By Our Correspondent, Ngorongoro
A total of 367 residents from 79 households who had been living in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area have voluntarily moved to the village of Msomera in Handeni District, Tanga Region, and other parts of the country to make way for conservation activities.
Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Commissioner of Police Bennedict Wakulyamba, led the farewell ceremony for these residents early morning of August 22, 2024.
“Today’s decision reflects your recognition of the challenges you face within the Conservation Area and your wisdom in relocating outside the park to improve the quality of life for you and your families in officially designated, better, and safer areas provided by our government,” said Wakulyamba.
He emphasized that the goal of the Sixth Phase Government, under President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, is to ensure every Tanzanian enjoys a good standard of living with quality social services. This is in line with the Millennium Development Goals, which aim to ensure that by 2030 every citizen has access to essential services including water, education, health care, communication, electricity, and other necessities.
“We all agree that some services I mentioned, such as electricity, are difficult to access within the conservation area due to conservation laws. We assure the public and the international community that this voluntary relocation for the Ngorongoro residents follows principles of inclusion, adherence to national laws, good governance, and human rights without the use of force,” added the Deputy Permanent Secretary.
Acting Ngorongoro Conservation Commissioner, Engineer Daniel Chegere, asserted that today's relocation involves 79 households with 367 people and 995 livestock, moving to Msomera Village in Handeni District, Tanga Region, and other areas across the country.
The Supervisor of Voluntary Relocation, Exercise Ms. Flora Assey, stated that out of 79 households with 367 residents that left today, August 22, 2024, 63 households with 317 people and 906 livestock are heading to Msomera, while 16 households with 50 people and 89 livestock are relocating to other areas such as Meatu in Simiyu Region, Loliondo and Longido in Arusha Region.
Today’s batch that left for Msomera and other areas across the country make the total number of households relocated voluntarily so far to 1,598 households with 9,618 people and 39,779 livestock to allow the conservation efforts.
Speaking on behalf of the relocating residents, retired Chairperson of Naiyobi Village, Mr. Meleje Sikoony Laizer, expressed his satisfaction with the government’s plan, noting that it has opened various opportunities in Msomera and other relocation areas.
“Before making the decision, I personally visited Msomera to assess the situation and confirmed that it is clean and well-organized. Upon returning to Ngorongoro, I shared my positive observations about Msomera with fellow residents. No one forced us to relocate; we made this decision voluntarily to support ongoing conservation efforts,” said Mr. Laizer.
In the relocation plan, the government ensures that each resident receives compensation, has a house built, is provided with good transportation, health services, refreshments, and food during the journey. They are also given police protection during the move, their belongings and livestock are transported, and upon arrival, they are handed a house with three rooms and a living room on a 2.5-acre plot, along with a 5-acre farm for agriculture. Each household receives enough maize to last 18 months and land title deeds.
Additionally, they are granted access to grazing land: 22,000 hectares in Msomera, 9,000 hectares in Saunyi Village, and 53,000 hectares in Kitway Village.
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