AfricaPress-Tanzania: LIVESTOCK and Fisheries Minister Mashimba Ndaki has resolved to consult his Tourism and Natural Resources counterpart to put on notice errant officers under the latter’s docket.
According to Mr Ndaki, some unscrupulous Tourism and Natural Resources officers are freely letting unsuspecting pastoralists graze their livestock in protected areas and later charge them inordinately.
“We will not condone to such dishonesty from public servants. Those found doing it will face legal action,” warned the minister, while winding up his two-day tour of Kilimanjaro region midweek.
“Dishonesty has to be stopped for adds fuel to human-wildlife conflicts which have become rampant in various parts of the country,” said the minister, who also visited Tanzania Livestock Research Institute (Taliri) and West Kilimanjaro Ranch. He further faulted the officers manning the protected areas for exploiting pastoralists.
Growing competition between wild animals and people for space and resources has increasingly become a conservation challenge in many parts of the country.
The primary cause of the conflict is the growing human population and increasing landscape transformation from natural to cultivated village land, bringing human societies and wildlife into closer contact and increased competition for access to resources.
Meanwhile, Mr Ndaki has given National Ranching Company (Narco) until Wednesday next week to avail him with a detailed report on the number livestock roaming all the country’s major ranches.
The minister also tasked his Permanent Secretary, Prof Elisante Ole Gabriel, to oversee the exercise to ensure the sub-sector benefits the country economically.
Mr Ndaki further challenged the state-run company to adopt modern technology to curb rustling in major ranches in the country.
