Tanzania: Groups Petition Government on Serengeti Road

A network of local civil society organisations yesterday filed a fresh petition against the government's intention to construct a highway across the Serengeti National Park. Mazingira Network (Manet) said the proposed highway would compromise the ecological integrity of the park which is also an important world heritage site.

"Direct, indirect and cumulative impacts from the proposed highway to the ecology would be significant", lamented Manet chairperson Zuberi Mwachula when addressing journalists.He said the scientific consensus was that if constructed the road would, in a matter of decades, destroy the wildlife migration routes that the Serengeti National Park has been famous for.

Quoting the recent Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (Esia) report, the official said even if a portion that goes through the park remained unpaved, it would impact on wildlife habitats. Esia, which was commissioned by the government, categorically stated that the construction of the highway would decimate and curtail significantly many wildlife populations and critical habitats.

The proposed highway would create a demand for urbanisation to further squeeze out the wildlife dispersal areas within the Serengeti and Ngorongoro districts. The 14,000-square kilometre Serengeti National Park is located within Serengeti District in Mara Region and borders the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) in Arusha Region.

However, its vast ecosystem extends to various game reserves within Mara and Shinyanga regions as well as Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. The planned highway to link Arusha and Mara regions would cut across the famous park on its northern fringes near the Kenyan border, which served as a migratory route for wildebeests.

Although the government has consistently insisted that the road would cover only a 53-kilometre section within the park, the NGO coalition says it would still harm wildlife because of increased traffic.Regional Programme manager for WWF Tanzania, Mr Richard Rugemalira, urged the government to seek options for a new route.

This road is a terrible idea. Building it will be a huge mistake.

Mike,

There is an alternative Southern route for this highway that makes a lot more sense all the way around for the people, the economy, and the animals.

I think the scumbag president of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, is angling to see how much money he can squeeze out of everyone before he makes a magnanimous gesture and capitulates for 'the sake of the animals'.

This is his final term of office, so he has to make his retirement hay while the sun is shining. Of course, maybe I am being overly cynical... but I doubt it.

quote:

Originally posted by Alan Bunn:
Mike,

I think the scumbag president of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, is angling to see how much money he can squeeze out of everyone before he makes a magnanimous gesture and capitulates for 'the sake of the animals'.

This is his final term of office, so he has to make his retirement hay while the sun is shining. Of course, maybe I am being overly cynical... but I doubt it.

More than likely he intends staying on for yet another term as President - just like Mugabe did. That will allow him to make even more hay for retirement.....

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

Please Andrew... tell me that you are not more cynical than me!!!

I take it that you've seen this before.