Tanzania: Buffalos terrorize civilians, kill one

Mugini Jacob Africa News Reporter in Serengeti, Tanzania

Buffalos hailing from the world famous Serengeti National Park (SENAPA) have killed a civilian at the interior remote village of Masurura in Tarime in the northern Tanzania , police confirmed yesterday.

“ It is true the buffalos have killed one person in the village and my subordinates including Officer Commanding District (OCD) have rushed to the scene to gather more information”, Acting Regional Police Commander for Tarime special police zone Mr Eliackimu Masenga told reporters on Wednesday.

The deceased has been identified as Wambura Ginchi about 45 years and small peasants in the area.
“The buffalos were very aggressive and the rolled him up three times before killing him”, a senior government expert who wished not to be named said.

The incident took place on Sunday morning , according to Mr Masenga who is also the Regional Crime Officer(RCO).

The villagers confronted the buffalos and managed to kill one , to reports from the scene.
“They were three buffalos and one of them was killed by angry villagers. Rangers from the nearest game post came found dead bodies of the killed buffalo and Wambura”, a local leader said.
Buffulao is rated as one of the big five found in SENAPA as is cases for black rhinos,giraffes, lions and elephants.

It is very rarely for buffalos to cross the world famous park and enter into people’s residential areas to attack civilians as it is the case for elephants.

Last week another civilian was killed by stray jumbos at Bisarara village in the neighbouring Serengeti district whose large part is made of game protected areas.

Tarime and Serengeti local leader have always accused the Tanzania National Park(TANAPA) for allegedly ignoring effects caused by animals in the villages located near the world famous park.
The destructive mammals have also caused massive destruction on crop farms plunging hundreds of households into hunger in the villages. Serengeti district is the hardest part, according to official reports.

TANAPA General Director General Mr Allan Kijazi was not immediately available for comment.
The animals are now crossing 15-20 km from the SENAPA and game reserves situated in the western Serengeti to terrorise civilians.

Former Prime Minister Edward Lowassa directed relevant authorities to bring the problem of invaded elephants to an end as soon as the fourth phase government that is led by President Jakaya Kikwete was voted to power in 2005.

A team of senior wildlife experts from various departments including TANAPA was formed to visit villages prone to stray jumbos but the result of the work is yet to be made public to date.

Senior government leaders have been rarely speaking about the destructive jumbos compared to poaching incidents and income lured from tourists visiting the country’s tourist destinations.