Dar es Salaam – A coalition of fourteen civil society organisations (CSOs) and human rights defenders in Tanzania has issued a strong public statement rejecting the findings of two presidential commissions on the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) and surrounding districts.
The statement, released following the presentation of the reports to President Samia Suluhu Hassan on March 12, 2026, accuses the commissions of ignoring community input, misinterpreting land laws, and prioritising commercial tourism over the rights of indigenous pastoralists.
The two commissions — one assessing land use conflicts and the other reviewing the government’s voluntary relocation exercise — were established in December 2024 following widespread protests by Maasai communities.
The CSOs – which include HakiArdhi, THRDC, CILAO and LHRC – argue that while the commissions collected views from various groups, including traditional leaders and women’s representatives, the final reports largely ignored the evidence presented by the communities.
Other coalition members include the Tanzania Land Alliance (TALA), PINGOs Forum, Community Research and Development Services (CORDS), Pastoral Women’s Council (PWC), and Traditional Ecosystems Survival Tanzania (TEST).
“These commissions have ignored the views of the citizens who turned out in large numbers to present their challenges, along with various documents containing evidence,” the statement read.
READ MORE: Ngorongoro Commission Reports Are ‘Copy-Paste State Propaganda,’ Says Maasai Lawyer
“The commissions’ reports are largely focused on defending conservation, tourism, and investment, while ignoring the economic, social, and fundamental rights of the citizens.”
The coalition also challenged the scientific basis of the land use commission’s findings. The report had claimed that environmental degradation and the disappearance of certain wildlife species in the NCA were caused by population growth and human activities.
The CSOs dismissed this as a “flawed argument with no scientific or ecological evidence,” noting that the commissions failed to address the environmental impact of the rapid expansion of luxury hotels, unregulated roads, and heavy tourist traffic in the area.
“It should be well understood that the Maasai have been good conservators of the environment and wildlife for centuries,” the statement noted. “Evidence clearly shows that their areas are the only ones remaining with environmental and ecological attraction and abundant wildlife.”
Legal misinterpretations
A significant portion of the CSOs’ critique focused on what they described as the commissions’ failure to properly interpret and apply Tanzanian law, particularly regarding the creation of the Pololeti Game Reserve and the proposed upgrading of Lake Natron.
READ MORE: Ngorongoro Reports Legitimise Predetermined Outcomes
The coalition pointed out that the Pololeti Game Reserve, established via Government Notice No. 604 of 2022, covers 1,502 square kilometres of what was legally recognised village land across 16 villages in the Loliondo and Sale divisions.
The CSOs argued that the land use commission failed to address the fundamental question of the legality of this appropriation.
Similarly, the CSOs strongly opposed the recommendation to upgrade the Lake Natron area to a Game Controlled Area (GCA). They noted that the area encompasses legally registered villages, including Engaresero, Pinyinyi, Oldonyosambu, and Jema.
“According to Tanzanian law, it is sabotage against the citizens and contrary to the law to establish or maintain a Game Reserve on village land,” the statement read.
The relocation failure
The statement also highlighted the findings of the relocation commission, which the CSOs said confirmed their long-standing concerns about the exercise.
According to the statement, the government’s relocation programme, which began in 2022 with the aim of moving residents to Msomera in the Tanga region and other areas, has largely failed. The CSOs noted that only about 1,627 households had relocated, representing a small fraction of the population.
The coalition pointed out that the relocation commission itself admitted the exercise was not participatory but rather based on “inducement.” Furthermore, the commission acknowledged community complaints about the suspension of basic social services since 2022 — actions the CSOs described as unconstitutional.
However, the CSOs criticised the commissions for failing to recommend legal or administrative action against the government officials responsible for these rights violations and the deprivation of services.
“The commissions’ reports have been silent on compensation for these victims to get their rights that were looted in various areas,” the statement noted.
Human rights
The coalition raised serious concerns about the involvement of the military in the relocation exercise and the management of the Pololeti Game Reserve.
READ MORE: Ngorongoro’s Mixed Land Use Model ‘No Longer Sustainable,’ Presidential Commission Finds
“This is dangerous when civilian operations and social life are implemented by military organs instead of civilian organs,” the statement read. “This situation has brought fear and caused panic among citizens, making them feel the government has made them enemies to be prevented by the army.”
The CSOs also accused the commissions of ignoring widespread human rights abuses. They stated that citizens had submitted evidence of beatings, arrests, and the confiscation of livestock, including receipts for millions of shillings in fines levied against pastoralists in Loliondo, Sale, and Ngorongoro.
The statement noted that these actions have effectively bankrupted many residents, yet the commissions failed to address these violations in their reports.
The suppression of information in the region has also been a concern. Arrests of journalists attempting to cover the Ngorongoro and Loliondo disputes have been common in recent years, making it difficult for independent observers to verify claims on the ground and contributing to an environment of fear and restricted press freedom.
Demands
The CSOs concluded their statement with a series of direct demands to President Samia and the government.
READ MORE: Maasai Advocacy Group Rejects Ngorongoro Commission Reports, Vows to Resist Relocation
They called on the President to “discard the recommendations of these commissions as they have no good intention or productivity for the lives of the citizens of Ngorongoro District, and because they will increase the conflict further.”
The coalition demanded that the full reports of both commissions be made public so that citizens can read exactly what was written.
Crucially, the CSOs called on the government to abolish the Pololeti Game Reserve and return the 1,502 square kilometres of land to the 16 villages in Loliondo and Sale to “end the panic and conflict.”
Finally, they demanded strict legal action against all officials involved in sabotaging citizens’ projects in the Ngorongoro Division, including the diversion of project funds to other areas.
“The recommendation by the land conflict assessment commission that NGOs in Ngorongoro District be assessed and appropriate action taken is a continuation of threats against civil society,” the statement concluded, arguing that the commissions were attempting to create hostility between the government and civil society.
