Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries has begun implementing the Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa’s directives that seek to identify all pastoralists who have won court cases but were yet to get back their animals.
Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Mr Mashimba Ndaki revealed that in Simiyu region during two separate meetings which brought together livestock keepers in Longalambogo village in Itilima District and Mwalilo village in Meatu District.
He said that, currently the government was conducting review of all cases and also visit areas where the livestock have been seized, including the areas where pastoralists had won their cases in court but they were yet to get back their animals.
Minister Ndaki said that, the act which prohibits pastoralists to get back their livestock despite the fact they have been granted the rights by court is unacceptable.
He instructed Itilima and Meatu District Commissioners to ensure that they send a list of all cases filed by the pastoralists in the areas and review them so that they can be submitted to Prime Minister and later to the President Samia Suluhu for further actions.
“I have been instructed by the PM to send a list of all pastoralists who have won their cases in court but their livestock have not been returned back by various government authorities and this reflects the good intention of our sixth phase President, Samia Suluhu in doing justice to her citizens” he said.
He directed District Commissioners of Itilima and Meatu districts to provide a list of cases filed by pastoralists in the areas so that he can submit to his superiors for decisions.
“I ask pastoralists to be patient as we are conducting this process and during this period the government is monitoring and identifying pastoralists whose livestock have been seized,” he said.
He was also surprised by some of the government officers in the district who took for granted Pastoralists’ cases into investments whereby nearly 280 cattle died which were supposed to be returned to the Itilima herders.
For his part, Member of the Parliament for Itilima Constituency, Mr Njalu Silanga appealed to the government to return 280 cattle belonging to pastoralists in Longolambogo village who had won the court case.
He said he was ready to pressurize the Parliament to amend regulations that will prohibit government officers to take the law into their hands that prohibits Pastoralists to be treated fairly as this has been a long-standing issue but no implementation has been taken so far.
“I am ready to pressurize the Parliament to amend regulations that would ensure our pastoralists are treated fairly as this has been a long-standing issue but no implementation has been taken so far,” he said.
He said that nearly 339 cattle herders of the area were seized allegedly for entering Maswa Game Reserve and they took the case up to the High Court, the Court ordered all cattle to be returned to the owners but so far only 51 cows were returned,” Silanga said.
