Genocidal anti-Maasai
frenzy has been exhibited in parliament, almost without pushback. The plan is
now to review the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Act, and to receive more lecturing
from the biggest enemies of the Maasai.
Remember that
Loliondo and Ngorongoro Conservation Area are two different, but closely related
issues.
In this blog post:
Loathsome
spectacle in parliament
Statements
Adulterated
saltlicks
Permanent
Secretaries have arrived in Loliondo
Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the MLUM review proposal
 |
| Ndumbaro |
Loathsome spectacle in parliament
9th February 2022
was sad day for the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania, and this
considering that this one-party parliament is the result of the shamelessly and
brutally stolen elections of 2020. Following a report by the Standing Committee
on Lands, Natural Resources, and Tourism several MPs went all out in genocidal
incitement against the Maasai of Ngorongoro, while only three, all of them
Maasai, spoke up in any way for the Maasai. Almost all were of the opinion that
the Maasai and their livestock were “too many” (of course without comparing
population densities with their own districts) and something had to be done.
Some, like special seats MP Salome Makamba and Mtwara MP Hassan Selemani Mtenga
screamed for forced evictions and seemed to want the Maasai wiped off the
surface of earth as soon as possible.
Salome Makamba described
herself as a friend of elephants. She extolled Ngorongoro’s touristic value
asking how many more billions it would be without the Maasai, claimed that
Maasai cattle were owned by imperialists from outside Ngorongoro, and that the
Maasai were illiterate, living in abject poverty, that she knew they would like
to move, but were hindered by NGOs financed by the neighbouring country.
Mtenga repeated the talk about
tourism billions, population increase, and the broader interest of the nation, and
he claimed that people killed by lions were secretly buried at night. He wanted
the Maasai to be removed by army tanks and thought that the reason it hadn’t
been done already was rich people with NGOs, and the neighbouring country
making every effort to kill Ngorongoro. Far too many parliamentarians laughed
and banged the tables in approval. The sight was loathful, but it should be
remembered that this parliament flouts on the blood of innocent Tanzanians,
like Salula Ngorisiolo who was killed when NCAA rangers and police opened fire
at unarmed voters who on 28th October 2020 were protesting election fraud
at Oloirobi polling station.
Other parliamentarians who spoke strongly for defending the natural heritage against the Maasai, its custodians whose land use is the reason that it is there, was Elibariki Kingu for Singida West, and Livingstone Lusinde Kibajaji for Mtera, who raised laughter fantasising about multi-floor houses and German shepherds like that of the celebrity Wema Sepetu (the anti-Maasai “activists” love a social media clip of some domestic dogs - not German shepherds -hunting, supposedly in Ngorongoro), throwing in last-years tragedy when three children were killed by a lion in Ngoile. Further, Lusinde said that rhinos run away to Morogoro when they hear cowbells – when half of Tanzania’s rhinos are found in Ngorongoro. There’s not one single rhino in Mtera.
The atmosphere was such that
the crazier hateful lies a parliamentarian spewed out against the Maasai, the
more laughter and table banging there was. The Ministry of Natural Resources
has to their Instagram page uploaded clips of the most hateful MPs, in case
anyone thought they are just deranged as individuals who happen to be members
of parliament.
The talk about NGOs from Kenya
is new to the incitement against the Maasai of Ngorongoro Conservation Area,
and apparently borrowed directly from the Loliondo police state at the service
of “investors” (OBC and Thomson Safaris). The rest was more or less well
rehearsed, lessons from nasty and brainless anti-Maasai media, and chief
conservator Manongi, who of course also will borrow from the Loliondo police
state and includes catering to OBC’s wishes in his genocidal Multiple Land Use
Model review proposal.
The flaming new Ngorongoro MP
Emmanuel Oleshangay, did what he could to defend his constituency, with some
help from Christopher ole Sendeka for Simanjiro, and Edward Lekaita for
Kiteto. Oleshangay said that Ngorongoro
can’t die when the Maasai had been living there for 60 years (those evicted
from Serengeti, others have been there for nearly three centuries) without harming
wildlife. He also spoke up about the malicious media campaign and explained the
status of the 1,500 km2 in Loliondo, accusing RC Mongella of causing
unnecessary panic. He intervened to explain that children in Ngorongoro go to
school when other MPs were saying otherwise. Shangay could also have talked
about how the NCAA are denying construction permits for school buildings. Maybe
he did (the clip is almost three hours, and my Swahili is limited).
Damas Ndumbaro, Minister of
Natural Resources and Tourism, said that it’s a big lie that his ministry is
grabbing Maasai land. Like the most vulgar and ignorant anti-Maasai person, or
troll, in social media, apparently denying the existence of land laws, he
claimed that there isn’t any tribe that owns land, that all land belongs to the
president who can take it away as she sees fit. Speaker Tulia Ackson even had
to intervene to correct Ndumbaro saying that the public owns the land, and that
the president holds it in trust. Allegedly, Ndumbaro is a lawyer by profession.
Responding to the complaints about the anti-Maasai hate campaign in media,
raised by the MP’s for Ngorongoro and Simanjiro, Ndumbaro spoke of the
government’s commitment to freedom of expression! That’s something new … The
campaign is indeed looking more and more state orchestrated. Since the Ngorongoro
Conservation Area Act is old, and it’s three functions of conservation, tourism
and development of the local Maasai no longer work together, Ndumbaro said that
his ministry will review the Act, based on the
recommendations by the committee and the MPs.
PM Kassim Majaliwa talked
about having met with the leadership of Arusha region and with the ministry.
What remained was meeting with people in Ngorongoro, and in Loliondo where he
held many meeting in 2017/2018 to “educate them” … With the aim that all MPs
would have the same understanding of what’s happening in Ngorongoro a one-day
seminar is to be held with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, NCAA,
TAWA and TANAPA. Later, Simanjiro MP ole Sendeka asked the speaker if, to avoid
one-sidedness, some Ngorongoro representatives could attend the seminar. The
speaker explained that the MPs represent their constituencies and will be free
to ask any questions. So, the worst enemies of the Ngorongoro Maasai will “educate”
the already blood thirsty parliamentarians. Emmanuel Oleshangay who was sworn
in on 1st February will need a lot of help to be prepared. (The seminar was held today, 12th February, but I don't know what Shangay said).
An overwhelming majority of
parliamentarians shouted “yes” to reviewing the Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Act.
Remember that from 31st
May to 4th June 2021, NCAA held a special exhibition showing
“conservation, tourism, and community development” at the parliament grounds in
Dodoma, goodie bags included. Then on 30th June 35 parliamentarians were
invited for domestic tourism in Ngorongoro, together with Deputy Minister Mary
Masanja. On 5th July a group of soldiers for the Tanzania People’s
Defence Force got the same treatment. In September 2020, the permanent
secretary and other officials from the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal
Affairs had their domestic tourism, which caused some disquiet in Ngorongoro. I
would have thought that this would be enough to make the MPs share the same
understanding of Ngorongoro, and the loathsome performance in parliament on 9th
February 2022 indicates that they are quite radicalized indeed, but this is not
enough for the enemies of the Maasai who were to hold a seminar as well, and it
was held already today 12th February.
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| Tulia Ackson, then deputy speaker, and Chief Conservator Manongi in June 2021. |
If they had the slightest interest, the MPs could listen to Ngorongoro people to get the know what’s actually happening, instead of parroting insane incitement. Innumerable statements have been issued by different groups from Ngorongoro since the genocidal MLUM review proposal was presented by Manongi in September 2019. Unlike what the MPs seemed to believe, the Maasai aren’t voiceless lion food and it’s very feasible for an MP to just go to Ngorongoro independently to listen. Maybe it would be more likely to happen if the Maasai started handing out goodie bags but in this they wouldn’t be able to compete with the NCAA anyway. In Loliondo people have been intimidated into silence for the past years, but I hope that ended when there were manifestations and a statement against the threat issued by RC Mongella on 11th January.
Still, there is a silver
lining in all this horror, and it’s that so many non-pastoralist Tanzanians in
social media are voicing out their support for the Ngorongoro Maasai. Among CHADEMA
opposition politicians, the support seems almost total, with one notable
exception that’s the party’s former shadow minister of natural resources and tourism,
Peter Msigwa. Msigwa is apparently with delight participating in the ignorant
and cruel anti-Maasai rhetoric. Maybe he’s just stupid, but he also seems
bitter about together with Tundu Lissu having supported the Loliondo Maasai in
2013 when Kagasheki was issuing terrible threats, and then when PM Pinda put
stop to the threats, the Maasai forgot everything about the CHADEMA support.
Msigwa thinks the Maasai are “playing victims”, without understanding that they
are real victims and playing politics. Tundu Lissu continues as the best friend
the Maasai could ever have. Issa Shivji is very supportive as well, so I think
the haters can have their sports presenters imitating pigs in heat. The Maasai
are supported by the brains.
Apparently, this lecturing by
the enemies of the Maasai was done already today, 12th February. Judging by
what’s been uploaded by the Ministry, the anti-Maasai frenzy continued. The
Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism has uploaded clips of Hawa Mwaifunga,
Special Seats, Ezre Chiweleza for Biharamulo, Timotheo Mnzava for Korogwe
Rural, and Elibariki Kingu for Singida West.
Statements
The same days as the loathsome
spectacle in parliament, some Ngorongoro youths held a press conference in Dar
es Salaam denouncing the latest hate campaign in media conducted by Habib
Mchange of the Jamvi la Habari and the sports presenters Maulid Kitenge and
Oscar Oscar.
The following day, traditional leaders called 10 journalists to Karatu where they tried to explain what is happening.
Today, 12th February,
several human rights organisations issued a statement.
In the online publication the
Chanzo an article by Joseph Oneshangay (not to be confused with the MP) exposed
the old truth that the claims of pastoral threats to nature and wildlife in
Ngorongoro, aided and abetted by the government against its own people, is no
more than a hyena eating its own kids claiming to smell goats. Joseph explains
the background to the past few weeks’ media rampage and exposes a saltlick
scandal.
After the government in 2017
restricted the access to several areas with natural saltlicks, salt has been
provided to individual pastoralist. Since then, people have witnessed a number
of cattle dying after consuming the government provided saltlicks. In December
2021 laboratory result concluded that the saltlicks do not comply with the
Grazing Land and Animal Feed Resources of 2012. Calcium level were much higher
than declared on the label, which suggests that the saltlicks have been
adulterated with e.g., limestone. Iodine could not be detected in any of the
samples. Silicon levels suggest that they may have been adulterated or
contaminated with sand. Lead was traced in one sample.
Permanent
Secretaries have arrived in Loliondo
As described in the posts from
15th and 27th January, Arusha RC, John Mongella visited
Loliondo and on 10th January started inspecting projects funded by
COVID-19 money. There was fear for what he would announce about NCA, but
instead, on 11th January he reignited the long-running threat
against 1,500 km2 of village land that OBC, that organises hunting
for Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai, want turned into a protected area. Mongella
summoned village and ward leaders from villages with land in the 1,500 km2 to
inform them that the government would make a painful decision for the broader
interest of the nation. The leaders refused to accompany the RC for a tour of
the 1,500 km2, or to sign the attendance list, which could have been
used to claim that they’d agreed to something. On 13th-14th January there was a
protest meeting and a statement in Oloirien. All leaders, including those
who’ve been fearfully silent for years, and even the traitors who have been
working for OBC and against the people, spoke up against the RC’s threat and
against OBC, while the popular protest was even clearer. Then another stop
order (there is already one) was applied for in the East Africa Court of
Justice where four villages have an ongoing case in its final stages against
the government. There was some media coverage of the protests and several
international organisations issued urgent alerts and press releases in
solidarity with the Loliondo Maasai.
Then nothing more except for a
confused Instagram post was heard from the RC, former PM Pinda assured Loliondo
representatives (in Dodoma for Shangay’s swearing in ceremony) that there isn’t
any government decision, but Loliondo was mentioned repeatedly in the loathsome
parliamentary spectacle on 9th February, including by PM Majaliwa
who announced that he would visit. Then, on 11th February, there
were reports that eight Permanent Secretaries to ministries had arrived in
Loliondo, and that Majaliwa will visit on Monday 14th, or Tuesday 15th.
Ngorongoro
Conservation Area and the MLUM review proposal
The Maasai in the 25 villages of
NCA live under restrictions not found in Loliondo, are not allowed to grow
crops or build modern houses, have the past years been losing access to one
grazing area after the other, and as a result are suffering from high levels of
child malnutrition, while throughout the years they have been shaken by rumours
and threats of eviction. The current threat was announced in September 2019,
when chief conservator Freddy Manongi made public the Multiple Land Use Model
review report’s proposal, which is so destructive that it would lead to the end
of Maasai livelihoods and culture in Ngorongoro District. This had followed a
joint monitoring mission from the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and International
Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) that once again visited Ngorongoro and
in their report repeated that they wanted the MLUM review completed to see the
results and offer advice, while again complaining about the visual impact of
settlements with “modern” houses, and so on. Recommendations and concerns from
UNESCO had in the past repeatedly led to a worsened human rights situation.
When the Maasai were evicted from Serengeti in 1959 by the colonial government, losing access to over 14,000 km2, as a compromise deal, they were guaranteed the right to continue occupying the 8,292 km² Ngorongoro Conservation Area as a multiple land-use area administered by the government, in which natural resources would be conserved primarily for their interest, but with due regard for wildlife. This promise was not kept, and tourism revenue has turned into the paramount interest.
The MLUM review report
proposes to divide Ngorongoro into four zones, with an extensive “core
conservation zone” that is to be a no-go zone for livestock and herders. In NCA
this includes the Ngorongoro Highland Forest, with the three craters
Ngorongoro, Olmoti and Empakaai where grazing these past few years has been
banned through order. This has led to losing 90% of grazing and water for
Nainokanoka, Ngorongoro, Misigiyo wards, and a 100% loss of natural saltlicks
for livestock in these wards. The proposal is to do the same with Oldupai
Gorge, Laitoli footprints, and the Lake Ndutu and Lake Masek basins. In the rest
of Ngorongoro District, the proposal is for NCAA to annex the Lake Natron basin
(including areas of Longido and Monduli districts, like Selela forest and
Engaruka historical site) and the 1,500 km2 in Loliondo and Sale Divisions and
designate most of these areas to be no-go zones for pastoralists and livestock.
These huge areas include many villages and are important grazing areas, the
loss of which would have disastrous knock-on effects on lives and livelihoods
elsewhere. The annexation of the Osero in Loliondo caters almost perfectly to
the wishes of OBC.
Since it was announced in
September 2019, there have been several protest statements and delegations by
ward and village leaders, customary leaders, and youths. There have been
promises from Kigwangalla and then Ndumbaro that the MLUM review is to be done afresh
and in a “participatory” manner, but then the same genocidal threat is
returned. In April 2021, 45 families accused of returning to Ngorongoro after
being relocated to Jema in in 2006 were ordered to leave within 30 days.
Further, more than a hundred houseowners, accused of building their houses
without NCAA permits were ordered to demolish them. On the list were even
government buildings, like schools and a police station. A third group of
approximately 174 other families accused of being illegal immigrants were
listed in the notice. After protests, the eviction notices were withdrawn until
further notice. President Samia has parroted the eviction rhetoric in the most
unsettling way. Then in January there was this leaked information about a plan
for immediate “voluntary” relocations to Kitwai and Hamdeni, while RC Mongella
renewed the land alienation threat about the 1,500 km2 in Loliondo
which is another issue, but included in the MLUM review proposal, and the
always present anti-Maasai media campaign was intensified.
Nothing more was heard from
the RC and the leaked plan is apparently not on schedule.
Then, on 9th
February 2022, in a loathsome anti-Maasai spectacle in parliament it was
announced that there would be a review of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Act
of 1975.
They will be stopped!
Susanna Nordlund is a working-class person based
in Sweden who since 2010 has been blogging about Loliondo (now increasingly
also about NCA) and has her fingerprints thoroughly registered with Immigration
so that she will not be able to enter Tanzania through any border crossing,
ever again. She has never worked for any NGO or intelligence service and hasn’t
earned a shilling from her Loliondo work. She can be reached at sannasus@hotmail.com
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