Nyalandu, House team clash over park entry system

Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Lazaro Nyalandu  

By Edward Qorro and Daniel Mjema, The Citizen Reporters

In Summary

While the House team advocates the use of the single entry system that requires tourists to pay each time they enter a national park, the minister has called for its suspension so that the double entry, which requires visitors to pay only once can be used.

Dar/Moshi. Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Lazaro Nyalandu is at loggerheads with the parliamentary committee on Land, Natural Resources and Environment over the current use of the Single Entry System within national parks in the country.

While the House team advocates the use of the single entry system that requires tourists to pay each time they enter a national park, the minister has called for its suspension so that the double entry, which requires visitors to pay only once can be used.

In an interview with The Citizen yesterday, Mr Nyalandu maintained that the single entry system was clouded in ‘confusions’ that ought to be ironed out first.

According to the minister, the disputed system had created a loophole for cheating, thus denying the country revenue. “I want to emphasise that the system is put on hold at the moment, as there are some things that need to be resolved,” said the minister.

He underlined that the single entry system only stood at benefiting owners of big hotels at the expense of workers in the Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs).

Recently, Mr Nyalandu directed Tanzania National Parks Authority (Tanapa) to replace the single entry system with double entry, saying that the former left a lot to be desired.

The minister told The Citizen that his decision sought to support communities living around the WMAs.

“The current system is in favour of big hotel owners operating within national parks, locking out the locals who have also set up their own businesses within the WMAs,” he maintained.

But in its reaction, the parliamentary committee, led by its chairman James Lembeli faulted the minister’s decision, saying it was denying the sector revenue.

“This issue had initially been debated in my committee and we resolved that the single entry system be adopted,” noted Mr Lembeli.

According to Mr Lembeli, the Table Mountain in South Africa, Robben Island and the Kruger National Park were all embracing the single entry system.

The Rev Peter Msigwa, who is also the shadow minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, was also critical of the minister’s decision, claiming Mr Nyalandu was back-peddling the tourism sector