Tanzania: Opposition MPs Slam Govt for Hunting Fees About-Turn


The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

11 July 2008
Posted to the web 11 July 2008

Rodgers Luhwago


The government was yesterday accused in Parliament of unilaterally deciding to lower wildlife hunting fees. The opposition camp claimed the decision did not follow proper procedures after the legislature had endorsed the new rates in the past budgetary meeting. Shadow minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Magdalena Sakaya demanded an explanation, saying the move would deny the government substantial revenue. Ms Sakaya wondered how the government could ignore parliamentary resolutions.

The opposition said while the hunting fee for a Cape buffalo in South Africa was $ 16,200 the same animal is hunted for $2,200 in Tanzania. She added that while the fee for hunting Nyasaland wild beest in South Africa and Namibia is $1,100, the same fetches $ 750 in Tanzania. She said Tanzania was leading in the world in terms of having attractive policies but again led in ailing to implement them.


Presenting the 2008/2009 ministry's budget, the Minister for Natural Resource and Tourism Shamsa Mwangunga said the government lowered the hunting fees to keep pace with the actual situation. However, she did not elaborate. The minister said as a result of the decision, the ministry's revenue collections dropped by 38 per cent in the 2007/2008 financial year. The ministry had expected to collect Sh 48,694,840,000 before reducing hunting fees, she stated.

Meanwhile, two foreign investors in the tourism sector came under attack for a second time yesterday for mistreatment of local people in their areas and barring members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) from visiting Gurumeti Reserve in the Serengeti. A French hotel firm in Babati, Un Lodge en Afrique, was not spared by the attacks from the opposition camp in Parliament for mistreatment of Vilima Vitatu villagers in the district.

The shadow minister said the investor acquired 4,084 hectares of the village land without following proper procedures. She said the worst part of the story was that locals belonging to the pastoralist communities were evicted from the area. The French investor is now building a hotel on the corridor through which wild animals pass to and from Lake Manyara and Tarangire.The decision to give the land to the investor did not involve villagers as required by land laws. she asserted.

In another development, CCM and opposition MPs have strongly opposed government plans to allow the construction of a soda ash plant around Lake Natron, saying the implementation of the project would have adverse effects on the lake bio-diversity. Benedict ole Nangoro (CCM-Kiteto) and Job Ndugai (CCM-Kongwa) said Lake Natron was a breeding site of the rare flamingos, and the factory project would destroy the habitat.

Mr Ndugai was presenting views of the parliamentary standing committee for land, natural resources and environment while Mr ole Nangoro was contributing to the debate on the ministry's estimates.


Shadow minister Madgalena Sakaya joined the fray, saying Lake Natron was a home to 2.5 million lesser flamingos, 70 per cent of which breed in the site. "It is shocking to hear of intentions to destroy this breeding site by building a soda ash plant," she said.

Presenting the estimates, Ms Mwangunga said the process to construct the International University of Tourism would start this financial year. She said the building site has been obtained in Coast region. The project is implemented by the government in collaboration with the World Trade University.

The ministry has been allocated Sh 71,975,518,000 this financial year out of which Sh 10,340,443,800 is for personal emoluments (PE) while Sh27,835,223,200 is for other charges (OC). Sh 33,799,851,000 was set out for development projects.

They have not seemed to considered that the daily fees in Tanzania are 5-6 times more than South Africa. If they move to raise the trophy fees to be comparable to South Africa and the outfitters still have to charge the current daily fees to run the camp than Tanzania will be the hunting destination of the wealthy only.

My thoughts exactly.

quote:

The opposition said while the hunting fee for a Cape buffalo in South Africa was $ 16,200 the same animal is hunted for $2,200 in Tanzania. She added that while the fee for hunting Nyasaland wild beest in South Africa and Namibia is $1,100, the same fetches $ 750 in Tanzania. She said Tanzania was leading in the world in terms of having attractive policies but again led in ailing to implement them.

Inability to see the big picture is apparently endemic.

quote:

The minister said as a result of the decision, the ministry's revenue collections dropped by 38 per cent in the 2007/2008 financial year.

Wow, who didn't see that coming! What an unbelievable surprise! You mean that graph that they show you the first day in economics 101, you know the "Supply and Demand" graph was actually correct?

What a revelation!

quote:

Originally posted by David Culpepper:
They have not seemed to considered that the daily fees in Tanzania are 5-6 times more than South Africa. If they move to raise the trophy fees to be comparable to South Africa and the outfitters still have to charge the current daily fees to run the camp than Tanzania will be the hunting destination of the wealthy only.

I know that wealth is relative but I've always thought that African Safaris were for the relatively wealthy in any case, I guess you're referring to the uber wealthy who can do stuff without ever having to stop & think about it. My safari, if/when it happens will involve a fair period of planning, saving & sacrifice of other things, but by world standards I fall into the privileged minority. It probably will not be in Tz, shame, cause I reckon short of an unobtainable Kenyan safari, it would be the ultimate African Safari destination. Not intending by this to denigrate any other destination, Zim, Namibia, Zambia & RSA also come to mind as very acceptable alternatives.
Steve

this stupid fool hasn't got a clue! there are NO Nyasa wildebeast in South Africa or Namibia. the endemic wildebeast in both areas are either blue or black- a totally different subspecies and found on game farms( PRIVATE LAND), not government concessions or game reserves. she is comparing apples to oranges. Tanzania's latest round of fee increases have already led to hunt cancellations. if this idiot thinks increasing them more will generate more money, go ahead and see what happens. Tz. does not have a monopoly on good big game hunting.