Tanzania government pays herders for confiscated livestock

Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba announced that the Tanzanian government has begun paying livestock keepers for animals seized under previous laws.

The government has disbursed approximately 3.8 billion Tanzanian shillings to compensate owners who won court cases regarding the seizure of their livestock. The move follows the repeal of specific provisions in the Wildlife Conservation Act of 2009. These amendments removed livestock from the list of properties that authorities could confiscate following a criminal conviction.

Nchemba stated that the previous law caused economic hardship for pastoralist families, sometimes resulting in the loss of entire herds even when only a few animals were linked to a crime. Some seizures also occurred without following proper legal procedures. The Prime Minister told residents in the Simiyu Region that the government will compensate owners whose confiscated cattle have already died.

He noted that the decision to review and change the law came after concerns raised by citizens during election campaigns with President Samia Suluhu Hassan. The government also plans to review other laws with similar flaws to protect citizens. In a separate measure, Nchemba directed the Ministry of Agriculture to liberalize cotton purchasing starting next season. This decision follows a decline in cotton production in the Meatu District.

The government reached an agreement with stakeholders to remove restrictions on cotton buying to help revive the crop and ensure farmers can access necessary production inputs.