PM summons livestock officers to chart way out of conflicts

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Responding to a spontaneous question from Liwale MP, Zuberi Kuchauka (CUF), Premier Majaliwa said the livestock officers will meet here later on Thursday and Friday.

Dodoma. Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa, has summoned in Dodoma livestock officers from all councils to chart out strategies to rid the country out of conflicts pitting farmers and pastoralists.

Responding to a spontaneous question from Liwale MP, Zuberi Kuchauka (CUF), Premier Majaliwa said the livestock officers will meet here later on Thursday and Friday.

“This afternoon I am going to open a meeting of livestock officers. I have called them to meet here to, among other things, deliberate on these endless conflicts so that we come up with strategy which will help us get a lasting solutions,” he said.

In his question, Mr Kuchauka warned that there was a danger of the conflicts spreading to regions which do not have pastoralism culture.

He said hordes of pastoralists have been flocking to such regions, binging with them conflicts which have been perennial in other regions.

“I want to know what the government is planning to do to avert such calamities in our areas where we don’t have pastoralism culture… if something is not done there is danger of such conflicts spreading to our areas,” he said.

On the other hand, Manonga MP, Seif Gulamali, wanted government reaction on tendency by some forest and game reserve officials who have been impounding livestock and auction them without involving the owners of the properties.

Mr Gulamali said it was disappointing that the officials have been impounding the cattle and some people are invited all the way from Dar es Salaam to buy then during auction.

“The cattle owners are not involved in the auctions even if they are ready to buy their catte back,” he said.

In his answer, Premier Majaliwa noted that the livestock officials meeting will also deliberate on that issue.