Ngorongoro residents have been victims of brutal attacks by rangers working at the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA).
These pains subjected to the Maasai community in Ngorongoro have made it hard for the community to continue to stay in NCAA.
Since 2021, more than 16 residents have been attacked by NCAA rangers, however, no legal action has been taken against them to date.
In 2021 alone, in two separate incidents, on 28th August and 22nd September 2021, nine herders were brutally assaulted and tortured by game rangers in Endulen.
Despite evidence including Police Form No. 3 and medical reports, police initially refused to arrest the rangers. It took three days of demonstrations for them to be finally arrested, but to date, none of them have been taken to court as a result of their actions.
Four individuals were subjected to assault by game rangers on September 18th and 19th, 2022. Among the victims was Letee Ormunderei, who suffered a broken leg as a result of the attack. He was rushed to LMC Hospital for medical attention, but his recovery has been slow. The incident received a lot of attention after being reported by various individuals on Twitter.
As of today, Kiti Lengeju, a 26-year-old resident of Alaitole, has not received any medical treatment after being deliberately knocked down by a vehicle with registration number JU0078 on November 1, 2022. His leg was broken as a result.
On June 13, 2023, One Paresoi Kiboko was seriously assaulted by NCAA rangers and later taken to court and imprisoned for nine months, without being given access to relatives or legal help.
Another saddening incident is the recent attack on Joshua Oleparroto, a young boy aged 15 years old. The said young man was attacked by NCAA rangers on July 13 2023 while he was pasturing cattle in the Ormoti area. Joshua lost 3 teeth as a result of the attacks.
None of the perpetrators of these attacks on the Maasai in Ngorongoro have been forwarded to the police leave alone being taken to court.
The community has been accusing the police of siding with the perpetrators of these brutal injustices.
While brutality is considered one of the means of forceful eviction from Ngorongoro, the other means that the government has been employing is the suffocation of the community from having social services and denying access to all potential places for pasture, water, and salt licks.
Denis Oleshangay is a lawyer and activist who resides in Ngorongoro.
This article reflects the author’s personal opinion and views and does not reflect the opinions of Mwanzo TV, its parent and affiliate companies. The author’s information is based upon information they consider accurate but neither Mwanzo TV nor its affiliates warrant its complete accuracy