Morogoro Regional Commissioner (RC), Joel Bendera has announced a special campaign that will see a forceful eviction of illegal pastoralists who have failed to comply with an order that required them relocate on their own by December last year.
Morogoro Regional Commissioner Joel Bendera
Mr Bendera said that more than 575 illegal pastoralists, who were given an eviction order last year, have not obeyed it.
Consequently, he said, the region has launched a special campaign to evict them.
They must move to other areas outside the region where there is available pasture to feed their cattle. Speaking to Bwakila Ward residents within the municipality of Morogoro, Mr Bendera said that the pastoralists are evicted because most of them graze their cattle in illegal areas causing unnecessary conflicts over land.
“They have been a source of conflicts between farmers and local animal keepers. The conflicts occur from time to time. Over and above this, the pastoralists’ animals cause environmental destruction,” said RC Bendera.
He added that the exercise targets pastoralists who do not have permits, especially those who have grabbed land.
Morogoro District Commissioner Said Ali Amanzi said that the move comes as an implementation of a number of government directives that called on illegal pastoralists to move their animals elsewhere and save the environment.
He said the regional and district leaderships have conducted enough education campaigns in a bid to enable them to see sense in the directives but some pastoralists have elected to remain arrogant or even violent.
