Bunda district dwellers are confirmed to be facing a serious food shortage that has triggered a rise in grain prices, with maize taking the lead fetching Sh.6000 per bucket compared to the normal Sh. Price Sh. 3,500.
It has been a perennial problem facing people dwelling around the national park, especially Bunda and Serengeti districts in Mara region, interviewed residents told The Guardian at midweek.
The residents raised their complaints to the CCM National Executive Committee member Boniface Mwita during a tour of Hunyari ward in Bunda district, saying that food shortages were plunging them into social and economic despair.
Mwita who was on an implementation tour of CCM tasks in the area listened to the complaints and inspected development projects.
Elephants have been a huge problem to residents in the area, invading their homes and destroying crops, a meeting in Hunyari village and open rallies in Mariwanda village were told.
Apart from destruction of crops, and causing hunger, the huge animals threaten lives. Some people have been injured and others lost their lives in clashing with the beasts, residents further complained.
Reserve soldiers have been on the forefront and make fast track on cases of incursion into residential areas. When an animal is killed or reports are heard that elephants invaded and killed people the local authorities take a long time to make a move.
“We are frustrated by these soldiers. When an animal is killed or even if it is just some rumours you will see a lot of soldiers and cars which we haven’t seen before, but when elephants invade our homes it is quite different,” said Mataso Makonye, a resident of Hunyari ward.
In the wake of destruction of their crops the government has not shown concern and compensation paid to console them was not enough comparing to the size of their farms and the complimentary pay takes far too long to be made, they said.
Furthermore the residents complained about the absence of reserve soldiers to ensure their safety, enabling animals to move from the reserve at will and invade people’s homes.
They said they have been experiencing the challenge for a long time but the government was not helpful in solving the problem.
The deputy minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mahmud Hassan Mgimwa visited them on July 21 and promised that reserve soldiers would be sent to the ward but to date no soldier had been sent.
Kiharata village executive Hunyari Sumera and Mariwanda village officer Paulo Hongo said because of crop crushing by elephants, the cost of grain had tripled, one plastic bag sold at Sh3500 but right now it is close to Tsh6000.
Mwita, NEC member for Bunda district, said challenges from the animals were a long time problem and the government should take strong measures to curb it.
Already the government had declared that it will bring grain supplies to help residents of Hunyari and Mariwanda to overcome hunger.
But he urged village and ward officers to inspect the distribution of food to avoid complications. Residents whose crops were destroyed or lost valuables in homes have to register their names for compensation to be paid by the district authorities.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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