It is time Selous Game Reserve Development Authority started

A simple Google search of some of Tanzania’s tourist attractions has increased recently. For instance a Google search of ‘Selous Game Reserve’ on Wednesday 21, 2021, brought me about 1,520,000 results. The second was about Mt Kilimanjaro which brought about 5,340,000 results. The entries of the two attractions across the internet run into millions, which could mean there were many interests on them from across the world.

Today, let me talk more about Selous Game Reserve part of which later was upgraded to be known as Nyerere National Park. It is one of the most remarkable attractions in the world and the largest in Africa. It is the oldest wildlife reserve in Africa, meaning it was the first one--established in 1922! Nearly a century old!

When we come to the health of our mother Tanzania, Africa and the world, you can imagine how much carbon dioxide is absorbed in the game park’s forest every year, extending in its area of 54,600km2. Many tourist websites talk about how the park is more enormous than countries like Switzerland, Denmark, and Bhutan!

The park has one of the most significant numbers of African animals: elephants, black rhinoceroses, cheetahs, giraffes, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, and many others; it was in danger of being removed from the Unesco’s World Heritage Sites list.

There was a huge controversy after the government started building the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station (hydroelectric dam) across the Rufiji River, which would affect parts of the reserve’s ecosystem.

The good news that has been trending recently on various social media is that Tanzania has successfully defended the reserve to remain on the world heritage sites list, which at the moment has 1,121 properties, considered to be of great value to humanity. I think that Selous Game Reserve, as the oldest game reserve in Tanzania and Africa, has over years remains greatly underutilized in terms of being a tourist attraction or destination site.

For years, Mt Kilimanjaro, which has the highest point in Africa, the Serengeti and Zanzibar have managed to attract the most tourists.

Yes, it is great. But looking at the bigger picture, as mother Tanzania we have 17 national parks, 29 game reserves, 40 controlled conservation areas (including the Ngorongoro Conservation Area) and marine parks!

Tanzania Tourism Board (TTB), see www.tanzaniatourism.go.tz has divided attractions into Northern Circuit (22 regions), Southern Circuit (26 regions, where also Selous Game Reserve is); Eastern Circuit (16 regions) and the Western Circuit.

Tourist stakeholders will tell you the circuits with most visitors and the ones less visited! For Selous, its management falls under Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (Tawa), which has a huge responsibility. With our vast lands, yes, over the years, it has done a commendable job.

My humble opinion is that it is important for the park to reach the next level and become hugely profitable while maintaining its world heritage site status. It needs to be run independently, maybe to have ‘Selous Game Reserve Development Authority’. It can market the game reserve as the “most scenic wildlife destination in the word.” So long as the current management has to market the parks collectively, there are some limitations. Yes, Selous can become as famous as Mt Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti National Park, Zanzibar or even more than these. It can attract millions of tourists every year and become a game-changer. But that is an uphill task, where the current set-up, may not be able to realize. Humbly, I submit.

Tanzania is a nation with many tourist attractions, but there are some that need more special attention, because they can bring in huge foreign currency and huge employment opportunities both for the present and future generation.

Saumu Jumanne lectures at the Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE)