Ruaha National Park-Runapa

Last Updated
2023-12-04
Name of the Protected Area / Park / Reserve
RUAHA NATIONAL PARK-RUNAPA

In 1912 the Germans established it as a game reserve. Later, it was enlarged by the British, and finally, in 1964, the Tanzanian government declared the area to be a national park encompassing more than 10,200 square kilometers (3,938 sq. mi.).https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=afd9a249b716bd0dace79a24a1666a987640f166

Information about the protected area. https://www.tanzaniaparks.go.tz/uploads/publications/en-1634496032-RU-ENG.pdf

The National Park https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/6b60e2c2d20041828a34d8dd0e4dd1ed

 

Country
Tanzania
Status of the Protected Area
In Operation
UNESCO Classified
No
Carbon Offsetting Project
No
IUCN category of the Area /Park / Reserve
National Park
Name(s) of the Impacted Indigenous People(s) / Community / Villages
Maasai
Sangu
Toga
Barabaig
Name(s) of the Support Groups/NGOs and Contact Details

Pastoralists Indigenous Non-Governmental Organization's Forum (PINGOs)

Phone: +255-786-542525

Email: info@pingosforum.or.tz

Website: https://pingosforum.or.tz/

Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC)

Phone: +255 769 642 208

Email: info@thrdc.or.tz

Website: thrdc.or.tz

Ujamaa Community Resource Team (UCRT)

Phone: +255 767 568 444

Email: info@ujamaa-crt.or.tz

Website: https://www.ujamaa-crt.or.tz/

Information about Involved Institutions

The Friends of Ruaha Society (FORS) operates in primary schools within and around Ruaha National Park, providing essential training for local game scouts employed in the newly established Wildlife Management Area (WMA) to support those responsible for protecting Ruaha’s wildlife.https://www.foxessafaricamps.com/pages/friends-of-ruaha-society/
From 2015 to 2018, WCS received support from the Wyss Foundation and the Dorothy Batten Foundation. This backing was directed toward protected areas, specifically for elephant protection and monitoring, wildlife corridor management, and research and monitoring of carnivores and vultures.https://tanzania.wcs.org/landscapes/ruaha-katavi.aspx

World Bank Amount: US$150 million Project: Resilient Natural Resource Management for Tourism and Growth (REGROW)https://www.oaklandinstitute.org/sites/oaklandinstitute.org/files/unaccountable_complicit.pdf

Global Environment Facility (GEF) Amount: US$11.2 million Project Aim: "Supporting the Implementation of Integrated Ecosystem Management Approach for Landscape Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation in Tanzania" (2018)https://www.oaklandinstitute.org/sites/oaklandinstitute.org/files/unaccountable_complicit.pdf
 

 

Administrative Authority of the Protect Area / Park / Reserve and Contact Details

The park is managed and protected by Tanzania National Park (TANAPA)

The park is managed and protected by Tanzania National Park (TANAPA)

Director: William Mwakilema

Email:  william.mwakilema@tanzaniaparks.go.tz

Zonal Senior Conservation Commissioner – Southern

Name: Steria Ndaga

Email: steria.ndaga@tanzaniaparks.go.tz

Senior Assistant Conservation Commissioner Ruaha National Park P. O. Box 369 Iringa - Tanzania Email: ruaha@tanzaniaparks.go.tz

National Conservation / Environment Agency or Ministry in Charge of the Protect Area / Park / Reserve

The park is under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT). 

MINISTER: Hon. Angellah Jasmine Mbelwa Kairuki

DEPUTY MINISTER: Mr. Dunstan Luka Kitandula 

LOCATED: Capital City of Tanznia:  Dodoma

Contact: 
(+255) 22 2861870,

(+255) 22 2861871,

(+255) 22 2861872

Fax: (+255) 22 2864217

Major Public and Private Donors
WORLD BANK
The Global Environment Facility -GEF
The Centre for International Forest Research-CIFOR
The Wyss Foundation
The Dorothy Batten Foundation
The Tanzanian Vice President’s Office and National Environmental Management Council
Involved International Conservation NGOs, Foundations and Institutions
The Friends of Ruaha Society-FORS
The Wyss Foundation
The Oakland Institute
The Wildlife Conservation Significance-WCS
The Dorothy Batten Foundation
New York Zoological Society
The United Nations Environment Program-UNEP
The International Union for Conservation of Nature-IUCN
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations -FAO
Donor's Information
The WORLD BANK: Tel : +255 22 216 3256

lnabeta@worldbank.org

The Global Environment Facility -GEF: Bahia Egeh, UNHCR, Dar Es Salaam, +255 765 168 179

The Centre for International Forest Research-CIFOR: Email: cifor-nairobi@cifor-icraf.org

 

 

Historical Background

Established as the Saba Game Reserve 1910 under German colonial rule, the area that later became Ruaha National Park received early acknowledgment for its wildlife conservation significance. Renamed the Rungwa Game Reserve in 1946 during British rule, the protected area expanded, reflecting an ongoing commitment to preserving the region's natural heritage and achieving National Park status in 1964 as Ruaha National Park underscored its importance on a national level. 2008, the park experienced substantial growth through the government's annexation of the Usangu Game Reserve and parts of the Ihefu wetlands, becoming one of Africa's largest protected areas. From 2006 to 2016, it brought challenges, including the eviction of pastoralists and changes in land use that impacted local communities. Recognized for its tourism and conservation significance, Ruaha National Park has become a premier destination for wildlife enthusiasts, emphasizing a unique, less crowded safari experience. The park's management involves collaborative efforts to balance biodiversity protection with the needs of nearby communities, emphasizing a commitment to sustainable conservation practices.https://www.tanzaniaparks.go.tz/uploads/publications/en-1634496032-RU-ENG.pdf

 

 

 

 

Short description of the alleged violations

The "fortress" conservation model, exemplified by the REGROW project in Tanzania's RUNAPA, MINAPA, and NNP parks, has led to local communities losing land access. Focusing on RUNAPA, the government's ruthless park expansion plan, announced in October 2022, targets evictions affecting thousands of people from five villages and 47 sub-villages. The government claims the 2008 decision (GN 28) encompassed these areas, which needs to be clarified as the villages are legally registered, lack free, prior, and informed consent, and have generations-long residency. In response, 852 smallholder farmers filed a case to stop the evictions. The uncertainty has impacted daily life, with unplanted fields and halted construction, while education suffers due to the looming eviction threat. Minister Mabula's additional land use plans and potential eviction threats to 15 more villages compound the immense impact on communities living in fear.https://www.oaklandinstitute.org/sites/oaklandinstitute.org/files/unaccountable_complicit.pdf

Incidents in 2021, including the shooting of a fisherman and two herders, triggered calls for investigations. A report by Chama Cha Wafugaji Tanzania (CCWT) documented these and additional murders allegedly committed by RUNAPA rangers since 2017. Shockingly, women in Luhanga, Vikaye, and Mwanawala villages reported rapes by RUNAPA rangers, highlighting a distressing pattern of unreported crimes. In May 2023, TANAPA rangers' helicopter attack on herders in Mwanawala prompted parliamentary attention and an official visit, marked by threats to villagers if they spoke to the media.https://www.oaklandinstitute.org/sites/oaklandinstitute.org/files/unaccountable_complicit.pdf

In the Mbarali District, a key eviction target, livestock keeping is a crucial livelihood. Cattle seizures, documented in other Tanzanian protected areas, aim to coerce pastoralists to abandon their land. In September 2022, officials claimed herders invaded the Ihefu valley in RUNAPA, leading to a large-scale operation. RUNAPA's Assistant Conservation Commissioner admitted capturing 12,758 cattle, generating over TSh1.2 billion. Pastoralists report cruelty during seizures, echoing similar actions between 2006 and 2007.https://www.oaklandinstitute.org/sites/oaklandinstitute.org/files/unaccountable_complicit.pdf

Notable incidents include the seizure of 3,492 cattle in September 2022 and the auction of 172 cattle in November 2022, despite a court injunction. Subsequent seizures and auctions further exemplify the financial strain imposed on herders, exacerbating the impact on their lives and livelihoods.https://www.oaklandinstitute.org/sites/oaklandinstitute.org/files/unaccountable_complicit.pdf

Categories of Human Rights Violations
Rights to land, territory and natural resources including access to means of subsistence, adequate food and adequate housing
Right to Consultation and Free and Prior Informed Consent
Social Rights
Civil Rights
National Court Decisions

In the case of Heneri Mwadupa & Others vs. Hon. Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development & Others (Misc. Civil Cause No. 2 of 2023) [2023] TZHC 20220 (August 7, 2023), the High Court of Tanzania Mbeya Registry ruled in favor of the villagers. The court granted the order of mandamus and certiorari concerning Iyala village, quashing directives/orders issued on October 25, 2022. The 1st respondent was instructed to comply with legal procedures, allowing the 3rd applicant to make representations before any decisions are implemented against him. No costs were awarded since the applicants' claims did not succeed in all the channel villages.

 

Other Relevant Non-Judiciary Decisions

In April 2023, the Oakland Institute alerted the World Bank that the forced eviction of five villages and 47 sub-villages violated their safeguards, as these communities fall within the disputed boundaries drawn by GN 28. Despite the REGROW project's focus on RUNAPA, the World Bank denied responsibility, claiming that government actions unrelated to its financed project, such as evictions for park boundary extension, are outside its scope. The World Bank's failure to prevent these evictions underscores broader issues in the institution's oversight, as internal reports have revealed shortcomings and gaps in protecting displaced populations, demonstrating a persistent challenge in implementing safeguards and guidelines.https://www.oaklandinstitute.org/sites/oaklandinstitute.org/files/unaccountable_complicit.pdf

The World Bank's assertion of a zero-tolerance policy for violence is questioned as it undergoes inspection for compliance with safeguards amid accusations of complicity in the Tanzanian government's campaign of dispossession and human rights abuses.https://apnews.com/article/world-bank-tanzania-rights-abuses-national-park-88b64aac6dc64f4f8e3098d020ee094a

Latest Developments

TO BE COMPLETED BY AFFECTED INDIGENOUS PEOPLES