CONSERVATIONISTS TELL TANZANIA TO STOP MOUTHING OFF AND INSTEAD FIGHT POACHING FOR REAL
(Posted 12th February 2014)
‘The shame has come home to roost’ wrote a regular conservation source from Arusha, when it became known that a hugely damaging media report in the UK blamed Tanzania’s massive poaching records squarely on the failures of the government of President Kikwete to take any meaningful steps against it and which minced no words over the alleged complicity of top ranking government officials in the epic slaughter of elephant over the past few years.
‘Our government mouthpieces should stop blaming others who tell the truth of what has been going on in our country and instead talk about the culprits, the masterminds and their connections and the patronage they enjoy. They should talk of why Tokomeza was suspended, and why Kagesheki was sacked. The international media exposed our conservation debacle in a timely fashion and I hope Kikwete gets what he deserves, not an award like the Americans did last year but a public roasting for presiding over the worst elephant slaughter in history’.
It is understood from a source in Dar es Salaam that the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Lazaro Nyalando was ordered back from the airport as he was about to leave for London to prepare for President Kikwete’s visit to the global conservation conference which is taking place under the patronage of The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge, leaving Tanzania’s participation for now under a dark cloud.
‘How Tanzania, how Kikwete could expect to go there and expect the truth to be hidden, only shows how completely out of touch our political leadership is. They have completely failed to understand the global sentiments over the Serengeti highway and the many other ills they perpetrate against the environment and against conservation principles. If the Selous elephant population can be decimated from over 70.000 to just around 13.000 in a few years under their noses, and they expect the world ignore it, they are having a rude awakening now. Even until last year they still tried to convince CITES to let them sell ivory when everyone in the world now burns or crushes is. Their greed for money has taken over from reason and common sense’ said another source.
To make matters worse did the Daily Mail openly suggest that Prince Charles should not shake hands with President Kikwete, causing Tanzania yet more embarrassment even if a handshake will take place in the end, if for nothing but diplomatic expediency. Follow the international media reports about the deliberations of the London Conservation Conference and its eventual outcome.
4 Responses
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Nyalandu has been doing lots of PR with the British media since his boss was put under fire by the fearless Daily Mail which alleged Kikwetes family involvement in poaching.
As far as I understand Nyalandu appeared on BBC’s HARD TALK but not sure if it has been aired yet
Should be interesting to hear how he defended his boss.
You can not stop poaching relying on foreign aids only! This is madness. What we want to see is that professional hunting is declared illegal.
We want to see a more structured and formal military force responsible for wildlife rather than weaker, disorganized TANAPA, NCA, WMA, game rangers.
If the government is taking conservation as a serious agenda; all we want to see is Selous Game Reserve being declared a National Park.
Speaking a lot of nonsense and never ending promises is helping no one.
This is a high time to act. Time to make business as usual something different!
Mr. President said that he knows them by number (40 professional poachers) and locations. The world is waiting to see him acting now. Otherwise what we can all conclude is that “Poachers are above all national laws and top government officials are in”!