Strained ties with Tanzania threaten Maasai lifestyle

A boy grazing herds of cow at Maasai Mara, Narok County in this picture taken on February 25, 2017. 1,400 cattle from Loitoktok, Kenya were confiscated and auctioned in Tanzania. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • There has been talk that Kenya would similarly confiscate livestock from Tanzania.
  • Last week, Tanzanian authorities burnt alive more than 6,000 day-old chicks.

Souring relations between Kenya and Tanzania are threatening the nomadic way of life of the Maasai living along the border of the two countries.

This follows the confiscation and auctioning of about 1,400 head of cattle belonging to the Maasai from Loitokitok on the Kenyan side.

According to Loitokitok deputy county commissioner Abdi Jaldesa, a court sitting in Moshi, Tanzania, on October 19, ruled that the livestock be auctioned for being in the country illegally.

“We tried to intervene at a diplomatic level but our efforts did not yield results,” he said.

“The Kenyan Government has, however, decided to compensate the 22 farmers who lost their livestock.”

DROUGHT

The official said the Maasai herdsmen had crossed over into Tanzania as a result of the prolonged drought on the Kenyan side.

“Our herdsmen followed their foreign counterparts to Tanzania. Before that, the Maasai from Tanzania had been grazing their cattle on the Kenyan side,” he said.

Following the incident, there has been talk that Kenya would similarly confiscate livestock from Tanzania as cross-border grazing is a common occurrence among the Maasai from both sides.

“The Maasai from both sides have no problem with each other,” said Mr Jaldesa.

“Elders from both sides met and those from the Tanzanian side condemned the action. They are even planning to donate some cattle to their Kenyan counterparts.”

Kajiado Governor Joseph ole Lenku criticised the move by the Tanzanian Government.

BORDER

“We have always hosted them during drought. They should also reciprocate or we make life difficult at the border,” said Mr Lenku.

The county boss said he had been asked by Maasai morans to allow them to close the Namanga border over the dispute but he called for tolerance.

“We have been patient, but this patience must not be mistaken for cowardice. We are monitoring our relationship,” he added.

The auctioning of the Maasai cattle is part of hostilities displayed by Tanzanian authorities against Kenyans who live along the border.

Last week, Tanzanian authorities burnt alive more than 6,000 day-old chicks that had been bought from Kenya.

In April, Kenyans at the Namanga border post staged demonstrations against harassment by the Tanzanian authorities.