The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) was once a part of the Serengeti National Park, which was established under the National Park Ordinance of 1948 and implemented in 1951 when Tanganyika was under the British protectorate, to preserve its natural geographical and ecological make-up. In 1959, the two National Parks were split into two designated Protected Areas, with varied outstanding universal values and conservation statuses.
As one of Africa’s Seven Natural Wonders, NCA was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979 for both its natural and cultural significance. Its global importance lies in biodiversity conservation, evidenced by threatened species, dense wildlife populations, and the annual migration of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, and other animals to the northern plains. Culturally, NCA is notable for nearly four million years of evidence on human evolution and human-environment interactions, including key milestones in human development, justifying its global recognition.
One cannot mention the conservation success story of Ngorongoro without telling the dispute for justice when two leaders wanted to assert each other’s authority.
Dispute to Conservation Success Story.
1969 Nyerere visited Ngorongoro Crater following the incident where NCA conservator Mr. Solomon Ole Saibul was at loggerheads with the then regional commissioner (RC) of Arusha, Mr. Aaron Mwakanga’ta. It was alleged that RC Mwakanga’ta forced his way into to Ngorongoro Conservation area, refusing to sign the official guest book placed at the park entrance gate.
Driving a government car, Mr. Mwakanga’ta speed past at the NCA entrance gate after snapping at the guards to open the gate after then he proceeded to the park where he reportedly was to meet some foreigners at one of the lodges.
The head of security by then Mr. Samuel Maida taken back aback by the RC actions reported the matter to the chief conservator Mr. Solomon Ole Saibul. On hearing that regional commissioner had refused to sign into visitor’s book. The Conservator, Ole Saibul, took the register from the gate and went to confront, regional commissioner, Mr. Mwakanga’ta at the lodge where he was meeting the foreigners, demanding to know why RC ignored the park procedures.
I am the regional commissioner, in charge of the whole of this precinct, Mr. Mwakanga’ta is reported to have retorted before dismissing the conservator with the wave of his hand. But Ole Saibul was not about to be put off easily by RC. Mr. Ole Saibul took out the register, leafed through the pages and slammed the book above the coffee table showing regional commissioner a page on which Nyerere had earlier on signed at the gate a few weeks earlier when the president was passing Ngorongoro on his holydays to Musoma from Arusha.
If the president can sign our books, then may I ask who is the mere RC to refuse to register himself at the gate? Shouted the clearly angry Ole Saibul before storming out of the lodge, promising to take the matter further. And he did, the opportunity presented itself one month later when president Nyerere was presiding over the meeting over the meeting in small town of Moshi at the foot hills of Mount Kilimanjaro. That misty morning driver Mr. Songai was instructed to take Ole Saibul to town where he intended to consult the president. Saibul was the granted audience with Nyerere.
The NCA conservator Ole Saibul, asked for an audience with head of the state (President Nyerere) who agreed to seem him on such a short notice. The guard at doors searched the conservator and found him with the pistol under his belt. “You cannot take this inside” they told him. Ole Saibul showed the register and told the president “With due respect, if you the head of state can sign our visitors book, how comes Regional Commissioner, appointed by you, shall regard the official act of signing in the same book as stooping so low?”
The president then decided to end the misunderstanding amicably by telling Mr. Mwakanga’ta, “You see this conservator is right because even in our Zanaki Culture, you cannot enter a man’s boma (house) without his permission.”
The Regional Commissioner reportedly argued he was rushing to sign a very important tourism development project that was to be executed in Ngorongoro. The president then reportedly asked both RC and Ngorongoro conservators to shake hands and forget their differences, and promised to visit Ngorongoro Conservation personally after his meeting in Moshi. Nyerere was also curious to find out more about the alleged hotel project which Mr. Mwakanga’ta was o occupied with.
Mr. Aloyce Songai, nicknamed Wangu-Wangu by Nyerere’s bodyguards due to his skillful driving he drove the president down the crater when Nyerere visited Ngorongoro crater in 1969 after Moshi meeting. The history of Mr. Aloyce Songai changed; he rose from tractor mechanic to driver, eventually working his way to the top of his career as the head of Transport Officer, a position he held until his retirement.
After the visit, Nyerere declared that the post of the chief conservator at Ngorongoro Conservation would be a presidential appointment. The hotel project was to be undertaken by a hotel group from the Netherlands, and Nyerere put a stop to the hotel project, terming it destructive to the caldera, and he called for the removal of the gas-filling station, which used to operate inside Ngorongoro Crater. To date, no hotel, camp or petrol station exists in the Crater.
Thank you very much to the acrobatic showdown between Mr. Solomon Ole Saibul and Mr. Mwakanga’ta, hence Ngorongoro becomes autonomous authority as far as the management of its resources.
Mr. Solomon Ole Saibul
Henry Fosbrooke was the first founder of the Ngorongoro Conservation Authority (NCA) and being a devoted environmentalist, he became the chief conservator in between 1961 and 1965 before being appointed to be the presidential advisor in the land commission succeeded by Mr. Solomon Ole Saibul the first indigenous conservator for Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
International Recognition of Ngorongoro.
Ngorongoro Conservation area was declared as the property of the World four times. The UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979, UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve in 1981, UNESCO Mixed World Heritage site, 2010 and Ngorongoro Lengai UNESCO Geopark 2018.
NATURAL AND CULTURAL ASSETS IN NGORONGORO.
Ngorongoro Crater, Empakaai Crater, Olmoti Crater, Olduvai Gorge, New Olduvai Gorge Museum, Dr Merry Leak living Museum, Laetoli footprint, Shifting Sand, Lolmasin Mountain, Olkarien Gorge, Nasera Rock, Ndutu Plains, Goal Mountains and Sale Plains, Endoro Waterfalls and Elephants craves.
Days to spend in Ngorongoro.
For a good Ngorongoro experience, 3-4 days is ideal. Budget: 350-$800 person/day for accommodation, meals, park fees, and some activities. Prices vary, plan ahead. Luxury options cost more.
Conclusively,
Ngorongoro Conservation Area holds remarkable significance as an African natural wonder and UNESCO World Heritage site. A dispute between leaders over its governance led to the area’s autonomy. Spending 3-4 days with a budget of $250-$350/person/day offers an unforgettable experience of its diverse natural and cultural assets.
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