MUFINDI VILLAGERS PASS BYLAWS TO CONTROL NATURAL FOREST DESTRUCTION

The Isimikinyi's  Village Executive Officer Mr. Gustav Fabian, introducing the agenda of  the meeting and welcoming the Village Chairman Mr. Fred Msewa (With black shirt) for opening remarks and initiating the meeting.

Mr. Thomas, The Program Officer of the Mufindi Youth for Development (MUVIMA), introducing himself to the members of Isimikinyi village assembly meeting.

LEAT Program Officer Mr. Jamal Juma facilitating Isimikinyi villagers' to promulgate  comprehensive village bylaw according to The Local Government  (District  Authority) Act of 1982 that bring mandate to Village Council and Village assembly meeting to promulgate village bylaws.

LEAT Communication Officer Ms. Edina Tibaijuka, introducing herself and the accompanied journalists  to the  members of Isimikinyi village assembly meeting

Some of the members of the Isimikinyi Village Assembly Meeting who were carefully listening to the draft of their village bylaws that read by Isimikinyi's Village Executive Officer Mr. Gustav Fabian

One of the village natural forest at Isimikinyi village.

At last Isimikinyi Village residents of Malangali Ward, Mufindi district in Iringa region have adopted the by-laws for management of natural resources (forest and wildlife) to reduce the speed of destruction of natural forest resources.

The by-laws is focused to preserve and promote the three natural forests of Chanunu, Mlimba and Nzali of Isimikinyi village council and maintained by the village.

The move was reached yesterday at the village assembly meeting where the Isimikinyi Village Executive Officer (VEO), Gustav Fabian Mdemu in conjunction with the village chairman Fred Msewa they read the draft proposals to the citizens before adopting them.

The village forests of Chanunu, Mlimba and Nzali has a total of 208 hectares, where the rules and regulations adopted by the residents will be used in the management of forest resources, hence environmental preservation.

The process of updating those by-laws made by lobbyists, Lawyers on  Environmental Action Team (LEAT) in collaboration with the District Attorney of Mufindi, Mufindi organization for Youth Development (MUVIMA) with the locals.

Through the Village Assembly Meeting, the citizens, LEAT and the district attorney had reviewed the by-laws which was used by village before and found that they contained some shortcomings.

Team of advocates LEAT, is implementing a project of Citizen Engagement in Government Oversight (CEGO-NRM) in 32 villages of the of Iringa and Mufindi districts in Iringa region, funded by the American people through the USAID.

The aim of the project is to build the capacity of communities living near forests and wildlife resources, so they can implement and benefit from it.

This project is implemented in partnership the selected civil society organizations like MUVIMA, to provide training on land laws and rights, policies, guidelines, regulations and monitoring social responsibility to village committees for natural resources and the environment, the economy, water and land use.

In addition, LEAT in partnership with the Mufindi Youth for Development (MUVIMA) provided training on laws, policies, guidelines, regulations and social accountability monitoring (SAM) to the project villages.

They said that through training they were enabled to realize their rights and responsibilities as citizens to collaborate with village government in managing the natural resources, hence promoting the sustainability the village natural resources.

About by-laws adopted, the citizens said they will help to reduce the damages to the environment as well as protecting water sources.

Isimikinyi Village of Malangali Ward in Mufindi District, Iringa has a total of four neighborhoods (vitongoji) with a total number of 763 people including 361 males and 402 females.

However LEAT is planed to facilitate 20 villages to promulgate comprehensive village bylaws in ensuring conservation of Natural resources within Mufindi and Iringa rural districts. 

Among the villages which approved village bylaws in Mufindi and Iringa districts through Village assembly meeting are: Lugodalutali, Mapogoro, Igombavanu, Uhambila, Isimikinyi and Itengule villages in Mufindi district and Kiwere village in Iringa district. While the remained 13 villages that some of them are Idumilavanu, Ihefu, Mwitikilwa and Tambalang’ombe (In Mufindi district ) and Malizanga, Idodi, Mfyome, Mtera, Tungamalenga, Kitisi villages (in Iringa district) are in the process of promulgating their village bylaws through Village Council meetings.