Tanzania loses battle over Serengeti road project

[erfan]

Tanzania’s appeal to block a case against the construction of a highway across the Serengeti National Park was dismissed on Thursday by the East African Court of Justice.

The Appellate Division of the regional court ruled that EACJ has full jurisdiction to hear the case because the park was part of the transnational ecosystem straddling Kenya and Tanzania.

Reading the ruling at the court chambers on Moshi Road, judge James Ogola said matters pertaining to environmental conservation cut across nation states and are included in the EAC Treaty.

Natural resources

“The court has jurisdiction to hear environment disputes which directly affect the ecosystem and touch on the sustainable utilisation of the natural resources, including terrestrial ecosystems,” he said.

The ruling comes after the attorney-general of Tanzania had objected to the hearing of a case which was filed by a Nairobi-based non-governmental organisation in December 2010 against the tarmac road project across the northern fringes of the park.

The case was filed by the African Network for Animal Welfare (Anaw) through Kanchory and Co Advocates of Nairobi and was set to be heard at the First Instance Division of EACJ before Tanzania’s objection last year.
Through the AG, Tanzania argued that the court had no jurisdiction to hear the case under Article 27 of the EAC Treaty on grounds that it was a matter of a sovereign nature, not falling under the EAC protocols.

The AG further argued in the preliminary objection that any legal dispute on the Serengeti National Park should be handled by the country’s courts as the park was within Tanzania’s borders and managed locally.

But the Appellate Division of the Court on Thursday upheld the dismissal of the objection on grounds that the court not only has jurisdiction on the case but also on grounds that the objections filed were not proper.
Six objections

Judge Ogola said he was dismissing the six objections raised by the Tanzania Government because the court was convinced it has full mandate to hear the dispute that pits various interest groups in the two EAC member states.

It took about one-and-a-half hours for the ruling to be read during a court session presided over by the EACJ president, Justice Harold Nsekela, and other judges. Present were EACJ staff, lawyers and media representatives from across the region.

An earlier suit by the Anaw contested Tanzania’s intention to build a “super highway” crossing the Serengeti, with the Nairobi-based organisation arguing that it would be hazardous to animals.

After Thursday’s ruling, the EACJ registrar Dr John Ruhangisa, told reporters that hearing of the main case would start any time, arguing that the controversial road project is no longer a sovereign matter but touches the EA region.

 

[MAMMAMIA]

That's nice! It is good news for the well-being of the environment. I wish more activists to raise and object in the mining of uranium.

 

[Tewe]

Environmet?, ecosystem?, shit! Are these things new? People of ngorongoro district are suffering. Tar mark road exist along mikumi national park yet life goes on with ecosystem and environment. Environment compliant project like Makuyuni-Ngorongoro road can be implemented for the benefit of both stupid ecosystem and peoples of ngorongoro district. Nyang'aus benefits from our natural resourcess and eg parks, minerals $ mt. Kilimanjaro via ujanja ujanja. To hell EAC desicions for development of Ngorongoro people

 

[Kabaridi]

Environmet?, ecosystem?, shit! Are these things new? People of ngorongoro district are suffering. Tar mark road exist along mikumi national park yet life goes on with ecosystem and environment. Environment compliant project like Makuyuni-Ngorongoro road can be implemented for the benefit of both stupid ecosystem and peoples of ngorongoro district. Nyang'aus benefits from our natural resourcess and eg parks, minerals $ mt. Kilimanjaro via ujanja ujanja. To hell EAC desicions for development of Ngorongoro people

Remember that we always benefit and we are benefiting big time, but despite the natural resources being in your possession, you have failed to translate their value to benefit the ecosystem and the environments including the community near those resources. all you are concerned about is stupid levies...... levies ..........tolls, and tariffs that find their way in the pockets of a few greedy individuals.

After Thursday's ruling, the EACJ registrar Dr John Ruhangisa, told reporters that hearing of the main case would start any time, arguing that the controversial road project is no longer a sovereign matter but touches the EA region.

 

[PISTO LERO]

SERIKALI ya Tanzania imebwagwa katika rufaa yake iliyokata dhidi ya uamuzi wa mahakama ya Afrika Mashariki ya kuzuia ujenzi wa barabara ya Musoma-Serengeti-Arusha baada ya kitengo cha Rufaa cha Mahakama hiyo jana kuamua kuwa uamuzi huo ulikuwa sahihi.

Ofisi ya Mwanasheria Mkuu wa serikali ya Tanzania ilipinga hati hiyo kwa madai kuwa mahakama haikuwa na mamlaka ya kufanya hivyo kisheria.

Kupitia kwa Wakili Mkuu wa Serikali, Gabriel Malata serikali ya Tanzania ilidai mbele ya jopo la majaji watatu wa mahakama hiyo wakiongozwa na Rais wao, Jaji Harold Nsekela, Jaji James Ogoola na Jaji Emilie Kayitesi kuwa hati hiyo iliyotokana na shauri lililofunguliwa dhidi yake na taasisi isiyo ya kiserikali inayoshughulikia haki za wanyama ya Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW) ya nchini Kenya inayopinga mradi huo haikuwa halali kisheria.

Wakili Malata alidai licha ya mahakama hiyo kuwa na uwezo wa kusikiliza na kuamua shauri, suala hilo linahusu mambo ya ndani ya Tanzania na yalistahili kuwasilishwa na raia wa Tanzania au NGO ya Kitanzania mbele ya mahakama iliyo ndani na chini ya mamlaka ya nchi ya Tanzania.

Maombi hayo ya Tanzania yalipingwa na wakili Saitabao Kanchory Mbalelo anayewakilisha walalamikaji aliyedai mahakama hiyo ina uwezo na mamlaka ya kutoa hati ya kuzuia utekelezaji wa mradi huo na kuomba mahakama kutupilia mbali rufaa hiyo.

Akisoma uamuzi wa jopo hilo kwa niaba ya wenzake jana, Jaji Ogoola alisema kifungu cha 9 cha mkataba wa Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki kinaipa mamlaka, haki kisheria Mahakama ya Afrika Mashariki kutoa hati ya zuio na hivyo kutupilia mbali rufaa ya serikali ya Tanzania.

Pamoja na mambo mengine taasisi hiyo ya Kenya kwa kushirikiana na taasisi zingine za ndani ya nchi wanaoungwa mkono na baadhi ya nchi wafadhili na mashirika ya kimataifa ya fedha wanapinga ujenzi wa barabara hiyo kutoka Musoma-Mugumu-Ngorongoro hadi Arusha mjini kwa madai kuwa utafanya magari mengi kupitia njia hiyo na hivyo kuathiri ikolojia ya wanyama wanaohama kutoka hifadhi ya Serengeti nchini Tanzania kwenda hifadhi ya Masai Mara nchini Kenya kila mwaka

ANGALIZO:
Ø Kwa mtindo huu wa kenya kuingilia mambo ya ndani ya Tanzania kila wakati na kizivuruga nini maana yake?

Ø Ikumbukwe pia walishawahi kuvuruga tana pale tanzania ilipoomba kibali cha kuuza meno ya temba na wakafanikiwa.

Ø Mbona sisi hatukuwaingilia pale walipoomba kibali cha kujenga bandari ya lamu?

Ø Kwa mtindo hu,nini manufaa na faida ya kuwa na east africa community kama wenzetu wanakua wanafiki na kinyume na sisi kila wakati?

 

[Makupa]

Tanzania ni nchi ya amani kuliko nchi zote za EAC hivyo ni vizuri wakenya wakaachwa kuendelea na uchokozi wao, waachwe waendelee kujenga mahoteli mazuri kwenye mbuga zao ili watalii wanaokuja Tanzania wakose hotel nzuri, kuna tangazo kuwa beach za mombasa hazina mbu kama za dar sisi bado hatulalamiki na bado

 

[rosemarie]

kama wanaingilia mambo yetu na wanatushinda ni kwa sababu ya upumbavu wetu'kwani sisi hatuna wataalam wa sheria wa kupambana nao?nchi hii wote tuko sawa msomi na asiye msomi

 

[macho_mdiliko]

Wewe hapa unaendekeza ushabiki usio na maana. Wewe unaona ni malumbano ya Kenya vs Tanzania wakati ukweli ni malumbano ya Uharibifu vs uhifadhi. Huoni vitu vyote walivyopinga vina mantiki na vinawasaidia hata watanzania (ambao kama kawaida yao) wamekaa kimya kama nyumbu wa serengeti, wakati viongozi wao wasio na busara wakitaka kuharibu?
Wacha wawaamshe waliolala bwana na sio kuleta kiswahili murefu kama mulolongo ya gari!

 

[PISTO LERO]

tanzania ni nchi ya amani kuliko nchi zote za eac hivyo ni vizuri wakenya wakaachwa kuendelea na uchokozi wao, waachwe waendelee kujenga mahoteli mazuri kwenye mbuga zao ili watalii wanaokuja tanzania wakose hotel nzuri,kuna tangazo kuwa beach za mombasa hazina mbu kama za dar sisi bado hatulalamiki na bado

ndugu unaona ni haki kuendelea kuwanyamazia tu

 

[Losomich]

Tatizo la Tz ni kwamba hatuna uongozi wenye uzalendo na nchi yao. Hawana muda wa kutafakari mambo kama hayo wako busy na mikakati ya kuiba rasilimali za nchi kwa starehe zo pamoja na maswaahiba wao. Wakulaumiwa ni wakuu wetu tuliowapa thamana ya kutuongoza pamoja na kulinda rasilimali zetu, kwani wametusaliti mno.

 

[bucho]

Dawa ya mchezo wa wakenya ni laigwanan maana anawajua a-z .

 

[Highlander]

Yule laigwanan wa A to Z. Au? Hivi umewahi kujiuliza hata siku moja utajiri wake umetokana na nini huyo laigwanan wako?

 

[JokaKuu]

..serikali ya Tanzania ilitangaza kwamba reli pamoja na barabara hazitapita ktk mbuga ya serengeti.

..sijui kwanini mahakama iliendelea kusikiliza kesi hiyo.

..wataalamu wameweza kuonyesha kwamba barabara inayopita kusini, nje ya mbuga ya serengeti, ina manufaa zaidi kuliko hiyo inayokatiza ndani ya mbuga.

 

[JokaKuu]

Remember that we always benefit and we are benefiting big time, but despite the natural resources being in your possession, you have failed to translate their value to benefit the ecosystem and the environments including the community near those resources. all you are concerned about is stupid levies...... levies ..........tolls, and tariffs that find their way in the pockets of a few greedy individuals.

After Thursday’s ruling, the EACJ registrar Dr John Ruhangisa, told reporters that hearing of the main case would start any time, arguing that the controversial road project is no longer a sovereign matter but touches the EA region.

Mzalendo452,

..I read somewhere that Tanzania is now leading Kenya when it comes to earnings from tourism sector.

..hizo fee za mipakani labda authorities wanataka kuhakikisha tunapata maximum profits.

..pia kuna tourist attraction nyingi zaidi, na nzuri zaidi huku Tanzania as compared to Kenya. tourists are really being short charged na wa-Kenya.

NB:

..makampuni ya Kenya yafungue ofisi huku Tanzania na kupokea watalii thr' Kilimanjaro Int Airport na Dsm.

..kuna attractions nyingine kama Selous game reserve in southern Tz, Ruaha, Igombe[famous for gorillas], etc etc.

 

[Mamzalendo]

I support the decision enough on the enviroment destruction,and its high time people should learn to respect professionals you trained various people on enviroment then accept the reports,next time we should know what we are signing,good lesson to the government,

 

[Rufiji]

It seems we have lost our sovereignty as a nation after signing for EAC .

 

[Makupa]

ndugu unaona ni haki kuendelea kuwanyamazia tu

Sasa kama hata mlima kilimanjaro wanasema uko.kwao.siku.zote na sisi.hatajachukua hatua tufanyeje

 

[Al_morinaga]

Nikifikiria tu neno kenya,,povu la hasira huwa linanijaaa

 

[Makupa]

Nikifikiria tu neno kenya,,povu la hasira huwa linanijaaa

Mkuu.ningekuwa na maumuzi.nchi hii Wakenya wote na wahindi ndio ningeanza nao.then wakongoman

 

[Nyakageni]

tuweke itikadi za vyama pembeni na kulaani hatua hii. Nachukia sana mikataba ya kimataifa inayotunyima fursa. Mkataba mwingine mbaya ni wa mto NILE! Ziwa letu eti tukitaka maji mpaka ruhusa yao. Eeh watanzania tuungane katika hili