TANAPA to use paramilitary unit in 2017 to scale down poaching

By The guardian reporter

Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Prof Jumanne Maghembe

 The paramilitary system, in the next financial year, Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Prof Jumanne Maghembe said yesterday.

 

Prof Maghembe disclosed this in Dar es Salaam when responding questions from members of the Parliamentary Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources, whereby some wanted to know government strategies which were in place to curb poaching.

 

The minister said that the new operation would start in 2016/2017 fiscal year, whereby TANAPA’s system of operation will be transformed from the civilian model into paramilitary system, in   efforts to scale down poaching in the country.

 

“We believe the strategy will help to save the country’s wildlife,” the minister said, adding that the idea is meant to strengthen the country’s wildlife watchdog to ably heighten the war against the escalating poaching in its 16 national parks.

 

The minister said that right now TANAPA staff who are civilians are undergoing military training so as to cope with the new modes of operation.

 

Maghembe however said that some of the poachers have been arrested and some were taken to court. “But, the fight against poaching is going on in different wildlife sanctuaries across the country,” the minister said.

 

He also informed the members that the government in collaboration with development partners have embarked on the use of new technology to fight poaching and deployed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)