Residents of Ngorongoro District in Arusha Region have lodged an appeal case before the High Court of Tanzania.
They are protesting against what they filed as unlawful penalties being imposed on livestock keepers by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority.
The first hearing of the matter is expected to come before Justice Mohammed Gwae at the Arusha Registry of the court, on May 10, 2023.
Among the appellants is Raphael Oloishirio who claims that his 80 sheep and goats were impounded by the NCAA wardens.
According to the applicants’ lawyer, Advocate Dennis Mosses, his client, Oloishiro, was forced to pay the fine of 2 million/- in cash, In order to secure back his livestock, which according to the legal representative, is against the law.
The other petitioner in the legal matter, is Baraka Kesoi who was ordered by the NCAA to pay 13 Million/- just because the authority had seized 130 cattle from his menagerie and extorted a fine 100,000/- per animal.
More than 210 livestock including cattle, Sheep and Goats had been taken away from their local owners on 25 January 2023.
Reports have said that, the kept animals were found grazing near the newly gazette Game Reserve, known as ‘Pololeti,’ in Loliondo Division of Ngorongoro District, Arusha Region.
“The Wildlife Act stipulates clearly that penalties should be imposed on the crime committed generally not from each animal impounded,” Lawyer Mosses explained.
Mosses explained that the law also defines the amount of money to be paid as penalty for livestock trespassing into reserved areas, which should start from 300,000/- but not exceeding 5 million/- per case.
“But should the Director of Wildlife review the situation and determine the seriousness of the matter, then the fine charges may not surpass 10 million/-,” the appellants’ legal adviser maintained.
“Plus, the law also states that all game reserves should be managed under the Director General of Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority, in this case TAWA,” Lawyer Mosses insisted.
The lawyer pointed out that the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority has no mandate to control Game Reserves.
“The NCAA is supposed to manage the Conservation Area, how on earth do they force their hands into Game Reserves?” he demanded to know.
The respondent’s side is being represented by Advocate Tonny Kilomo.
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