World Bank Faces Renewed Criticism Over Tanzania Project. Accusations of Abuse Persist

Villagers in Tanzania have filed a formal grievance with the World Bank, alleging that the institution has not provided adequate redress for loss of livelihoods and alleged human rights abuses stemming from the Resilient Natural Resources Management for Tourism and Growth (REGROW) project. Despite assurances from the bank, communities claim the abuses are continuing, even after the project’s cancellation.

REGROW Project Overview

The World Bank’s REGROW project, financed with a $150 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA), aimed to improve natural resource management and tourism in southern Tanzania and provide alternative livelihoods for local communities. Approved in September 2017, the project was ultimately cancelled in November 2024 amid widespread allegations of misconduct.

Allegations of Abuse and Human Rights Violations

Critics, including the Oakland Institute, allege that the project led to forced evictions, rapes, extrajudicial killings, and other abuses committed by Tanzanian wildlife rangers. A 2023 report by the Oakland Institute found that communities around Ruaha National Park were threatened with eviction, faced cattle seizures, and experienced violence in an effort to displace them from their land. The report indicated that over 21,000 people were at risk of eviction.

The World Bank’s own investigation acknowledged “critical failures” in the planning and supervision of the project, resulting in “serious harm.” Reports also surfaced alleging several cases of disappearances and deaths of local people at the hands of park rangers, with some incidents initially attributed to wild animal attacks.

World Bank’s Response and Action Plan

In April 2025, the World Bank released an Action Plan intended to provide relief to affected communities. The plan included commitments to halt forced resettlement, ensure continued farming and pastoral activities, and provide livelihood support.

Continued Concerns and Latest Eviction Plans

However, the Oakland Institute claims that, despite the bank’s pledges, abuses continue. They allege that Tanzanian park rangers have killed two more locals and continue to “terrorize communities,” although restrictions on livelihoods remain in place. the Tanzanian government, under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has announced plans to evict inhabitants from five villages, potentially affecting “tens of thousands of people” – a move that contradicts the bank’s assurances.

Call for Accountability

The Oakland Institute’s executive director, Anuradha Mittal, stated that the World Bank, as Tanzania’s largest donor, has the “means and the leverage to end this harm and repair the devastation of lives it is responsible for.” The organization is urging the bank to uphold international law and address the ongoing suffering caused by the project.

REGROW Project Achievements

Despite the controversies, the REGROW project did achieve some positive results. The Community Conservation Banks (COCOBA) initiative established 565 groups with 11,633 members (7,802 female), implementing 153 livelihood projects, primarily in crop farming and livestock keeping. 409 Village Game Scouts were trained and assisted in managing 513 instances of human-wildlife conflict in 40 villages, conducting 135 conservation awareness meetings.

TAWIRI collaborated with other institutions to implement research agendas developed under the REGROW project, including assessments of mammal and bird populations.