Maasai face yet another violation of their rights in Tanzania in their ongoing struggle
On 14 August, Indigenous Peoples and rights activists came to find out that the Tanzanian government decided to exclude people from 11 wards composed of 25 villages and 96 sub-villages in Ngorongoro from voter registration, effectively denying more than 100,000 Maasai from their guaranteed democratic right to civic participation.
On 2 August the Government of Tanzania issued Government Notice No. 673 “Decree on the Amendment of the Decree on Demarcation of Administrative Areas in Local Governments (District Authority) of 2024”. Section 2 of the notice calls for the delisting of the wards, villages and townships in the following 7 District Councils: Ngorongoro, Bahi, Chemba, Kasulu, Kakonko, Hai and Rombo.
In total, the notice delists 14 wards, 32 villages and 135 sub-villages, with Ngorongoro disproportionately facing the most with over 70% of the delistings happening in that district.
Rights organisations throughout the country have criticized the government’s moves and noted that not only does the decree violate at least 7 Constitutional Articles, Land Act No. 4 of 1999 and Village Land Act No. 5 of 1999, but is also a legally incorrect implementation of the Local Government Act (District Authority) Cap. 287 of 2002 that does not grant the Minister with the power to delist villages, and as such should be corrected.
Peaceful protest
In showing their dissatisfaction, on 18 August, thousands of peaceful protestors bravely blocked the Ngorongoro-Serengeti Road demanding the respect of their fundamental rights. The protest lasted 5 days.
This latest rights violation comes after years of these communities suffering from a number of rights violations, including land grabbing, physical attacks and a lack of access to social services, including to health and education.
Denying their voter registration was the last straw after growing frustration from the thousands marginalized by the government.
The protestors used the blockade to call for meaningful discussions with the government and to raise awareness amongst the broader public of their struggle and garner their support.
>> Watch a video of the protest here
Government response
Our sources reported that during the protest the government stopped all vehicles from delivering important supplies, such as food, to Ngorongoro residents in the hopes of dispersing the protestors.
However, on 23 August, the Minster of Justice, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (Policy, Parliament and Coordination) and Regional Commissioner of Arusha approached the protesters and addressed their concerns.
He promised the following for residents of Ngorongoro:
- They will be able to vote (presumably this means polling stations will be set up);
- There will no longer be any forceful relocations, those who wish to relocate can do so voluntarily;
- Basic social services will be reinstated; and
- A dialogue process will between senior government officials and Maasai leaders.
Rights organisations are following developments closely as the promises from the government officials so far have just been verbal and no official, written statement has been made.
In the meantime, Indigenous Peoples and rights organisations have called for the following:
- President Samia Suluhu Hassan to immediately and unconditionally stop the eviction of the Maasai pastoralists from Ngorongoro Conservation Area. And order swift restoration of social services such as health, education, water, roads and others in Ngorongoro.
- The Minister for State (Regional Administration and Local Governments), Mohamed Omari Mchengerwa, to immediately restore all the delisted villages in Ngorongoro Division by repealing the illegal Government notice.
- The Independent Election Commission to formally return all polling stations transferred outside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) back to the NCA with immediate effect by amending the existing national voter registration list which excluded the Ngorongoro villages.
- An independent commission of inquiry into the dispute which includes representatives of the Maasai residents of Ngorongoro Conservation Area be established urgently.
- President Samia Suluhu Hassan should take action to hold all those accountable who are responsible for the suffering of Indigenous Maasai people caused by the violation of their human rights, including the discontinuation of the provision of social services in Ngorongoro beginning in 2023.
IWGIA stands with the Maasai in Ngorongoro and all Indigenous Peoples in Tanzania and calls for the government to respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples as enshrined in the nation’s Constitution and in international human rights conventions.
Photos kindly provided by our sources who wish to remain anonymous.
>> For more on the situation of Indigenous Peoples' rights in Tanzania click here
Tags: Land rights, Human rights
