Samia inaugurates commissions to address Ngorongoro issues

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan has inaugurated two special commissions tasked with addressing land disputes and assessing the voluntary relocation of residents from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

For over a century, Tanzania’s Maasai pastoralists have shared the famed Ngorongoro conservation area with zebras, elephants and wildebeests. But now they face the prospect of relocation as their exploding population poses a threat to wildlife.

Since 1959, the number of humans living in the World Heritage Site has shot up from 8,000 to more than 100,000 in 2021, officials said.

The livestock population has grown even more quickly, from around 260,000 in 2017 to over one million.

Tanzania has historically allowed indigenous communities such as the Maasai to live within some national parks, but the relationship between the pastoralists and wildlife can be fractious, with animals attacking people and livestock.

Currently, there are claims of encroachment of community lands, borders and the allegations of denying the Maasai community some basic services.

Some activists complain that some services like food supply were deliberately cut off to force the Maasai to leave the area.

President Hassan said the commissions will investigate the issues and advise the government on how best to move forward.

“I trust you will come up with lasting solutions on the issue, considering the national interest first,” she said during the inauguration on Thursday February 20, 2025 at State House in Dar es Salaam.

“The commissions are hereby launched and we are waiting for your professional work,” she added.

The commissions, launched at the State House in Dar es Salaam, stem from a pledge the President made on December 1, 2024 in Arusha when she met leaders and representatives of Ngorongoro residents.

Justice Gerald Ndika will chair the commission to assess land dispute issues in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, while Mr Musa Iyombe will lead the commission to evaluate the voluntary relocation process of residents.

Both commissions will include representatives from the local communities and are expected to complete their work within three months.

Speaking at the launch, President Hassan expressed confidence that the commissions would provide sustainable solutions to the long-standing challenges affecting Ngorongoro residents.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area has been at the centre of disputes over land use and conservation, with tensions arising between authorities and indigenous communities.

The government has advocated for relocation as a means to balance conservation efforts and human settlement needs, but the process has faced resistance.

The commissions will play a crucial role in evaluating grievances, ensuring transparency, and fostering dialogue between stakeholders to achieve a lasting resolution.