I am hunting with Tanzania Game Trackers this September. I am hunting Kizigo for lion and buffalo. I will post how it goes. I hunted the area east of Lake Rukwa on two safaris with another company and while I saw lots of lions I did not see an MGM lion so I didn't shoot one. I still believe southwestern Tanzania is a great place to kill a great lion.I respect TGT very much for maintaining such high standards on lions.Its the only way we are going to keep the lion as a game animal.

A news article about 17 months old.


Law firm opposed to wildlife
director�s order

Monday, November 11, 2002


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By Alloyce Komba

A Dar es Salaam-based law firm, Marando Mnyele & Co. Advocates, has said the Director of Wildlife�s 14-day order imposed upon its clients Wild Footprints Ltd to vacate from its hunting block in Kilombero Game Controlled Area - South, will amount to contempt of court as there is a case in court on boundary conflict in the area.
The lawyers of the firm, Mabere Marando and Gabriel Mnyele spoke to The Guardian yesterday on the issue following press reports that there was a meeting in the city of village, ward and division leaders of the area to discuss a letter of the Acting Director of Wildlife, F.A.Lyimo, dated November 2, 2002.
The village leaders and elders of the area had told the press on Saturday that they did agree with immediate removal of Wild Footprints Ltd because if the order is implemented, it will change administrative boundary between Ulanga and Kilombero districts.
The hunting block boundary conflict rose since 1999 between two hunting companies, Kilombero North Safaris under the Managing Director, Gorsline and Wild Footprints Ltd, which manages the Kilombero South hunting block under Ryan Shallom.
The two companies have been accusing each other through the Director of Wildlife, District Game Officers and District Commissioners for Kilombero and Ulanga districts.
The conflict has so far not been sorted out by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and as a result, Kilombero North Safaris Ltd instituted a Commercial Case No.144/2002 in the High Court (Commercial Division) against Wild Footprints Ltd. on trespass and illegal hunting.
Inspite of the matter being in court, the Acting Director of Wildlife has issued the order to Wild Footprints Ltd stating that the boundary between the two blocks namely Kilombero North and Kilombero South is the Kilombero River, which in its upper reaches is called Mnyera River.
�With this note you are ordered to vacate Kilombero North Hunting block by moving out the hunting camp from Chalula Lupemenda area within 14 days from the date of this letter, failure of which appropriate action will be instituted against your company,� the letter concludes with copies to District Commissioners and District Game Officers of Kilombero and Ulanga.
Wild Footprints Ltd�s lawyers, Marando and Mnyele, have responded to the Acting Director of Wildlife�s order that his decision �interferes with the business of the Court� as he has adjudicated the matter �that is still sub judice,� that is under court consideration.
They state in their letter dated November 2, 2002 with reference no.MM/WFP/2002/3 that the decision of the Acting Director of Wildlife is a clear contempt of the court, deserving severe punishment that must include his imprisonment.
�You may very well recall the fate befell your predecessor in that position, one Mr. (Muhiddin) Ndolanga in the case of Bundu Safaris vs. Director of Wildlife (1996) TLR 250 wherein he escaped imprisonment by inches from contempt of the court and paid the hefty fine of 200,000/=,� the lawyers remind the Acting Director of Wildlife.
The lawyers further state that: �We have advised our clients not to move for an inch from his camp. Whoever will force it to do so, you included, will force us to request the court to commit him to prison for contempt, without further delay.�
According to the Chairman of Igawa Village in the area of dispute, Mzee Tarcis Makero, who spoke to the press on behalf of other more than 15 village leaders from Mtimbila Majiji and Malinyi wards, the decision of the Acting Director of Wildlife was taken without their involvement.
He said undisputable fact is that they belong to Ulanga District since time immemorial (since forefathers) where they have hosted Wild Footprints Ltd in what is called Kilombero South Hunting Block and that the proper boundary is Kilombero River minus Mnyera River at the upper reaches.
�If the order stands, we will automatically be required to also move to Kilombero District, the other side of the river. We shall not agree even if the heavens falls,� Mzee Makero told the press at the Peace of Mind Club, TPDC Staff Residential Quarters, Mikocheni.

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Article Dated march 13, 2004

High Court rules, Wildlife FootPrint guilty of trespass

2004-03-13 08:15:59
By Frank Mbunda


The High Court has finally resolved a boundary dispute between two Morogoro regional hunting companies, Kilombero North Safaris Ltd, in Kilombero District and Wildlife FootPrints Ltd WFP, in Ulanga District.

The court delivered its ruling on the case No 114 of 2002 after it found the defendants (WFP) guilty of trespassing.

Judge Laurean Kalegeya observed that the dispute was uncalled for as each party had its own block in the respective districts.

He said that the plaintiffs were allocated the Kilombero Game Control Area (North) hunting block, while the defendants were allocated the Kilombero Game Controlled Area (South) hunting block.

He noted that sometimes in 1999 the defendants organised and carried out tourist hunting activities in an area believed by the plaintiffs to be within their block and that in 2000 they proceeded to construct a tourist hunting camp at a place called Chalula-Lupemenda.

The plaintiff complained of trespassing and illegal hunting in their block by the defendants, while the latter maintained that the camp was in their block, said Judge Kalegeya.

He said the ensuing conflict led to various meetings convened by officials from the two districts and the Directorate of Wildlife in order to find a solution.

The conflict re-surfaced when hunting licenses of both companies were renewed in 2001.

The plaintiff again lodged the same complaint to the Directorate of Wildlife, which summoned the feuding parties.

The directorate then appointed a probe team, which included officials from the two parties and the Wildlife Department. However, for reasons, not clearly stated, the team did not perform its task.

The Director of Wildlife appointed another probe team of three people, under the Project Manager of Selous Game Reserve, Benson Kibonde, which used standard sheets, an airplane, Global Positioning System (GPS), motor vehicles and contacted residents as part of their fact-finding mission.

They also visited the disputed site and relevant border areas and produced a report, which categorically concluded that the Tiger Fish Camp was in the plaintiff�s hunting block.

Justice Kalegeya said that the dispute was between the two Dar es Salaam-based companies, both legally allowed to conduct tourist hunting in Kilombero and Ulanga districts.

He said the plaintiff suffered economic loss in that they lost some otherwise potential earnings and as such they were entitled to compensation of general damages of USD 20,000, which shall attract an interest rate of seven per cent per annum from November 13, 2002 to the date of judgment.

He said the aspect that militates against defendant�s wishes is the obvious legal wrangle to which all parties concede.

�Under the Wildlife Conservation Act, 1974, the Director of Wildlife is the one who allocates hunting blocks and who determines their boundaries.

He said that he can alter, change or cancel whatever hunting block in existence and that he can create a hunting block which spills over from one district into another, adding that based on this he has reached the finding that Tiger Fish Camps is in the Plaintiff�s hunting block.

SOURCE: Guardian
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WILD FOOTPRINTS

Terry,

thanks for the last article - from what I understand Wild Footprints now really seems to have a problem since Camp Tigerfish is the camp where they do most of their buffalo hunting from...

But on the other hand I hardly can believe this since Kilombero North really seems to be quite far away

Best regards,

Erik

I just wanted to say that I was sorry for engaging in the argument with Ray on the forum and apologize to the viewing members for taking the space and diverting from the subject, like I am doing now, but thought it best to leave the subject alone.

I suggest that anyone interested in learning more
about my company, to feel free to contact me so that I could refer them to the clients that were involved to see that I did take care of the problems that I could, after it was said and done. None of the clients that I booked
directly from my office had any problems! The only problems were the clients from Ray's office.

Some problems out of my immediate control did occur and changes have been made to see that it doesn't happen again. I took responsibility for them and corrected what I could. Neither I nor my company created any of the problems that did arise, as we expected all of Ray's clients to be well informed of the facts and figures as our own clients are. But, at the end of the day I did take responsibilty and will leave it at that.

A quote by General N. Swartzkof. "Leadership consists of two main characteristics. Having a strategy and being of good character. If you have to be without one of these, make it strategy."

I was unaware of the legal difficulties of Wild Footprints which I think Bundu is a subsidiary. They have apparently been resoved as I hunted there in late July/early August of last year. As to my hunting lions, no, at this point I have two in college and my pockets are not that deep. Personally I have no real desire to hunt lions. Now Buffalo mmmmm..... My son and I did a 7 day buffalo hunt with Wild Footprints/Bundu. The concession dispute was not an issue when I was there. We saw noone except a few native fishermen. It was huge open country. Paul indicated they had 42000, if memory serves, hectares in their concession. We pushed two nice maned young lions off a kill one morning. We got a good look at them, though from some distance. Good hunting. "D"

Sorry, I didn't see the date on the second article. I will investigate further about these consequences. "D"