Pastoralism is challenge in Tanzania

Extensive grazing is one of the major causes of conflicts between famers and pastoralists in many parts of Tanzania. The conflicts tend to persist in many places, due to the fact that pastoralists seem to be affluent than farmers, and therefore able to influence the relevant authorities to protect them.
Major Pastoralists in Tanzania
Sukuma, Maasai and Kurya tribes are predominantly pastoralists; Sukuma tribe is leading, as it occupies about five regions of the country, namely Mwanza, Shinyanga, Geita, Tabora and part of Mara region. It is estimated that there are about pastoralists in Africa; while in Tanzania, there are about 111,000 pastoralists with about 18 million indigenous cattle, as indicated by A. P. Njombe, Y. N. Msanga, A. E. Temba and M. Tsoxo. Larger percentage of land in Tanzania is either freehold or customarily owned, contrary to other countrieas like Burundi, Rwanda and Kenya whereby, almost every piece of land is under control of either indivividual or public agency.
Migration of Pastoralists
As result of scarcity of pastures, many pastoralists (especially Sukuma, who are the majority) are migrating from their places of origin Shinyanga, Mwanza, Geita, Tabora with flocks of cattle ranging from 50 to even more than 5,000, to other places within the country, while others are even crossing the borders, and get to Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. Lack of clear pastoralism policy, contributes to the conflicts and violence in the different parts of Tanzania. For example, Dr. Martin Walsh documented that, in 2006 more than 200,000 cattle with their herdsmen were evicted by government from Usangu Valley, and as a result they moved to Songea, Chunya, Rukwa, and Mafinga, where they caused conflicts with farmers.
Effects of pastoral life
Apart from the fact that pastoralists cause many conflicts with other members of society due to competition for resources, especially pastures and water, their families lack very important social services such as potable water, primary health care, improved houses, and most importantly, education for their children. In most cases, children from pastoralists' families, do not get chance to attend school; Pastoralists can not build permanent homes, as they shift on regular basis, from one place to any other place depending on the availability of pastures and water for their cattle - in other words, people are driven by needs of their animals, instead of those animals meeting their needs. In short most of the people who were able to get out of the shackles of pastoralism, feel like rescued from the tunnel of darkness and now focus more on among others, the education for their children.
Conflict between Pastoralists and Farmers
There have been several conflicts among pastoralists, and between pastoralists and farmers in various regions, such as Mara, Kagera, Kigoma, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Morogoro, Iringa, Mbeya, and Pwani. “Kurya” are involved in violence from time to time within their places in Mara region such as fighting and stealing livestock from each other; while “Maasai” and “Sukuma” are involved in conflicts in other regions, other than their places of origin, such as feeding their livestock in the crops’ farms and forest reserves; as a result they get into conflict with farmers, other villagers and National forest reserves’ authorities. Recent clashes between farmers and pastoralists (Maasai ethnic group), reported from Ikwiriri town, Rufiji district in Pwani region by news media, including IPP Media, resulted in the death of one villager in May 20, 2012 - consequently, villagers were angry with Police as they were alleged to protect them, they burned the house of the suspect, police station and District Police Chief’s residence. After this incident, about 53 villagers were detained, but released after few days, as the appointed investigation team discovered that, it was the fault by police, since they were irresponsible to deal with the problem promptly and impartially. This is also reported by Riziki Makoye of Tanzania Alertnet, in June 2012
Alternative livelihood for Pastoralists
It is the fact that climate is keeping on changing due to many factors that put life of pastoralists in a very difficult condition, as it is testified by . Some pastoralists have resorted to go to the urban areas in search of casual jobs and pet trades. For example Maasai in Tanzania are now scattered in all cities, municipals, and [ in the country doing petty trades and casual security jobs. The government should address the issues of pastoralists and possibly look for possibilities of changing gradually from their current livestock keeping style, to the an improved one, that will comply with the current life style; this will avoid violent conflicts which involve use of small arms as that exist in Karamoja, in Uganda and Turkana, in Kenya. Failure to seriously address the problem, violence that may endanger peace in the country may occur, as that occured in Tana River county, Kenya between Orma, the pastoralists and pokomo who are farmers in fight for control of pastures and water, which resulted into , majority being women and children, on 22nd August 2012.

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