Civil society bodies call for joint meeting between Ngorongoro residents and Government officials
More than 1,627 households from Ngorongoro were relocated to Msomera, Simanjiro (Manyara) and other parts of the country during the 2022 exercise
Black News 
Representatives from Non-Government and Civil Society Organizations have proposed a joint forum to address issues affecting residents of Ngorongoro District, precisely those that were involved in relocation exercises.
Members of civil society bodies and non-government organizations reached the decision during a conference held to review the report from two presidential commissions deployed to examine land-use dynamics and their sustainability and relocation policies in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Loliondo Game Controlled area.
The sessions that took place in Arusha City, were organized by the Civil and Legal Aid Organization (CILAO), which advocates for the rights of among other groups, indigenous communities and traditional pastoralists.
“It is a good thing that both commissions have realized the importance of civil society organizations in serving the residents of Ngorongoro,” said Charles Odero the Executive Director of CILAO, before pointing out that the government was however still suspicious of their activities.
Later, in their joint resolutions, the nearly 15 civil society and non-government organizations in attendance, resolved to create a common platform which will bring together residents of Ngorongoro, Government officials, Civil Society organizations and legal institutes.
“Communication is important, especially when all affected parties meet to discuss arising problems together and come up with common solution instead of each doing things on their own,” stated Dr Mosses Mollel Mereto from the Ngorongoro Legal Aid Center.
On her part, Sauda Selemani Kimweri from Msomera said the presidential commission’s report snubbed their views.
“They listed but never took our complaints seriously and what we said never made it into their report,” Sauda lamented, adding that the plots in Msomera were already owned by other people, something which created conflicts when newcomers were moved there.
Among the complaints is the issue of misallocation of plots, land grabbing, blocked community services and hostile treatment from local authorities.
Paulo Oloshiro from Simanjiro said the grazing land normally reserved for livestock was taken away from them by force in order to accommodate people from Ngorongoro.
In 2022, the Tanzanian government, through the Prime Minister’s office, launched the operation to relocate residents of Ngorongoro division from the conservation area to Msomera Ward of Handeni District, in Tanga Region.
During the operations, more than 1,627 households from Ngorongoro were relocated to Msomera, Simanjiro (Manyara) and other parts of the country.
Likewise, the same office coordinated the exercise which involved the demarcation of land mapped within 16 villages and the establishment of the Pololeti Conservation Area in the Loliondo and Sale divisions.
Participating organizations include, the Land Dwellers, Legal and Human Rights Center (LHRC) Arusha, the Integrated Development initiatives in Ngorongoro (IDINGO), Engisoma Entito Foundation of Ngorongoro, Media Aid for Indigenous and Pastoralist Community (MAIPAC), the Ngorongoro Legal Aid Center (NGOLAC) and Laretok Le-Sheria na Haki za Binadamu Ngorongoro (LASHEHABINGO).
Others are, Mulika Afrika, Women and Children Welfare Support (WOCWELS), Tanzania Maasai Heritage Institute (TMHI), Her Journey to School (HJTS), Handicapped Children Rehabilitation Tanzania (HACRET) the Maasai Pastoralists Development Organization (MPDO – LARETO), the Human Rights Defenders (HDR) and Indigenous Women Development Affairs (IWDA)
