MAASAI COMMUNITY TO BENEFIT FROM 45M/- WELL

 

Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Lazaro Nyalandu

THE Tanzanian Goodwill Ambassador, a United States Businessman, Mr Doug Pitt has volunteered to build a well in Masasi area and survey work for the project is planned to start next week.

Addressing journalists in a press conference on Friday, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mr Lazaro Nyalandu said the offer to build the deep well comes after the Goodwill Ambassador read a story about the government’s intention to harvest crocodiles.

Responding to a question from Special Seats MP (CUF) Ms Clara Mwituka, he said that the government early in the week said it has announced a tender to harvest 118 crocodiles that have been causing harm to human beings in areas that have a big number of the reptiles.

Mr Nyalandu said the good intention shown by the goodwill ambassador, who is also the brother to famous actor Brad Pitt, is also a reflection of the government’s stand against false stories published by international media about Maasai in Loliondo.

He said the well might cost around 45m/- including costs of surveying the area to determine the availability of water, putting up a tank and solar panels and the actual work of drilling.

“From next week the surveyor will start conducting the survey and my office will liaise with Masasi MP (CCM) Ms Mariam Masembe to identify the area for survey.

The minister took the opportunity to urge Maasai living in Loliondo to continue with their daily activities in peace, cautioning the international media against writing one sided reports without confirming with the government.

“It is wrong to use the media to propagate lies… we invite the international media to visit these areas and witness for themselves how the Maasai are living in peace and that the government has no intention of evicting them,” he explained.

The Guardian in UK had published a story claiming that Tanzania had reneged on its promise to 40,000 Masai pastoralists by going ahead with plans to evict them and turn their ancestral land into a reserve for the royal family of Dubai to hunt big game.

The allegations were denied in parliament on Wednesday by the minister, stressing that the government has no intention of evicting the Maasai from Loliondo area

CREDIT SOURCE: http://dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/38533-maasai-community-to-benefit-from-45m-well