Maasai people won’t be removed from their land in Loliondo

Tanzanian government has insisted that it has no plans to evict the Maasai people living in Loliondo-Ngorongoro as recently reported by some of the international media. The Minister said this over the weekend for Natural Resources and Tourism Lazaro Nyalandu who visited the area for an official tour.

Mr. Nyalandu’s special tour to the area follows misguided rumors of plans to evict people from Loliondo and give the land to a foreigner from one of the Arab countries. He insisted “misleading reports published in a British newspaper last month that Tanzania planned to evict 40,000 people in the area and give land to a foreigner was false and meant to tarnish the image of the government”.

He went further warning that his government would not hesitate to oust any investor or non-governmental organization (NGO’s) that instigates conflicts around protected areas including hunting blocks. “ The government will not hesitate to remove any investor, who goes against the country’s laws and human rights, especially in hunting areas,” explained Nyalandu.

“The public as well has a responsibility to the investor, so both parties have to cooperate so that they can co-exist. If both live in harmony, they can then benefit from each other,” insisted Nyalandu.

During the tour Nyalandu visited some of the Maasai homes famously known as ‘bomas’ where he interviewed the Maasai and they all confirmed that they have never been asked by anyone that they will be removed from their ancestral land.

Loliondo Division has 57,095 residents out of 174,278 who live in Ngorongoro, according to the2012 Tanzanian Population and Housing Census.

Caption:
Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Hon. Lazaro Nyalandu speaking to hundreds of Maasai people who surrounded him for a meeting in Loliondo- Ngorongoro during his special tour in the area to clarify that the government had no plans to evict them from their ancestral land.

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