simplemind
JF-Expert Member
- Apr 10, 2009
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Tanzania court has ordered the auctioning of 1,305 cows from Kenya impounded in Mwanga district last Friday.
The court in Arusha on Tuesday ordered the cows auctioned on Friday and the proceeds handed to the state if the herders fail to pay a trespass penalty of TSh500 million (Sh23 million).
The owner of the cows, Ngunyi ole Ngunja, told the court he does not have money to pay the fine.
Four Kenyan herders, the livestock owner and five elders who had crossed to Tanzania to negotiate the release of the cows were thrown back into remand.
They have been charged with being in Tanzania without valid travel documents.
This was confirmed by Livestock and Fisheries minister Luhaga Mpina on Tuesday's 9pm news from Dar-es-Salaam.
In the announcement on ITV, Mpina said the government has already appointed a broker to facilitate the sale.
The court decision has strained relations between the Kisonko Maasai from Kenya and Tanzania who share a common border.
Last Thursday Foreign Affairs CS Amina Mohamed attempted to secure the livestock, but the country's leadership refused to engage her.
The CS had reportedly said negotiations were at “high level” and the cows would be released on Tuesday, thesame day the court ruled they be auctioned.
The 10 Kenyans have been denied bail. Tanzanian police have detained two vehicles belonging to the herders.
Elder Lekarokia ole Nangoro, who travelled to Arusha on Tuesday to attend the court session, said they were met with such hostility.
He said there was a conflict over the number of cows, with the prosecution saying 1,305 and the police 605.
Kajiado Governor Joseph ole Lenku said the Kisonko Maasai from Kenya have always hosted their Tanzanian counterparts in times of drought.
The court in Arusha on Tuesday ordered the cows auctioned on Friday and the proceeds handed to the state if the herders fail to pay a trespass penalty of TSh500 million (Sh23 million).
The owner of the cows, Ngunyi ole Ngunja, told the court he does not have money to pay the fine.
Four Kenyan herders, the livestock owner and five elders who had crossed to Tanzania to negotiate the release of the cows were thrown back into remand.
They have been charged with being in Tanzania without valid travel documents.
This was confirmed by Livestock and Fisheries minister Luhaga Mpina on Tuesday's 9pm news from Dar-es-Salaam.
In the announcement on ITV, Mpina said the government has already appointed a broker to facilitate the sale.
The court decision has strained relations between the Kisonko Maasai from Kenya and Tanzania who share a common border.
Last Thursday Foreign Affairs CS Amina Mohamed attempted to secure the livestock, but the country's leadership refused to engage her.
The CS had reportedly said negotiations were at “high level” and the cows would be released on Tuesday, thesame day the court ruled they be auctioned.
The 10 Kenyans have been denied bail. Tanzanian police have detained two vehicles belonging to the herders.
Elder Lekarokia ole Nangoro, who travelled to Arusha on Tuesday to attend the court session, said they were met with such hostility.
He said there was a conflict over the number of cows, with the prosecution saying 1,305 and the police 605.
Kajiado Governor Joseph ole Lenku said the Kisonko Maasai from Kenya have always hosted their Tanzanian counterparts in times of drought.