Hapo chini, alitaka kujenga hoteli ya kifahari yenye thamani ya usd 35m...
Local investors $ 35m luxury lodge project hangs
in the balance
By Arusha Times Correspondent
An Arusha-based local investor has complained to the government and its agencies over his stalled project to construct a $ 35 million luxury lodge near the Ngorongoro Crater.
Vincent Laswai, the managing director and proprietor of Kibo Palace Hotel based in Arusha said recently he had acquired 10 acres in 2006 to construct the facility but he had not secured a permit to go ahead from the relevant authorities.
"I have been given a greenlight by the local people and the village government but my plans have stalled and I don't know who is stopping us from going ahead with the project", he said in an interview.
His firm intended to construct a modern lodge at Nainokanoka village, about 20 kilometres north of the Ngorongoro crater in order to tap the huge tourism potential of the Ngorongoro highlands.
"I got land with the blessing of the villagers and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) and was also cleared by the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) but strangely I am yet to get greenlight to proceed with implementation of the project", he pointed out.
Mr. Laswai, who operates a chain of businesses in Tanzania and Kenya, said neither NCAA nor the ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism were categorical on reasons why they are still hesitant to allow construction of the lodge at Nainokanoka.
"NCAA says it is the ministry which is delaying the project. The ministry on its part says we have to meet certain conditions governing the conservation area. I don't know which side is correct", he stated.
The businessman added that at one time his project was cleared by the Parliamentary Committee on Lands, Natural Resources and Environment headed by the Kahama MP James Lembeli.
"The minister (Lazaro Nyalandu) is also aware of this", he explained.
When contacted over the issue, the communication manager with NCAA Mr. Adam Akyoo said he was not aware of the stalled lodge project since investment matters do not fall directly under him.
However, he explained that all the development projects within the 8,292 square kilometre Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) were guided by the General Management Plan (GMP) prepared by experts and endorsed by the Board of Trustees.
He added that although investors were welcome to put up lodges and other facilities within the conservation area, there are specific areas where no type of human development is allowed because of their ecology.
These include areas within and close to the crater and its rim and other sites in the famous Ngorongoro which are considered to be ecologically fragile to increased human activities.
Efforts to reach out the Conservator Dr. Fred Manongi to comment on the issue were fruitless.
But during its last visit to NCA, the Parliamentary team led by the Kahama legislator was quoted as saying it was not in favour of construction of lodges at Layanai area near the crater and which is said to be the corridor for the endangered rhinocerous.
He argued that the committee was not against construction of accommodation facilties which can attract more visitors to the area but that there were other suitable sites for the construction of hotels, lodges and luxury camps but not within or close to the crater.
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