MBARALI District Council has been directed to conduct a livestock census in order to establish whether the area can accommodate the animals.
Mbeya Regional Commissioner Mr Amos
Makalla issued the directives here on Thursday, saying that the move
would help to address recurrence of land disputes between farmers and
livestock keepers within the council and other areas in the region.
The RC was speaking during a rally held
at Ubaruku Ward in the district. He said the disputes between farmers
and pastoralists were caused by the large number of animals entering the
areas compared to the grazing land available.
"There is a need for the council to
conduct livestock census to know whether the number of animals has
exceeded the council's capacity so that other measures can be taken to
ensure that some of them are relocated," he said.
Makalla, however, accused some
government executives and politicians who were allegedly bribed by
pastoralists to condone their illegal entry into the council with their
animals. “The number of animals in Mbarali District is large contrary to
the grazing land available thus leading to endless disputes between
farmers and livestock keeper," he said.
He warned that any executive or
politician who would be discovered to have been involved in facilitating
pastoralists to enter the areas with their animals illegally would be
held accountable.
Meanwhile, Mbarali District
Commissioner, Reuben Mfune admitted that his area of jurisdiction had
many animals compared to the land available.
Mfune said the district was estimated to
have 134,546 cows, 15,650 goats, 5,573 sheep and 4,486 donkeys, making a
total of 160,255 of animals who need 480,764 hectares.
He said that at the time only 154,000 hectares had been set aside in various villages for grazing 65,000 animals
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