Some pastoralists defiant over eviction
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Monday, 05 November 2012 10:48
digg_url = ' + location.href + '; digg_title = 'Some pastoralists defiant over eviction'; digg_bodytext = ''; digg_bgcolor = '#ffffff'; digg_window = 'new'; By Lucas LigangaThe Citizen Chief Reporter Dar es Salaam. Morogoro regional authorities said yesterday that the eviction of livestock keepers in the Kilombero valley floodplains which started on October 31 was in full force, declaring that not a single pastoralist will be spared. “I am at the centre of the operation at Mchombe Ward (in Kilombero district) overseeing the task. They [livestock keepers] are vacating with their animals,” said the Morogoro regional commissioner, Mr Joel Bendera, when reached by phone yesterday.
Tens of hundreds of invaders from pastoral communities in Tabora, Shinyanga and Mwanza regions ventured into Kilombero in 2003 with thousands of cattle, in the wake of which the ecosystem and available habitat for wildlife was destroyed In August 2000, Tanzania ratified the Ramsar Convention of Wetlands that stipulates wise use of wetland resources, maintaining the ecological character of the site while contributing to people’s livelihoods.Due to its ecological importance, in April 2002, the Kilombero valley flood plain Ramsar Site was designated and added to the Ramsar Convention’s list of wetlands of international importance.
Mr Bendera said the operation was being undertaken by a 120-member squad from the Tanzania police force, game rangers and militiamen under guidance from members of the Morogoro regional defence and security committee, including district commissioners for Kilombero and Ulanga.
He said the operation was scheduled to last six days beginning October 31, but it will be extended to 10 days “because the Kilombero valley floodplains is a very large area”.
“But I am glad to note that livestock keepers are vacating from the valley in large numbers. The operation is also involving demolition of structures put up in the valley,” said Mr Bendera, promising to give an assessment of the operation later this week.
Although the population of the cattle roaming in the valley has not yet been established, estimates indicate that the figure is between 55,000 and over 200,000, exceeding the carrying capacity of the area that spans 796,735 hectares. Mr Bendera added: “We have not encountered any resistance so far, apparently because we raised awareness campaigns before the operation took off.”
However, speaking in a telephone interview, Kilombero District’s Utengule village chairman, Mr Shukrani Muhala, said some livestock keepers were still defying the directive to leave the area. “Livestock keepers were removed from the valley on October 31, but they returned with about 200 head of cattle after two days,” said Mr Muhala.
Mchombe Ward executive officer Mengi Mlangali said reports indicated that some livestock keepers had resettled in “inaccessible areas of the Kilombero valley, making it difficult to reach them.”
Mr Mlangali added that heavy rains pounding some parts of the Kilombero valley was also hampering the operation.His observations were echoed by Mofu ward executive officer Alex Chawala, who remarked: “Some pastoralists are still in hiding, and cannot thus be easily traced.”
But Mngeta Ward executive officer Shabaan Mgaya said a good number of livestock keepers with their animals were vacating the valley.
Reached by phone yesterday, the minister of State in the Vice President’s Office (Environment), Dr Terezya Huvisa, said she was waiting for a report on the operation from the Morogoro regional authorities.However, Dr Huvisa reiterated that this time there will be no mercy and that all livestock keepers who had invaded the valley must vacateIn his inaugural address to Parliament on December 30, 2005, President Jakaya Kikwete directed Morogoro regional authorities to evict pastoralists and their livestock from the internationally-recognised water catchments, in order to save these areas from further environmental abuse.
On April 1, 2006, the then Vice-President, Dr Ali Mohamed Shein, told pastoralists settled in game-protected areas, including the Kilombero valley and mountains, to leave voluntarily, short of which they would be removed by force.However, both directives from the country’s top leadership fell on deaf ears and the pastoralists continued to damage the environment willfully.
Following the invasion, some wildlife species have already been rendered extinct and water sources of several important rivers are presently highly endangered.Other animals considered endangered as a result of the activities in the valley include lions, buffalo, elephants, crocodiles and hippopotamus.
Tens of hundreds of invaders from pastoral communities in Tabora, Shinyanga and Mwanza regions ventured into Kilombero in 2003 with thousands of cattle, in the wake of which the ecosystem and available habitat for wildlife was destroyed In August 2000, Tanzania ratified the Ramsar Convention of Wetlands that stipulates wise use of wetland resources, maintaining the ecological character of the site while contributing to people’s livelihoods.Due to its ecological importance, in April 2002, the Kilombero valley flood plain Ramsar Site was designated and added to the Ramsar Convention’s list of wetlands of international importance.
Mr Bendera said the operation was being undertaken by a 120-member squad from the Tanzania police force, game rangers and militiamen under guidance from members of the Morogoro regional defence and security committee, including district commissioners for Kilombero and Ulanga.
He said the operation was scheduled to last six days beginning October 31, but it will be extended to 10 days “because the Kilombero valley floodplains is a very large area”.
“But I am glad to note that livestock keepers are vacating from the valley in large numbers. The operation is also involving demolition of structures put up in the valley,” said Mr Bendera, promising to give an assessment of the operation later this week.
Although the population of the cattle roaming in the valley has not yet been established, estimates indicate that the figure is between 55,000 and over 200,000, exceeding the carrying capacity of the area that spans 796,735 hectares. Mr Bendera added: “We have not encountered any resistance so far, apparently because we raised awareness campaigns before the operation took off.”
However, speaking in a telephone interview, Kilombero District’s Utengule village chairman, Mr Shukrani Muhala, said some livestock keepers were still defying the directive to leave the area. “Livestock keepers were removed from the valley on October 31, but they returned with about 200 head of cattle after two days,” said Mr Muhala.
Mchombe Ward executive officer Mengi Mlangali said reports indicated that some livestock keepers had resettled in “inaccessible areas of the Kilombero valley, making it difficult to reach them.”
Mr Mlangali added that heavy rains pounding some parts of the Kilombero valley was also hampering the operation.His observations were echoed by Mofu ward executive officer Alex Chawala, who remarked: “Some pastoralists are still in hiding, and cannot thus be easily traced.”
But Mngeta Ward executive officer Shabaan Mgaya said a good number of livestock keepers with their animals were vacating the valley.
Reached by phone yesterday, the minister of State in the Vice President’s Office (Environment), Dr Terezya Huvisa, said she was waiting for a report on the operation from the Morogoro regional authorities.However, Dr Huvisa reiterated that this time there will be no mercy and that all livestock keepers who had invaded the valley must vacateIn his inaugural address to Parliament on December 30, 2005, President Jakaya Kikwete directed Morogoro regional authorities to evict pastoralists and their livestock from the internationally-recognised water catchments, in order to save these areas from further environmental abuse.
On April 1, 2006, the then Vice-President, Dr Ali Mohamed Shein, told pastoralists settled in game-protected areas, including the Kilombero valley and mountains, to leave voluntarily, short of which they would be removed by force.However, both directives from the country’s top leadership fell on deaf ears and the pastoralists continued to damage the environment willfully.
Following the invasion, some wildlife species have already been rendered extinct and water sources of several important rivers are presently highly endangered.Other animals considered endangered as a result of the activities in the valley include lions, buffalo, elephants, crocodiles and hippopotamus.
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