Taking stock of pastoralist NGOs in Tanzania

The article begins with a brief history of the land pressures on pastoralism that gave rise to the emergence of pastoralist NGOs in Tanzania and the formation of an umbrella body — the Pastoralist Indigenous Non‐Governmental Organization (PINGOs) Forum — intended to serve their collective interests. Through focusing on some of the affiliates of the PINGOs Forum, the article outlines the leadership and organisational problems that beset its members and which set the conditions for its domination by one of its founder NGOs. Investigation of the influence of Western donors suggests that there has been a shift in PINGOs’ efforts both into activities best done by its affiliates or upwards and outwards to the transnational level. While acknowledging the difficulty of engaging in politics as usual, the failure of PINGOs’ to situate itself within wider processes of political debate in Tanzania has further isolated pastoralist issues from policy makers and citizenry alike. In conclusion the article points to alternative approaches that activists could pursue in the future.