COMMERCIAL ROAD LINKING MARA AND ARUSHA REGIONS

THROUGH SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK – TANZANIA

By Bipin Vishani

BACKGROUND:  The government, through its Transport Sector Improvement Programme (TSIP); has decided to construct an all weather commercial road that would connect the regions of Mara and Arusha through the world-famous Serengeti National Park (SENAPA). This road will be routing from Natta-“Mugumu - Tabora B - Klein'™s Camp-Loliondo; while the other section will be from Loliondo - Mto wa Mbu, then joining the existing road to Arusha city. The aim for this construction is to contribute towards improving the economical, transport, health, education, agriculture, trade, industry sectors as well as other aspects of basic human requirements. This project is expected to commence in the year 2012.

Mara region is currently connected by such a commercial road from Musoma (Regional Headquarters™) to Mwanza, and commercial road travel to Arusha region is by passing parts of Mwanza, Shinyanga and Singida regions. The current direct road connecting the two regions passes Mugumu-SENAPA-Ngorongoro Conservation Area-Karatu before joining the existing commercial road to Arusha city. Another road connects Mara to neighboring Kenya.

SENAPA (SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK): SENAPA has in itself hardly any HUMAN habitation -“ apart from the park'™s personnel and visitors to the various tourist hotels, lodges and camps. Tourism in Tanzania contributes to 8% (US $ 1.6 Billion) of the National Revenue. Tourism also provides 6.3% (1 out of every 15 jobs) of Tanzania's direct employment, with additional indirect jobs in various sectors benefitting both regions. SENAPA, being the largest and most famous in the country, contributes towards the highest receipts from the whole of Wildlife tourism. Thus the importance of sustainable Tourism for Tanzania'™s economic development and growth cannot be overstated.

The people of this area (outside the boundaries of SENAPA and nearby Game Reserves) are mainly farmers and pastoralists. Crops grown here include cotton, maize, cassava, millet, vegetables and fruits; while livestock keeping is mainly practiced on both sides. There is limited commercial fishing in Mara region through Lake Victoria. Arusha region has prominent farming in wheat, coffee, flowers, maize, vegetables and fruits as well. Both regions have abundant tourist attractions (current and potential development opportunities),“ and both regions significantly share large parts of Serengeti and bordering Game Reserves.

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IMPACTS FOR THE COMMERCIAL ROAD IN SENAPA (AND ITS ADJACENT GAME RESERVES): It is significantly important for the people of Tanzania to enjoy the fruits of economic progress the country has achieved so far, and a part of that is reliable, all weather roads so agricultural produce, livestock and general travel and transport needs are sufficiently met by all classes of society. Additionally, good roads cater for better services in other sectors including health, education and other social needs inherent for basic human requirements. Distance, costs and time are also contributing factors towards deciding as which is the most safe, efficient and economical way to move from one point to another.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY:  Many people (within Tanzania and other countries) are of the opinion that a commercial road passing through SENAPA will have harmful effects on the delicate ecosystem of the Serengeti Plains and Maasailand (which extend into neighboring Kenya as well). Some of the effects feared include: increased human activities in SENAPA and its neighboring Game Reserves, Future Human Settlements (permanent: service stations, relief shops, dispensaries etc) within the park and reserves, inclusion of foreign (non-natural) flora and fauna, increased pollution (e.g.: human waste, unrecyclable items like plastics, glass, metals from bottle tops and cans etc; which could devastate the unique park and its status as a World Heritage Site. Speed limits and park visiting hours (daytime only) will not apply for the commercial road -“ and this might result in increased poaching and likelihood of road accidents between vehicles and wildlife, causing economic damages, loss of limb or even loss of lives; both human, livestock and wildlife.

Also, by experience and tradition; the potential for ACTUAL trade and commercial exchange between the two regions has not been sufficiently researched to justify the construction of a highway across SENAPA and its surrounding Game Reserves. The average citizen residing in either region would probably require traveling at most once or twice annually for non-commercial purposes. Also, considering the distance from Mugumu to Loliondo, there are not enough stops in between for human services like restaurants, toilets etc; and this would have to necessitate such stations are built as well -“ resulting in human encroachment. Thus the need would be mainly for goods/cargo services.

These environmental concerns have led to a proposal for an alternative way whereby each party will benefit (a win-win situation). Wildlife, Nature and the Environment will be preserved, and MORE THAN FIVE times the human population will be served if the government would consider and implement the construction of the road passing south of the SENAPA and then north-east towards Karatu/Mto wa Mbu.

KISWAHILI VERSION

BARABARA KUU YA KUUNGANISHA MIKOA YA MARA NA ARUSHA

KUPITIA MBUGA YA WANYAMAPORI YA SERENGETI,“ TANZANIA

Bipin Vishani

DIBAJI: Serikali, kupitia Mkakati wa Kuboresha Sekta ya Usafiri (TSIP); imeamua kujenga barabara kuu (commercial road) itakayounganisha mikoa ya Mara na Musoma kupitia Mbuga ya Wanyamapori ya Serengeti (SENAPA) ambayo ni maarufu duniani kote, pia ikiwa na hadhi ya Urithi wa Dunia. Barabara hii itapitia,  Natta - Mugumu - Tabora B - Klein'™s Camp-Loliondo; huku sehemu nyingine itaanzia Loliondo - Mto wa Mbu, kisha kuungana na barabara iliyopo kuelekea jiji la Arusha. Nia ya ujenzi huu ni kuchangia katika kuboresha hali ya uchumi, usafiri, afya, elimu, kilimo, biashara na viwanda pamoja na sekta nyinginezo muhimu kwa kuendeleza mahitaji ya huduma za msingi za mwanadamu. Mradi huu unatarajiwa kuanza ifikapo mwaka 2012.

SENAPA (MBUGA YA WANYAMAPORI - SERENGETI ): SENAPA kwa sasa haina makazi hasa ya BINADAMU -“ ukiacha kambi za wafanyakazi wa mbuga na watalii wanaofikia kwenye mahoteli na kambi za utalii zilizopo humo. Sekta ya Utalii Tanzania inachangia asilimia 8 ya Pato la Taifa (Dola za Marekani Bilioni 1.6) Utalii pia unachangia kwa kutoa ajira za moja kwa moja kiasi cha asilimia 6.3 (ajira moja kwa kila nafasi 15 nchini), pamoja na ajira fuatilizi katika sekta mbalimbali husika; ambazo hunufaisha mikoa hiyo miwili. Mbuga ya Serengeti (SENAPA), ikiwa ndiyo kubwa kabisa na yenye sifa zaidi nchini; ndiyo inayochangia mapato makubwa zaidi katika kitengo chote cha mapato yatokanayo na utalii wa wanyamapori nchini. Hivyo, si rahisi kusisitiza umuhimu wa Utalii endelevu kwa ajili ya kuchangia maendeleo ya uchumi na ukuaji wake kwa Tanzania.

Wakazi wa maeneo haya (yaliyopo nje ya SENAPA na Mbuga za Hifadhi za jirani) ni wakulima na wafugaji. Mazao yanayostawi ni pamoja na pamba, mahindi, muhogo, mtama, mboga za majani na matunda; shughuli za uvuvi hufanyika kwa kiasi katika mkoa wa Mara kwenye ziwa Viktoria.. Mkoa wa Arusha una kiasi kikubwa cha kilimo cha ngano, kahawa, maua, mboga za majani na matunda pia. Mikoa yote ina vivutio vingi vya utalii (vilivyopo sasa pamoja na vinavyoweza kuendelezwa) -“ na mikoa yote miwili inashirikiana katika kuwepo kwa mbuga ya Serengeti na hifadhi za wanyama katika mipaka yao.

FAIDA NA HASARA ZA KUWEPO KWA BARABARA KUU NDANI YA MBUGA YA SERENGETI  (NA HIFADHI ZA JIRANI):  Ni bayana kwamba umuhimu wa wananchi wa Tanzania kunufaika na matunda ya maendeleo yaliyopatikana nchini hadi sasa upo sana, na sehemu mojawapo ni katika kuwa na barabara za uhakika zinazopitika wakati wote; ili kupitisha mazao ya kilimo, mifugo na mahitaji ya usafiri kwa ujumla kwa tabaka zote za jamii. Pamoja na hayo, barabara huchangia katika upatikanaji wa huduma bora kwenye sekta nyingine zikiwemo afya, elimu, na huduma za msingi katika mahitaji ya mwanadamu. Umbali, gharama za nauli na muda pia huchangia katika kuamua kwamba ni uamuzi upi utakuwa salama, unaoaminika, na wenye gharama nafuu kwa usafiri kutoka sehemu moja hadi nyingine. Jambo jingine muhimu sana ni kuzingatia UTUNZAJI MAZINGIRA WA MUDA MREFU NA ENDELEVU.

Watu wengi (ndani na nje ya Tanzania) wamekuwa na maoni kwamba barabara kuu kukatisha mbuga ya Serengeti utaathiri hali ya uotoasili na baionuai,  ya Nyanda za Serengeti na Umaasaini (ambazo zinaendelea hadi nchi jirani ya Kenya). Baadhi ya mambo yanayohofiwa ni pamoja na ongezeko la shughuli za wanadamu katika Serengeti na Hifadhi za Taifa za jirani, kuwepo kwa makazi ya kudumu ya watu katika mbuga na hifadhi, kuingizwa kwa vioto visivyo vya asili kama mimea ya kigeni, ongezeko la uchafuzi wa mazingira, uchafu, vitu visivyooza kama plastiki, chupa na vioo, makopo, na kadhalika ; vitu ambavyo vitaharibu kabisa uasili wa mbuga na hadhi yake kama Urithi wa Dunia. Sheria za masharti ya mwendo ndani ya mbuga hazitaweza kutumika tena -“ na hali hii itaweza kusababisha ongezeko la uwindaji haramu, ajali katika barabara baina ya magari na wanyamapori, vikisababisha hasara za kiuchumi, na hata kupoteza maisha -“ kwa wanadamu na wanyama pia.

Pamoja na yote hayo, uzoefu na kikawaida, uwezekano wa ongezeko kubwa katika biashara na uchumi UNAOTARAJIWA baina ya mikoa hii miwili haujafanyiwa utafiti wa kutosha kuthibitisha umuhimu wa kujengwa barabara kupitia Mbuga ya Serengeti, na Hifadhi za Taifa zilizopo jirani. Mwananchi wa kawaida anayeishi katika mojawapo ya mikoa hii anategemewa kufanya safari moja au mbili zisizo za kikazi,  kwenda mkoa mwingine kwa mwaka.  Vilevile, kwa kukadiria umbali baina ya Mugumu na Loliondo kwa barabara, vituo vya huduma muhimu kama sehemu za vyakula, haja, na kadhalika, kwa sasa hakuna na vitahitajika kujengwa -“ jambo litakalosababisha uwepo wa kudumu wa makazi ya wanadamu, hivyo umuhimu kwa sasa inaelekea ni kwa ajili ya usafirishaji wa mizigo/mali.

Hata hivyo, utafiti wa wanamazingira umepelekea kuwa na pendekezo mbadala wa barabara ambapo pande zote husika za wadau zitafaidi (kila upande ukitoka mshindi). Wanyamapori, Uasilia, Mazingira -“ vyote vitanufaika na kudumishwa; pia zaidi ya MARA TANO ya wananchi watapata huduma muhimu ikiwa serikali itatathmini na kuafiki ujenzi wa barabara itakayopita kusini mwa mbuga ya Serengeti (SENAPA), na kuelekea kaskazini-mashariki kwenda Karatu/Mto wa Mbu.