Monduli

Our villages in Monduli district are being targeted by 2 separate soil carbon projects:

The Longido and Monduli Rangelands Carbon Project (LMRCP) by Soils for the Future Tanzania Ltd (SftFTZ) funded by Volkswagen ClimatePartners, targeting Longido and some parts of Monduli and the Resilient Tarangire Ecosystem Project (RTEP) by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) targeting Longido, Monduli, and Simanjiro districts.

These projects aim to bring vast Monduli under soil carbon agreements. If approved, we expect they will significantly alter grazing practices and the way we manage and share natural resources, ultimately posing a threat to community culture, livelihoods, and food security.

For more information on our carbon work in Monduli, please check our carbon page.

Livestock graze in Monduli. Credit: MISA

Land taken by the army

Already, a big chunk of land has been taken as Manyara ranch and Manyara National Park as well as Randilen WMA. In late February 2024, plans by the Tanzanian Government to further alienate Maasailand leaked to the public from an undisclosed source. The Government intends to alienate more than 70% of all Maasai districts comprising Ngorongoro, Longido, Monduli, Simanjiro and Kiteto District. In fact, it will privatise land by creating 16 hunting blocks in the form of Game Reserve and Game Controlled Areas. It is anticipated that this plan will impact over 390,000 people across over 90 villages, amounting to 15,856 sq. km. This plan targets areas that are predominantly occupied by our community. In Monduli alone, 21 villages are targeted, potentially impacting 93,731 people.

For information about GCA and National Parks, see our Conservation Vision page.

Hunting and conservation areas

In 1974, the late Edward Moringe Sokoine, the Minister for Security, allocated 200,000 acres of grazing land in Monduli to the military, recognising multiple land use and allowing access to pastoralists. Since then, the area has been used by both pastoralists and the army without any conflict. In 2014, a few non-pastoralist individuals – mainly retired district government officials – started asking for compensation, claiming private ownership over that land. It seems they secretly registered as landowners in the area in 1988 while the land had already been set for shared use between the army and pastoralists. This situation has led to increased tensions in the area. Maasai pastoralists in Monduli insist that the land remains a communal pasture as it has been for over 50 years. We are refusing to recognize private claims over the land, and demand continued shared use of the land by pastoralists with the army.

Soda ash mining

In early 2025, the government decided to move ahead with its controversial soda ash mining project. Soda ash is used in the manufacturing of soap, detergents, and rechargeable batteries. The mining was initially designed to take place in the Lake Natron area, famous for its flamingos. It was blocked due to fierce opposition by environmental activists, including Birdlife International, because it would destroy the habitat of migratory birds. The soda ash extraction project has now been moved to the Engaruka basin, in Monduli district, where it will use 27,000 hectares of land. The mining project will negatively impact grazing lands and water sources, undermining pastoralist livelihoods and the environment. The government anticipates extracting 1 million tons/year to supply local manufacturers. We are urging authorities to halt the project, respect our land rights, and preserve our way of life.