HERDERS who have illegally brought livestock into the Ihefu Basin within the Ruaha National Park are soon to be evicted.

Godwell ole Meing’ataki, a senior assistant commissioner with the park, announced this intention early this week after a joint meeting between park officials and members of the Mbarali District defence and security committee, accompanied by traditional leaders like chiefs and other elders.

He said the move aims to protect the fragile ecosystem of the basin in Mbarali District, Mbeya Region, increasingly threatened by overgrazing and other human activities.

The meeting focused on strategies to remove the livestock and safeguard the park’s ecosystem, including critical sources of the Great Ruaha River, playing a vital role in electricity generation.

The conservator explained that the problem has worsened as herders from neighbouring regions have been moving livestock into the area usually under cover of darkness, with some herders driving cattle into the wetland zones of the Ihefu Basin.

These are areas that are difficult to monitor due to their inaccessibility by foot or vehicle, in which case the herds of livestock are often only detected through aerial patrols, he elaborated.

“We are here specifically to address this issue. Traditional leaders have a strong influence over communities, so I ask you to encourage herders to stop sending their livestock from the park. If we find livestock in the park, we will take action, including confiscation,” he declared.

Engaging with traditional leaders was part of TANAPA’s broader approach to resolving issues of this kind peacefully before resorting to forceful removal, he explained, while

Frank Sichalwe, the district administrative secretary (DAS), urged community leaders to take responsibility for preventing the entry of livestock into protected areas.

TANAPA rangers have to strictly enforce the law, in ensuring that herders within the park are promptly removed, he said, appealing to local herders to reduce the size of their herds by selling excess livestock and diversifying into other economic activities.

The district is currently home to more livestock than the designated grazing areas can support, contributing to tensions between livestock keepers and park managers, he said.

“The district has more livestock than it can sustain. If you have too many animals, consider reducing the number or exploring other ways to generate income. We must move towards more sustainable livestock-keeping practices to avoid conflicts with farmers and the park,” he emphasised.

Barick Julius, secretary for the Mbarali District Livestock Keepers’ Association, highlighted the challenge posed by overgrazing, noting that the district has enough land for 60,000 livestock while the current cattle population exceeds 200,000.

He appealed to the government to help secure grazing areas for local herders by facilitating access to land currently held by the National Agricultural and Livestock Corporation (NARCO), which has been converted for farming.

“If herders are provided with grazing land, it would help reduce the pressure on protected areas,” he said, while Julius Tisho, one of the participants, urged the government to take more decisive action, including using force if necessary, to evict herders who have entered the park.

He expressed concern that the presence of livestock in the park damages the area’s environmental integrity and tarnishing its reputation.

“We need the government to act strongly. The herders are from our community, but they are harming the park and we cannot allow this to continue,” he added.