Maasai rights in Ngorongoro, Tanzania

The Ngorongoro Crater in northeastern Tanzania is a great tourist attraction. It is also home to Maasai pastoralists, who have been struggling for their human and civil rights since 1958, when they were resettled in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) by the colonial government after they were evicted from Serengeti area.

The book Maasai rights in Ngorongoro, Tanzania (1998, 126pp) by Issa Shivji and Wilbert Kapinga, published by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and HAKIRADHI, examines the rights of the Maasai and other residents in the NCA related to land, freedom of association and movement within the NCA. It clarifies the restricted rights of the residents to property, to means of securing a livelihood and to participation in decisions that affect their lives. It also evaluates the legal powers and administrative practices of the NCA Authority set against the principles of the rule of law and democratic governance.

The authors argue that limitations placed on the Maasai by the NCA Authority can be justified only if there is prior consultation and participation of the Maasai in the relevant decision-making processes. They recommend an innovative reorganisation of the NCA Authority to manage the Conservation Area. The centrepiece of this would be provision for proper representation and participation of the Maasai and other residents in deciding on the best means to conserve and develop this important natural resource.

Posted on 2 May 2023 in Pastoralism & Natural Resources, Pastoralism, Mobility & Land Tenure, Pastoralism, Policy & Power, Pastoralist Livelihoods & Nutrition