By Lucas Liganga, The Citizen Chief Reporter
Dodoma. As Lands minister Anna Tibaijuka sought a Parliamentary approval of a Sh47.9 billion budget yesterday, MPs accused political heavyweights of land grabbing.In her speech, Prof Tibaijuka said the ministry would conclude the formation of a land bank this year. But lawmakers warned that the level of land grabbing was alarming.

They named two retired presidents and other ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) cadres for acquiring huge tracts of land.

The opposition mentioned retired presidents Benjamin Mkapa and Ali Hassan Mwinyi, former prime ministers Frederick Sumaye and John Malecela, ex-CCM secretary general Philip Mangula and former cabinet minister Iddi Simba as among such people.

The opposition also accused the government of allocating large chunks of land to foreign investors.They warned that the situation was forcing frustrated citizens to take the law into their hands, threatening peace and tranquillity.

The shadow minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Ms Halima Mdee (Kawe-Chadema), told the National Assembly that unless the government controlled the allocation of vast tracts of land to a few powerful individuals, it was creating a “ticking time bomb.”

Ms Mdee warned: “Land disputes between investors and wananchi may cause bloodletting.”The outspoken Kawe legislator said the politicians had acquired big chunks of land that was earmarked for Wami villagers in Morogoro Region. She said former presidents Mwinyi acquired 2,000 hectares and Mkapa 1,000 hectares.
Ms Mdee said Mr Sumaye had 500 hectares, former cabinet minister Hassan Ngwilizi, who is now Mlalo MP (CCM) 100 hectares,  Mr Malecela 100 and  Mr Mangula 2,000 hectares.

She said all these hectares of land had not yet been developed except 1,000 hectares belonging to Mr Mkapa. The lawmaker added that 14,437 hectares of paddy fields at Mbarali and 18,425 paddy farms at Kapunga in Mbeya, which catered for 30,000 villagers from 10 villages had been allocated to a businessman and a CCM member.

Ms Mdee said the government dubiously allocated the paddy fields to Mbeya CCM chairman Nawab Mulla and businessman Jeetu Patel also known as Jayantkumar Chandubhai Patel. She said they acquired the land at giveaway prices.

She also said two companies — Agrisoil Energy and Serengeti Advisors Ltd — owned by Mr Iddi Simba, a former minister for Industry and Trade, acquired a 99-year-lease for 80,317 hectares at Lugufu and 219,800 hectares at Mishamo in Rukwa Region. She mentioned other regions where the government has allocated big chunks of land to politicians, businessmen and investors as Coast and Mara.

“If this trend is left unchecked, we will soon start witnessing chaos. This is a time ticking bomb that the government should defuse,” she warned.Mr Dunstan Kitandula (Mkinga-CCM) vowed to block the budget unless the government gave reasons that led to the allocation of 25,000 hectares to an Italian investor for jatropha farming. The allocation was made through a letter from the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development.

He said 11 other investors had been given 25,000 hectares in Mkinga, leaving villagers landless. “This is not fair at all.” Mr Kitandula said another letter from the permanent secretary for Regional Administration and Local Government directed that the land be allocated to the Italian investors, pending resolution of land disputes facing the villages.

He told the House that the villages whose land had been allocated to the investors were on the Tanzania-Kenya border.Mr John Cheyo (Bariadi East-UDP) appealed to the government to stop allocating land to investors at giveaway prices, warning that the trend would make Tanzanians poorer than before.

Mr Cheyo, who is also the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, said the haphazard allocation of land to investors would defeat the government’s purpose of revolutionising agriculture through its Kilimo Kwanza strategy.

Ms Mary Chatanda (Special Seats-CCM) said investors were grabbing large chunks of village lands after obtaining notes from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development.

“These notes instruct village authorities to allocate land to the investors without even consulting the villages,” she said.The budget debate winds up today before the House approves or disapproves Sh47.895 billion estimates.

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites