Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian lawyer and Maasai rights activist Joseph Oleshangay believes his community’s resilient fight against government-led evictions holds critical lessons for all citizens on how to defend fundamental rights.
In an exclusive interview with The Chanzo’s Khalifa Said, Oleshangay, 37, detailed the strategic campaign to halt the removal of the Maasai from their ancestral lands in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area—a move authorities justify as necessary to protect the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Oleshangay argued that the key to their struggle has been unity and a clearly understood cause. “Every Tanzanian must understand this: our freedom and the change we seek are in our own hands. They are only achievable through unity,” he stated. “We must stand together, be counted, or risk being destroyed.”
He emphasised that a successful movement must be inclusive, adding, “The cause you are fighting for must belong to everyone. People need to know what you mean. Seeing people finally on the streets was no overnight effort. There was immense fear that the government would kill us. But we asked ourselves: aren’t we already dying from preventable diseases?”
Since 2022, Oleshangay and fellow activists have employed a range of tactics, from legal challenges to international lobbying, to highlight what they term state-sponsored oppression.
READ MORE: What You Need to Know About the Ngorongoro Maasai Demonstrations in Tanzania
However, it was the sustained peaceful protests beginning on 18 August 2024 that marked a decisive turning point. Hundreds of residents blocked tourist routes to the Ngorongoro and Serengeti parks, holding placards detailing their demands, all while maintaining a strict principle of non-violence.
This disciplined approach compelled the government to engage directly, with officials meeting protesters and promising to address their grievances.
The results were tangible: Ngorongoro residents, previously disenfranchised after their villages were dissolved, were able to participate in the 2024 local government elections.
Furthermore, President Samia Suluhu Hassan directly ordered the immediate restoration of critical services like water and education, which had been cut off to pressure people to relocate.
The president also formed two commissions to investigate the relocation process and land use issues, whose findings will determine the path forward.
READ MORE: Two Presidential Commissions Launched to Address Ngorongoro Saga
Central to this success, Oleshangay explained, was a fundamental rule to disrupt without destroying. “Many people are watching and supporting us for two reasons: because our cause is just and true, and because, despite our pain, we choose peaceful methods to make our claims,” he said.
He expressed pride that despite severe provocation, not a single stone was thrown and no official could accuse the Maasai of violence.
“Our agenda is to claim our land rights with unity, but we will do it peacefully. We did not pick up stones; we picked up leaves,” Oleshangay concluded, referencing a potent Maasai symbol for peace.
“It is true we blocked roads and disrupted tourism—we knew it would cause economic loss, and that was intentional. But we did it in a way that was fundamentally peaceful. Had we used violence, the government would have used it as a pretext to crush our voices entirely.”
