The Indigenous World 2025: Tanzania

Written on 25 April 2025. Posted in Tanzania

Tanzania is estimated to have a total of 125-130 ethnic groups, falling mainly into the four categories of Bantu, Cushite, Nilo-Hamite and San. While there may be more ethnic groups that identify as Indigenous Peoples, four groups have been organizing themselves and their struggles around the concept and movement of Indigenous Peoples.

The four groups are the hunter-gatherer Akie and Hadzabe and the pastoralist Barabaig and Maasai. Although accurate figures are hard to arrive at since ethnic groups are not included in the population census, population estimates^[1] put the Maasai in Tanzania at 430,000, the Datoga group to which the Barabaig belongs at 87,978, the Hadzabe at 1,000^[2] and the Akie at 5,268. While the livelihoods of these groups are diverse, they all share a strong attachment to the land, distinct identities, vulnerability and marginalization. They also experience similar problems in relation to land tenure insecurity, poverty and inadequate political representation.

Tanzania voted in favour of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in 2007 but does not recognize the existence of any Indigenous Peoples in the country and there is no specific national policy or legislation on Indigenous Peoples per se. On the contrary, a number of policies, strategies and programmes that do not reflect the interests of the Indigenous Peoples in terms of access to land and natural resources, basic social services and justice are continuously being developed, resulting in a deteriorating and increasingly hostile political environment for both pastoralists and hunter-gatherers.

This article is part of the 39^th edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. The photo above is of an Indigenous activist Funa-ay Claver, a Bontok Igorot, standing alongside Indigenous youth activists and others. They are protesting against the repressive laws and human rights violations suffered through the actions and projects of the Government of the Philippines and other actors against Indigenous Peoples at President Marcos Jr’s national address on 22 July 2024 in Quezon City, Philippines. The photo was taken by Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas and is the cover of The Indigenous World 2025 where this article is featured. Find The Indigenous World 2025 in full here

Continuation of human rights violations

During 2024, Indigenous Peoples continued to witness threats of evictions, expansion of protected areas and human rights violations. This happened across all the northern regions as well as some of the central and southern regions of the country, and the main drivers were related to business enterprises and conservation interests.

Tanzanian government plans to alienate more Maasai land

In late February 2024, plans by the Tanzanian government to further alienate Maasai land leaked to the public. According to the leaked plans, the government intends to alienate more than 70% of all Maasai districts comprising Ngorongoro, Longido, Monduli, Simanjiro and Kiteto Districts. Eighty-five percent (85%) of the pastoralists’ land from the above districts are already surveyed and have their land use plans and registered titles. The government’s intention is to create 16 hunting blocks in the form of Game Reserves and Game Controlled Areas. It is anticipated that this plan will impact over 390,000 people across over 90 villages, amounting to 15,856 sq. km.

This plan targets areas that are predominantly occupied by the Maasai community. In Simanjiro, farms leased by Arabs and other investors are excluded but Maasai farms and grazing areas are included in the new Game Reserves to be put in place. This is just the latest evidence of concerted efforts on the part of the Tanzania government to target Maasai community land.

On 3 June,^[3] the Simanjiro Member of Parliament (MP), Christopher Ole-Sendeka, spoke out in Parliament against the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism’s proposal to convert nearly 70% of Maasai village land into Game Reserves and Game Controlled Areas. His strong objections led to a heated debate, with the Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism unable to confirm or deny the Ministry’s involvement in the proposal. The Speaker of the National Assembly responded to Ole-Sendeka’s concerns and directed the Minister to provide a detailed response.

Release of the New Wildlife Management Areas strategy

In January 2024, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism published its “revised strategy” for Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs)^[4] for the period 2023-2033. The strategy identifies 47 different actors to be included in its “Stakeholder Analysis” – from private hunting associations to international conservation and development actors – but it leaves out local communities. In the new strategy, there is a new list of proposed WMAs, including one in Loliondo that will further threaten the existence of Maasai in in this area.

The strategy continues to push for top-down government regulations that fail to respect Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and which do not meaningfully promote community-based conservation. The revised strategy signals a clear disregard for the traditional practices of local communities, and it ignores the rights of local communities at the expense of attracting more international tourism, commercial hunting and climate investments.

Tanzanian government announces new plan to evict 100,000 Maasai from NCA

On 18 January 2024, the Tanzanian government announced a plan^[5] to forcibly remove 100,000 Maasai pastoralists from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA). The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) is pressuring residents who are employed by the NCAA to relocate out of the NCA. Pressure is exerted through internal meetings with Maasai employees and NCAA management, sometimes with the participation of top government officials from the Arusha Regional Commissioner’s Office and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. As of now, only a few Maasai residents who are working with the NCAA have relocated. However, some have been transferred to other government agencies outside of NCA as a means of exerting pressure on them to leave Ngorongoro.

Human rights violations in Ngorongoro

On 24 April, the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), the leading human rights organisation in Tanzania, launched its Tanzania Human Rights Report 2023^[6] in which it highlighted that 78% of complaints of arbitrary arrests, detention and torture in 2023 were from Ngorongoro District. The LHRC report documented situations where police and NCAA rangers subjected people to various acts of torture such as slapping, severe beating, being drenched with cold water (water torture), kicking, and being forced to kiss the walls of the police cell and say: “I love you”. Among the victims of the said torture were two primary school pupils, two people with mental illness and one person with chronic tuberculosis (TB).

Tanzania submits state of conservation report to UNESCO

Meanwhile, Tanzania’s state of conservation report to UNESCO, submitted in February 2024.^[7] was made public. The report is an effort by the government to respond to deep concerns expressed by the World Heritage Committee (WHC) over alleged human rights violations in Ngorongoro. In pages 90 to 93 of this report, Tanzania continues to deny the ongoing forced evictions, arguing that “the relocation plan is voluntary and involves prior, and informed consultations, including a voluntary registration process”. In response to demands by the WHC to prove that the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent is respected, the report argues that people relocated to Msomera receive compensation that is “far beyond the normal compensations provided to people who are normally relocated in other areas during the implementation of large development projects”.

The report reviews the Multiple Land-Use Model (MLUM)^[8] in place in NCA in its annex. The report indicates a plan to limit the NCA population to 20,000 people (5,000 households) and their livestock, while annexing additional land from Loliondo (now Pololeti Game Controlled Area), Lake Natron and part of Longido. It states that resettling all people and livestock out of the NCA and leaving the area exclusively for wildlife and habitat conservation would be costly as MLUM is a selling point for tourists.

Demonstrations

On 18 August, thousands of Maasai in Ngorongoro Conservation Area blocked Tanzania’s busiest tourism road linking the NCA and Serengeti National Park, demanding respect for their human rights. They were reacting to systematic attacks on the Maasai livelihoods system by the Tanzanian government, including denial of social services for three consecutive years, disenfranchisement of Maasai from the national polling register and harassment at Loduare Gate when entering NCA from Karatu.

Over 25,000 Maasai gathered at the Oloirobi and Lemara areas, blocking both the highway and the Crater exit road, demanding that the Tanzanian government listen to their demands. After six days of this public pressure, the government promised to reinstate social services and to put a stop to rangers' harassment of villagers or any harassment while performing police duties. The government also promised to reinstate villages delisted from the village register via Government Notice No. 673 of 2024 – a Notice that would effectively have prevented the residents of Ngorongoro Division from participating in the local elections in November 2024.

The same demonstration spread to Loliondo, with more than 1,000 women demanding access to 1,502 km² of grazing land grabbed by conservation authorities to establish the disputed PololetI Game Reserve. Further, more than 100 Maasai women from Msomera village, Handeni District, demonstrated before the Tanga Regional Commission and village leaders to demand human and land rights. In addition, some 50 Maasai women from Mindutulieni, Chalinze District, Pwani Region, demonstrated before the District Executive Director to demand intervention to remove the government authorities’ sponsored invasion of their grazing lands and associated human rights violations. The wave of Indigenous Peoples’ demonstrations across the country came at a point when the government was intensifying the violation of land and human rights within Indigenous territories.

Situation in Ngorongoro remains delicate despite government’s public promises

Despite the Tanzanian government’s public statements on 23 August promising to reinstate social services and stop lawlessness in Ngorongoro, repression and arrests continued unabated. Maasai continued to be targeted and several were arrested on the pretext of having recently built homes, while in fact they had been living in them for more than 15 years. In addition, social services such as health and education remained in a dire situation. The government has thus far provided funds for a water pump for Ngorongoro Girls Secondary School and some cement for Ndian Primary School but has refused to supply other building materials for the schools. The Flying Medical Service, which was grounded in 2022 with the goal of paralysing health services in Ngorongoro, has still not been allowed to operate. The disconnect between the government's public assurances and the reality on the ground is stark. Health services are overwhelmed, and education systems are in disarray, leaving vulnerable populations without critical care or opportunities. This has led to a climate of fear that, while the government purports to be normalising the situation in NCA, it is actually implementing nothing meaningful to achieve its promises.

A people’s movement victory: government relists villages in Ngorongoro District

On 16 September 2024, the Tanzanian government reversed its illegal decision to deregister 11 wards, 25 villages and 96 hamlets in Ngorongoro District. The government's backtracking is seen as a victory for the grassroots Maasai movement, as it will reinstate the legal status of the villages, which act as the lowest level of government, touching the daily lives of the community members. As a result, communities in Ngorongoro District participated in local government elections in November 2024. This reversal of the illegal decision not only restored local governance but also reflected people's power and resilience in fighting for their rights and representation.

Case of livestock auctioning

On 13 February, the Magistrates’ Court (Musoma District Court) issued its judgement on a case.^[9] This case involved 806 cattle, 420 sheep and 100 goats from Loliondo that were captured last October, forfeited by rangers and then auctioned and sold as unclaimed property. The court ordered that the livestock owners be paid money amounting to TZH 168 million, regardless of the value of the livestock and of the fraudulent procedure used to seize and sell the livestock. Maasai lawyers are assessing the extent of the award compared to the value of the livestock to see whether they can appeal, considering that the judgement is already in their favour.

Promises to relocated NCA residents not fulfilled

On 10 April 2024, the 135 households^[10] previously vacated in Ngorongoro Conservation Area and relocated to Msomera village in Handeni District in Tanga Region issued a press release complaining that the government had not fulfilled its promises to provide them with the agreed compensation to vacate NCA, including a house, plot of land for grazing, settlement and agriculture.

Msomera residents complain their land is grabbed for relocation

On 29 November, residents living in Msomera, the relocation site for communities relocated from Ngorongoro, staged protests^[11] accusing the authorities of dispossessing them of their land and assigning it to people migrating from NCA. Since June 2022, the government has established a so-called voluntary relocation programme for people willing to leave NCA, allegedly to address acute poverty, malnutrition and a lack of adequate livelihood opportunities in NCA. Msomera residents have complained that they were displaced by the Tanzanian government without either being consulted or compensated when their land was taken to build houses for people relocated from NCA. They also lamented that they had witnessed security forces supervising the erection of beacons on the land they had used for years as farms, pasture, graveyards and homes. However, they had to keep silent, as whoever dared to speak would end up in police custody.

The relocation programme has created a land dispute and acute tensions between Msomera residents and the newcomers. Several original residents of Msomera have filed lawsuits challenging the idea that there is empty land in Msomera ready for anyone who wishes to relocate from NCA. Eight Msomera residents filed eight cases at the Tanga High Court against the government and people relocated from NCA. The eight residents are challenging the government’s decision to acquire their land and allocate it to people relocated from NCA without compensation.

Forcible eviction of over 20,000 Maasai around Kilimanjaro International Airport

On 8 May, the police, the anti-riot police Field Force Unit (FFU), militiamen and other entities of the State‘s coercion apparatus invaded eight villages bordering Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) in order to expand the size of the airport. They demolished hundreds of Maasai homes in Sanya Station Village, Hai District. With excavators guarded by heavy security, they pulled down houses, terrifying children and breaking families’ futures^[12]. Families are now sleeping outside. The demolition has affected over 20,000 Maasai residents from the eight legally registered villages. Several cars belonging to the government, with loudspeakers mounted on the car roofs and escorted by armed policemen, drove through all eight villages warning residents to evacuate immediately. A press release was published by nine key CSO organisations, asking the President to: 1) immediately stop the ongoing demolition of homes; 2) bring humanitarian aid, including shelters and food to hundreds rendered homeless; and 3) establish an independent commission of inquiry into the dispute between legally registered villages and determine the legality of the process.

Hadzabe communities complain about lack of benefit-sharing

An unnamed Hadza man from Eyasi within the NCA recorded a video speaking in Swahili complaining about the government and tour operators making unilateral decisions on the tourism industry in the areas of the Hadzabe people and using their areas for tourism without sharing the benefits. The Tanzanian government decided that tourists must pay only USD 10 per day to Hadza who work as tourist guides in their area while the government and tour operators charge tourists thousands. The man said: “We are not going to agree. If the government cannot listen, then let them come and act as guide.”

In addition, the land that has been allocated to the Hadza community in Domanga village in Mbulu District was invaded by famers from Singida Region. There was tension in August 2024 between the Hadzabe and the famers, which was resolved by the Mbulu District Commissioner.

World Bank suspends funding for big conservation project in Southern Tanzania linked to evictions and human rights abuses

In April 2024, the World Bank suspended funding for the Resilient Natural Resource Management for Tourism and Growth (REGROW) project in Tanzania after over a year of advocacy by CSOs on behalf of tens of thousands of villagers impacted by the project. [13]^{, [14]} The objective of this USD 150 million project was to improve the management of natural resources and tourism assets in priority areas of Southern Tanzania – including Ruaha National Park (RUNAPA). Instead, the Bank’s funding was found to be linked to widespread human rights abuses against communities living near the park. According to the Oakland Institute, this decision “sends a resounding message to the Tanzanian government that there are consequences for its rampant rights abuses taking place across the country to boost tourism”.^[15]

President meets with Maasai community representatives amid displacement crisis

On 1 December, 150 Maasai delegates from Ngorongoro, Loliondo and Sale met with President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the State House in Arusha. Over the last two years, different actors have been urging the Government of Tanzania to create space for dialogue between the government and Maasai communities living in Ngorongoro and Loliondo in order to find durable solutions to the land disputes and threats of evictions in their areas. The six days of peaceful demonstrations organised by people from NCA between 18 and 23 August triggered the government to create a space for dialogue over the land conflicts in Ngorongoro District.

While the meeting with the President marks a step towards addressing the community's grievances, significant scepticism remains as regards how to hold those responsible for the ongoing human rights violations accountable, including the President herself. While it could yield positive results, the promise to form inquiry teams raises concerns as to impartiality and the genuine intent to find long-term solutions to the current conflict.

Edward Porokwa is a lawyer and an advocate of the High Court of Tanzania. He is currently the Executive Director of Pastoralists Indigenous Non Governmental Organization’s Forum (PINGO’s Forum), an umbrella organization for pastoralists and hunter-gatherers in Tanzania. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB Hons) from the University of Dar es Salaam and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from ESAMI/Maastricht School of Management. He has 15 years’ experience of working with Indigenous Peoples’ organizations in the areas of human rights advocacy, policy analysis, constitutional issues and climate change.

This article is part of the 39^th edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. The photo above is of an Indigenous activist Funa-ay Claver, a Bontok Igorot, standing alongside Indigenous youth activists and others. They are protesting against the repressive laws and human rights violations suffered through the actions and projects of the Government of the Philippines and other actors against Indigenous Peoples at President Marcos Jr’s national address on 22 July 2024 in Quezon City, Philippines. The photo was taken by Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas and is the cover of The Indigenous World 2025 where this article is featured. Find The Indigenous World 2025 in full here

Notes and references

[1] National Bureau of Statistics and Office of Chief Government Statistician. “2012 Population and Housing Census: Population Distribution by Administrative Areas.” Tanzania, March 2013. https://www.google.co.tz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjMtN7Xz_PuAhWisXEKHeIMAfgQFjACegQIARAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftanzania.countrystat.org%2Ffileadmin%2Fuser_upload%2Fcountrystat_fenix%2Fcongo%2Fdocs%2FCensus%2520General%2520Report-2012PHC.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1E9NTiC9WCMu5kGjMGlnEP

[2] Other sources estimate the Hadzabe at between 1,000-1,500 people. See, for instance, Madsen, Andrew. The Hadzabe of Tanzania: Land and Human Rights for a Hunter-Gatherer Community. Copenhagen: IWGIA, 2000. https://iwgia.org/en/resources/publications/305-books/2662-the-hadzabe-of-tanzania-land-and-human-rights-for-a-hunter-gatherer-community.html

^[3] The Chanzo. “Ole Sendeka Aingia Na Mafaili Kuhusu Maeneo ya Wananchi Kufanywa Hifadhi, Waziri Azungumza.” YouTube, 3 June 2024. https://youtube.com/watch?v=insJBsjNLDo&feature=shared

^[4] Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, The United Republic of Tanzania. “National Wildlife Management Areas Strategy (2023-2033): Bringing new hopes to WMAs in Tazania.” https://www.honeyguide.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/THE-NATIONAL-WILDLIFE-MANAGEMENT-AREAS-STRATEGY-NWMAS-2023-2033.pdf

^[5] Msafiri, Sanjito. “Waliohama Hifadhi ya Ngorongoro kwenda Msomera wafikia 3,822.” Mwananchi, 17 January 2024. https://www.mwananchi.co.tz/mw/habari/kitaifa/waliohama-hifadhi-ya-ngorongoro-kwenda-msomera-wafikia-3-822-4494994

^[6] Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) and The Zanzibar Fighting Against Youth Challenges Organization (ZAFAYCO). “Part One: Tanzania Mainland and Part Two: Zanzibar.” 2023. https://humanrights.or.tz/report/download/thrr_2023

^[7] UNESCO World Heritage Convention. “State of conservation report by the State Party / Rapport de l'Etat partie sur l'état de conservation.” 23 February 2024. https://whc.unesco.org/en/documents/205623

^[8] Providing for both wildlife conservation, tourism and community livelihoods

^[9] Misc Criminal Appeal no 10 of 2023) between the Director of Public Prosecution vs. Oloomu Kursas, Sinjore Matika and Ndagusa Koros.

^[10] Kusaga TV. “WANANCHI 135 WALIOHAMIA MSOMERA KUTOKEA NGORONGORO WATAPELIWA /WATISHIA KURUDI NGORONGORO.” YouTube. 10 April 2024. https://youtu.be/jKbV6cNEduI?si=C-EbeeHyEZtOCBKv

^[11] Kusaga TV. “WANAWAKE WENYEJI WA MSOMERA WANDAMANA KWENDA KWA RC TANGA ‘TUMECHUKULIWA ARDHI YETU’.” YouTube, 29 November 2024. https://youtu.be/KETefMVGAY4?si=W2pX3GlkBczpJwyB

^[12] PINGO’s Forum. “Kilimanjaro Eviction.” YouTube, 10 May 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp6-kpb_U3c

^[13] Oakland Institute. “Campaign Victory: World Bank Suspends Funding for REGROW, a Conservation Project Responsible for Evictions & Human Rights Abuses in Tanzania.” 22 April 2024. https://www.oaklandinstitute.org/world-bank-suspends-funding-for-regrow

^[14] Mukpo, Ashoka. “World Bank cancels $150m tourism project in Tanzania after abuse claims.” Mongabay, 23 January 2025. https://news.mongabay.com/2025/01/world-bank-cancels-150m-tourism-project-in-tanzania-after-abuse-claims/

^[15] Oakland Institute. “Campaign Victory: World Bank Suspends Funding for REGROW, a Conservation Project Responsible for Evictions & Human Rights Abuses in Tanzania.” 22 April 2024. https://www.oaklandinstitute.org/world-bank-suspends-funding-for-regrow

Tags: Land rights, Human rights, Conservation