The Spectacular U-turner Kigwangalla has Commented on Loliondo in a TV Interview

In this blog post:

The interview on Kwanza TV

A reminder of the spectacular U-turn
Summary of developments of the past decades

Update: I’ve since 10^th November been hearing reports about beatings and evictions in wide areas around OBC’s camp, in serious violation of the interim orders, and will publish a blog post as soon as I’ve got more details. 

On 31^st October, Kwanza TV aired a lengthy interview with the Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Hamisi Kigwangalla, and in this interview he talked about Loliondo for a few minutes. As known by followers of this blog, almost exactly a year ago Kigwangalla made the most splendid promises about Loliondo, including promising that OBC would have left before January 2018. Then sadly he made a complete U-turn that I’ve also written about in several posts. In advance, Kwanza TV had been asking the public to submit questions for the minister. The question I submitted wasn’t asked though… “Mh @HKigwangalla, tufanyeje na”syndicate”ya OBC inayotesa wananchi Loliondo?Ulilisemea hili mwaka jana, hata kuahadi OBC ingaliondoka kabla ya 2018! Tunafahamu ulishabadilika kuhusu OBC. Umebadililika pia kuhusu mkurugenziMollel uliesema alitaka kukuhonga? @kwanza_tv #chukuahatua” (translation: what should we do about OBC’s syndicate that persecute people in Loliondo? You talked about this last year, even promising that OBC would have left before 2018! We know that you have changed about OBC. Have you also changed about director Mollel who you said wanted to bribe you?)  I hope it didn’t sound like I believe that Kigwangalla accepted Mollel’s supposed offer. I think his reason for throwing the Maasai of Loliondo under the bus are far more ambitious and long-term than US dollars 100,000, or 200,000 into his pocket.

Intimidation and Illegal Arrests to Derail the Case Filed Against the Tanzanian Government by Four Loliondo Villages

In this blog post:

“Secret” intimidation and illegal arrest campaign
eNCA piece about Loliondo - husband of interviewed family currently in police custody

The hearing

Another, maybe unrelated, wave of arrests

Kigwangalla’s budget presentation and the timid opposition reaction to Loliondo

Oakland’s response to the Tanzanian government

Manyerere Jackton again

What has happened? (summary that’s very useful for newcomers)

Since the intimidation campaign to derail the case in the East African Court of Justice, for some inexplicable reason, was kept a secret for weeks, I have got more details after publishing this blog post, and those have been added in this text colour. 

I was to post a delayed blog post about Thomson Safaris, but it will have to wait a bit longer.

Loliondo Report by the Oakland Institute and Kigwangalla Makes his U-turn Even More Extreme

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 6^th 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 21^st 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.

Loliondo between Silence, Confusion, Fear, and Bad Old Friends

In this blog post:
Silence
The East African Court case
Visit by royal hunters
The Minister’s U-turn
Silence about the “chombo/mamlaka maalum” and the German money
Video by PINGO’s Forum
Magufuli in Arusha
Military camp
No justice
Summary for newcomers

Fear and Silence in Loliondo

In this very brief blog post:

Confusion about the “special authority”

Few meetings

Dismissed preliminary objection

Livestock census

Background summary

Confusion about the “special authority”

After PM Majaliwa’s much delayed announcement of his decision how to “solve the conflict” over 1,500 km2 of important grazing land in Loliondo that the “investor” from Dubai, Otterlo Business Corporation, for years has lobbied to have converted into a protected area, silence has ruled Loliondo.

The PM’s decision, rushing through a legal bill before February/March to create a “special authority” (chombo maalum) that will manage the land, was a huge disappointment and caused great fear in those I heard from, and this makes the silence hard to explain. There had been hope that the village land would be left in the hands of villagers, with the condition that they form a WMA, which was the compromise proposal reached by the Arusha RC’s select (non-participatory) committee. A WMA carries considerable dangers in itself and had therefore been rejected for a decade and a half.

PM Majaliwa Announces Vague and Terrifying Decision about Land in Loliondo, and Says that OBC will Stay

In this blog post:

The PM’s vague and terrifying decision.

Whose land is it?

Press meeting

Kigwangalla’s promise down the drain

The PM “solving the conflict”

Background summary

There’s confusion and fear in Loliondo. Nobody seems to know exactly what’s going on, but I’ve tried to write a blog post about what’s known.

The PM’s vague and terrifying decision.

In the afternoon of 6^th December, PM Majaliwa finally delivered his long awaited, and much feared, decision about the 1,500 km2 of important grazing land that Otterlo Business Corporation (OBC), that organises hunting for Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai, have spent years lobbying to have alienated for a “protected area”. The PM was to decide between a Game Controlled Area 2009, which would be a catastrophic land alienation leading to destruction of lives and livelihoods, environmental degradation and conflict with neighbours, or the compromise proposal reached by the RC’s select committee, consisting of a Wildlife Management Area, which the Loliondo Maasai had rejected for a decade and a half of pressure, since it means setting aside land for “investors”, while handing away much power over the land to the director of wildlife, the said investors, and others.

First reports in the evening were that the PM would have announced some very worrying “special WMA”, and it didn’t seem like even those who were present at the meeting in Dodoma had understood, or wanted to understand, what the PM had said. Some said it was about an expansion of Ngorongoro Conservation Area where the Maasai live under the colonial style rule of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority. A couple of very similar (copies of a brief press statement) newspaper articles the following day made things somewhat, but not much, clearer. The PM had ordered the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism to prepare a legal bill with the aim of forming a special authority to manage the 1,500 km2, even if all reports just mention “Loliondo GCA” which would be the whole 4,000 km2, to protect the ecosystem of Serengeti National Park, wildlife paths, breeding grounds and water sources, while benefitting all sides. The MP said it would be ensured that the interest of local people, their customs, traditions, and land use are considered in the legal bill that is to be rushed through so that a final draft is ready for February/March 2018, to be included in the 2018/2019 budget. A team of specialists, after going through various options, recommended this “special authority” for the broad interests of all sides, and with the aim of bringing peace and sustainable conservation to Loliondo. To some people, me included, this sounds like an all-out land grab, taking away the land from the villages to give it to a “special authority” prepared by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. Some of those who were at the meeting interpreted the PM’s – possibly intentionally - cryptic words as if the 1,500 km2 would be for “wildlife only” or very restricted grazing, the most feared outcome of all, and all clearly heard that Majaliwa said that OBC – contrary to the promises by Minister Kigwangalla - will stay even if the executive director (who apparently now has been fired) would be “investigated for corruption”.

Disconcerting News from Loliondo

In this blog post:

Rape and silence

Refugees in their own country

Ngorongoro chief conservator for “upgraded” LGCA

Council Chairman and German Pieces of Silver re-appear

What action has been taken against those responsible for the operation? (No signs of OBC packing)

Background summary

After the stopping of the long, illegal “operation” on village land in Loliondo, in which at least

250 bomas were burned to the ground, men, women and children were brutally beaten, and cattle illegally seized, and after the almost too good to be true news from the new Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism that OBC - that organise hunting for Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai and that for many years have been lobbying for turning the 1,500 km2 of important grazing land that’s their core hunting area into a “protected area”, inciting conflict and violence – will have to leave before January 2018, there is some disconcerting news from Loliondo.

This blog post has many questions and few answers, but is already getting too old and must be published. I hope there will eventually be answers.

Remembering 2013 and Kagasheki´s Lies and Threats about Loliondo

One ex-minister (7 May 2012 – 20 December 2013) of natural resources and tourism, Khamis Kagasheki, who for whatever reason was (before Maghembe’s latest period … ) the minister who with most determination and the wildest lies worked to alienate 1,500 km2 of grazing land from the Maasai of Loliondo, has complained in social media about being mentioned by Kigwangalla as “close to OBC”. He tweeted, "Waziri wa Maliasili na Utalii Hamis Kigwangalla alinukuliwa kutaja 'muwekezaji OBC' alivo na kashfa za Rushwa. Alinitaja mimi kuwa karibu na OBC. Napenda athibitishe ukaribu huo, vitalu nilivogawa nikiwa Waziri na rushwa niliyopokea"*. I’m not even sure if Kagasheki was mentioned by Kigwangalla, or just felt mentioned. He has now blocked me for replying, "After Maghembe, you are the minister who with most rabid enthusiasm has lied to fulfil the wishes of OBC of taking 1,500 km2 from the Maasai of Loliondo. I have no idea if it happened because of bribes, true love, or some convergent interests.". I thought a reminder of what happened in 2013 could be timely, especially since so many people now doubt it even if it’s very well documented! Or maybe they just don’t care, but I’ll set the record straight anyway.

Good news from Loliondo: Director of Wildlife Sacked and OBC to be Investigated for Bribery

Wannabe land grabbers fight back

Sensational online news report

Totally new view on Loliondo for a minister

Doubts removed

Who’s next?

The shadow

The background

Minister Kigwangalla has made unprecedented statements about Loliondo.

Loliondo Back to Waiting for Majaliwa, but there’s a Chance to Get Rid of OBC

The crime

The confessions of crime

Leading up to the crime

The big inciter

Complicity in crime

OBC are not alone

The victims’ ally?

Failure to act against the crime

Ordering the crime

Why was Maghembe fired?

Between hope and despair

Shooting cows

26^th October

Sensational news

Visit by the new deputy minister for livestock

Unknown

The new Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Hamisi Kigwangalla, on 26^th October in a public meeting in Wasso stopped the illegal operation by rangers that have committed arson, brutal physical assault and illegal seizing of cattle on village land. I don’t understand why this operation started on 13^th August, and I don’t understand exactly why it was stopped. On 27^th October in Ololosokwan, Kigwangalla said that OBC’s hunting block won’t be renewed, which is sensational news indeed if implemented.

Updates at the end.

The Human Rights Criminal Maghembe is Out! Good Riddance for Loliondo! What’s Next? There are Very Worrying signs…

Maghembe and the two committees

The arson attack and human rights crime

Reshuffle

The MNRT spokesperson

Press meeting in Ololosokwan

OBC’s report

Where’s Kigwangalla?

Kigwangalla's letter...

The Jamhuri again.

In a cabinet reshuffle on 7^th October Jumanne Maghembe was removed as Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, and not given another ministry. This is cause for celebration, even though the reason for his removal isn’t clear, and the views of the new minister aren’t (weren’t?) known, while the spokesperson for the ministry continues in the worst Maghembe-like way. As usual this blog post is delayed, and the previous one has updates. Today, on 19^th October, Kigwangalla sadly issued a letter with the “investor’s” own favourite diversionary tactic…

Updated under "Kigwangalla's letter". There is some good news. 

As mentioned earlier in this blog, many Tanzanian ministers for natural resources and tourism have been very accommodating to the wishes of Otterlo Business Corporation (OBC) that organises hunting for Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai – but Maghembe takes the prize, even bypassing Kagasheki, as OBC’s most fervent friend.