OBC and the government’s 1,500sq km land grab plan

In my latest update I mentioned a delegation of traditional leaders that had travelled to Dar es Salaam demanding to see the president about the announced threat to their lives and livelihoods - 1,500sq km of important dry season grazing land that also “happen” to be the core hunting area of Otterlo Business Corporation taken away by the government for “conservation”. The demands were not met and the delegation headed on to Dodoma to see Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda. In Dodoma the traditional leaders were joined by other delegations from Loliondo in what seemed like a rather fruitless and costly wait.

Delayed Updates about the Attackers on Land Rights in Loliondo – Thomson Safaris, OBC and, the Government of Tanzania

Thomson Safaris step up their propaganda while continuing the occupation of Maasai grazing land at their self-styled 'Enashiva Nature Reserve' – and their land grab PR person since 2007 appears as a graduate student in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy.

The Government through Tanzania National Parks Authorities and later the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism renews and intensifies the threat of grabbing a 1,500sq km “wildlife corridor”. And on 26^th March 2013 the Government declares total war on the people of Loliondo.

To my frustration I’ve not been able to return to Loliondo for over a year and a half, but I’ve managed to obtain some information from a selection of very busy people. The information about some issues is still incomplete, but I can’t wait any longer to publish this ridiculously delayed update.

I did publish some reports I got from NCA in a separate blog post. 

The “Other” Part of Ngorongoro District – A Few Reports that I got from Ngorongoro Conservation Area

I cut this out from an un-published blog post that was becoming too long and too old since I had problems making busy people check if I had understood their information correctly and since there were too many worrying developments in Loliondo that have since grown into a full declaration of war from the government (I’ve written about it here and here). I’ll shortly also post the information I had got about Thomson Safaris and about the “corridor”/OBC.

Hunger in NCA and a parliamentary committee recommends that Oldoinyo Lengai also be placed under the NCAA. Plus an almost unreported attack on Kakesio by a WMA “investor” from neighbouring district.

This blog is about Loliondo and I do need to study Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) more closely, but I’d like to share some worrying information that has reached me thanks to Solomon ole Yiapa, Kinama Marite and other people from the area.

Guestblogging at East African Notes and Records

On 1st April 2013 Martin Walsh kindly welcomed and accommodated a guest post about The Latest and Greatest Loliondo Land Grab on his blog East African Notes and Records.

The Tanzanian Government Insists on Grabbing Maasai Land in Loliondo

The Tanzanian government, through the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Khamis Kagasheki, is moving forward with a plan of taking 1,500 square kilometres which are essential dry season grazing land for the Maasai of Loliondo in Ngorongoro District.

The main economic activity and source of livelihood of the people of Loliondo is pastoralism – moving livestock between seasonal grazing areas - that compared to other land uses is relatively compatible with wildlife – and this is a major reason that their land is so sought after by the tourism industry and the Government.

In 1959 all people were evicted from the vast Serengeti by the British Government for the purpose of establishing the National Park. Among them the Maasai that were moved to Ngorongoro Conservation Area and also to Loliondo. Contrary to promises the Tanzanian government has continued with a greedy eye on lands that it wants for the exclusive use of hunting and photographic tourism. Currently this greed is focused on a corridor of land in Loliondo Division of Ngorongoro District.