New TANAPA chief Mwishawa sworn in, as Minister Kijaji issues directives on staff welfare and wildlife protections

ARUSHA: THE Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Ashatu Kijaji, has sworn in Massana Gibril Mwishawa as the new Conservation Commissioner of the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), charging him with strengthening discipline, improving staff welfare and safeguarding the country’s internationally renowned national parks.

During the ceremony at TANAPA headquarters in Arusha, Dr Kijaji described Mwishawa’s appointment by President Samia Suluhu Hassan as a vote of confidence in a conservation officer whose career has been defined by experience, patriotism and dedication to public service.

She told the new commissioner that his leadership would be judged not only by increased tourism revenues or improved infrastructure, but also by his ability to build an institution founded on professionalism, accountability, integrity and motivated staff.

The minister instructed him to make employee welfare a top priority, citing concerns that some staff had experienced delays in receiving their benefits. She directed TANAPA to ensure timely payment of staff entitlements, improve housing and working conditions, provide adequate operational equipment, expand professional training and strengthen healthcare and welfare services.

“The Government recognises that a motivated employee who is valued and works in a supportive environment is the foundation of a successful institution,” she said.

Dr Kijaji also called on the new commissioner to strengthen discipline among conservation officers, eliminate corruption and abuse of office, modernise anti-poaching operations through technology and intelligence, improve infrastructure across Tanzania’s 21 national parks and prepare protected areas for an expected rise in visitors during the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

She urged TANAPA to deepen cooperation with communities living around protected areas while continuing to position Tanzania among Africa’s leading conservation and tourism destinations.

For Mwishawa, the appointment marks the culmination of a career spanning more than three decades within TANAPA—one that has taken him from trainee ranger to the highest conservation office in the organisation.

After taking the oath of office, he thanked President Samia Suluhu Hassan for entrusting him with the responsibility of leading one of Africa’s largest conservation agencies.

He pledged to serve with patriotism, integrity and diligence while working closely with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and TANAPA’s Board of Trustees to strengthen conservation and tourism.

He also thanked God for what he described as a historic occasion for both himself and the organisation.

One message stood out in his inaugural remarks: the welfare of TANAPA’s employees.

Having spent his entire professional career within the organisation, Mwishawa said he understands the realities faced by conservation officers deployed in remote national parks, where long patrols, anti-poaching operations, human-wildlife conflict and difficult working conditions are part of daily life.

He pledged to place staff welfare at the centre of his leadership, arguing that conservation success begins with motivated, well-equipped and professionally supported employees.

He said strengthening staff welfare would go hand in hand with improving revenue collection, protecting biodiversity, expanding tourism infrastructure and maintaining high standards of integrity throughout the organisation.

Mwishawa also promised an open-door policy for tourism investors, conservation partners and communities living around protected areas, saying collaboration would remain essential to achieving sustainable conservation.

His remarks received warm applause from TANAPA employees attending the ceremony.

Retired General George Waitara, Chairman of TANAPA’s Board of Trustees, said the enthusiastic response reflected staff confidence in a leader who understands the organisation from firsthand experience.

“The President did not make a mistake,” Waitara said. “She appointed someone who has risen from the most junior rank to the highest office. He knows the institution, and the institution knows him.”

That familiarity has been built over 33 years.

Mwishawa joined TANAPA on 1 December 1993 as a Park Cadet, beginning what would become an uninterrupted career within Tanzania’s national parks system.

Unlike many senior executives who move between institutions, every promotion and leadership appointment in his career has taken place within TANAPA.

He became Park Warden II in 1999, Park Warden I in 2006 and Senior Park Warden in 2010 before being appointed Chief Park Warden in 2011.

Alongside field experience, he pursued higher education, earning a Diploma in Wildlife Management from the College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka, in 1999, a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Science and Conservation from the University of Dar es Salaam in 2009 and a Master’s degree in Natural Resource Assessment and Management from the Open University of Tanzania in 2017.

He also completed specialised training in anti-poaching operations, criminal intelligence, wildlife law enforcement and executive leadership in Tanzania, Botswana and Israel.

His leadership assignments have included serving as Chief Park Warden of Rubondo National Park between 2011 and 2016, where he was recognised by TANAPA as Best Chief Park Warden of the Year in 2016.

He later served as Protection Manager at TANAPA headquarters before taking charge of Serengeti National Park from 2019 to 2023, overseeing one of the world’s best-known wildlife ecosystems and one of Tanzania’s flagship tourism destinations.

In July 2023, he was appointed Eastern Zone Commander before becoming Deputy Conservation Commissioner for Conservation and Business Development in April 2024.

His appointment as Conservation Commissioner on 2 July 2026 completed a professional journey spanning every major level of TANAPA’s organisational structure.

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As he assumes responsibility for leading the organisation, Mwishawa inherits the challenge of balancing wildlife conservation, tourism growth, staff development and sustainable management of Tanzania’s protected areas—natural assets that remain central to the country’s economy, biodiversity and international reputation.

For a man who began his career as a young ranger in 1993, the journey to the top office reflects more than three decades of service dedicated to protecting Tanzania’s natural heritage.