Tanzania selling off land belonging to Masai tribe to Dubai royal family to use it as game-hunting resort

The Tanzania government has sold a large tract of land- about 1500 square kilometres to the Dubai royal family with the intention of using it as a game-hunting resort. This development shall render at least 40000 of the ancient Masai tribe who lived and worked on that land homeless, say reports.

According to reports, till last year, the government was 'resisting' this transaction. Instead, it proposed the setting up of a game hunting corridor near the Serengeti national park. However, the sale has eventually been completed, and was reportedly facilitated by the Ortelo Business Corporation, a luxury safari firm that has several elite clients on its books.

According to The Guardian, representatives of the Masai tribe were scheduled to meet the Tanzanian prime minister Mizengo Pinda last week, to express their agitation at this step by the government. What came out of that meeting, however, could not be traced. The government has been offering compensation to the affected- about 1 billion shillings- through development projects.  Till now, the Masais have flatly rejected all offers.

Samwel Nangiria, the coordinator for the local Ngonett civil society group told The Guardian that he never thought the government had considered canceling the deal, only to hoodwink the world media. “I feel betrayed,” he said. “One billion is very little and you cannot compare that with land. It’s inherited. Their mothers and grandmothers are buried in that land. There’s nothing you can compare with it.” Nangiria also said that those who opposed the hunting ground were being intimidated with threats, including himself. Many have even been killed.

“I will fight for my community. I’m more energetic than I was,” added Nangiria. “The Masai would like to ask the prime minister about the promise. What happened to the promise? Was it a one-year promise or forever? Perhaps he should put the promise in writing”, said he.