A dispute over land use is emerging in northern Tanzania, pitting the government’s plans for tourism development against the interests of the Maasai people. The area in question is centered around Lake Natron, a vital breeding ground for lesser flamingos, and the nearby Ol’doinyo Lengai volcano. The Maasai consider parts of this region their ancestral land, but the government’s establishment of the Pololeti Game Reserve in 2022 has already led to the eviction of thousands of people.

Nesikar Daudi, a 36-year-old Maasai woman, was forced to flee her home when the reserve was created. “We suffered a lot because of this takeover. We lost our livestock, and bulldozers demolished our homes,” she recalls. The Tanzanian government has expanded protected areas by 20% since the 1990s, but Maasai lawyer and activist Joseph Oleshengay argues that this strategy is driven by economic interests rather than conservation. “The idea is to empty these territories so they can be turned into something that makes money,” he says.

The government operates under a law that allows land to be reclassified if it serves the “public interest,” giving the head of state significant power to decide the fate of entire areas without consulting local communities. Tanzania has various protected areas, including game-controlled areas and wildlife management areas, which differ in their rules and impact on local communities. However, game reserves like Pololeti are completely off-limits to human presence.

The Lake Natron area is already classified as a game-controlled area, with four hunting blocks leased to private companies. The Tanzanian Wildlife Management Authority has been imposing restrictions on the movement of local communities, despite the area not being formally designated as a game reserve. The authorities have also targeted essential health services, revoking the flight permits of the Flying Medical Service, a non-profit organization that provided free healthcare to around 30,000 patients annually.

The consequences of these actions have been severe for the people living in the area. Nalotwesha, a 28-year-old Maasai woman, suffered two strokes and was unable to receive timely medical care due to the shutdown of the Flying Medical Service. The delay in receiving care left her partially paralyzed. The Maasai community is concerned that the government’s plans to turn Lake Natron into a hunting reserve will lead to another mass eviction, further restricting their access to land and resources.

The dispute highlights the challenges faced by pastoralist communities in Tanzania, who are vulnerable to the expansion of protected areas and the imposition of restrictions on their movement. The government’s plans for tourism development must be balanced against the needs and rights of the Maasai people, who have lived in the area for generations. The outcome of this dispute will have significant implications for the future of the Maasai community and the conservation of Tanzania’s natural resources.