In this blog post:
Report
by the Oakland Institute
Kigwangalla
becomes like his shamelessly lying predecessors
Livestock
detained at Wasso market
Secret
meeting for a “friendlier special authority”
OBC’s
gift to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism
Summary
for newcomers
There
may be developments on the ground in Loliondo - or in Arusha - that I will
write more about later when I’ve got information.
Nothing has happened with PM Majaliwa’s
threatening decision to form a “special authority” to manage the 1,500 km2 of
important grazing land that OBC (that organises hunting for Sheikh Mohammed of
Dubai) for years have lobbied to have turned into a “protected area”, and it’s
now fortunately too late* to be included in the 2018-2019 budget. The Maasai of
Loliondo had, despite severe harassment of those speaking up, managed to fight
off several threats against this land. In 2016 repression worsened, OBC sent
out a press release about the “destructiveness” of the Maasai pleading with the
Ministry of Natural Resources to do something, and the PM tasked the Arusha RC
with settting up a select committee that came up with a compromise proposal. While
everyone was waiting to hear from the PM, in August 2017, the DC ordered an
illegal invasion of village land in which Serengeti rangers assisted by NCA
rangers, police, KDU and OBC rangers, committed mass arson and other human
rights crimes. The illegal operation went on for over two months while some
leaders who should have spoken up went horribly silent. The crimes were finally
stopped by the new minister, Kigwangalla, who also said that OBC would have
left before January never to be given another hunting block. OBC didn’t go
anywhere, and on 6th December the PM announced his decision that was
a vague and threatening “special authority” to manage the land, and he said
that OBC were staying.
* update: Or maybe not… since Kigwangalla, on 21st May mentioned the chombo maalum in his budget speech, saying that the draft had been presented to the relevant ministers, and a new version is being prepared to be presented to the PM. All this is being done above the heads, or behind the backs, of the people of Loliondo.
* update: Or maybe not… since Kigwangalla, on 21st May mentioned the chombo maalum in his budget speech, saying that the draft had been presented to the relevant ministers, and a new version is being prepared to be presented to the PM. All this is being done above the heads, or behind the backs, of the people of Loliondo.
My previous blog post, about a visit by Sheikh Mohammed, his old friend Kinana,
and about Kigwangalla’s U-turn, is still worth reading.
