Twenty-year land row over: Lukuvi

Dar es Salaam. The 20-year land conflict between Tanzania Portland Cement Company and more than 4,000 residents in the neighbourhood of the firm at Bunju ward is finally over. The move comes after the government and the company, which trades as Twiga Cement, reached an agreement yesterday to hand over the disputed 243 hectares of land to residents of Chasimba, Chatembo and Chachui.

The land is part of 922.5 hectares that Twiga Cement is said to have been granted for purposes of investment. But the residents also declared they were owners of the land and refused to leave despite a court order after the company won the case against the residents, then considered invaders.

Rampant land conflicts countrywide either pit investors against locals or pastoralists versus farmers.

With liberalisation, starting in mid-1980, the country has witnessed an influx of investors keen to lay their hands on land and large tracts are now leased or privatised by local and foreign investors for commercial farming, ranching, mining or industrial production.

Allocation of the land has raised tension between local communities and the investors either due to inadequate consultation or eviction of communities without compensation. In January 2014, for instance, there were killings in Kiteto district when Maasai pastoralists allegedly invaded villages in the disputed Embroi Murtangosi forest reserve and set homes ablaze.

The worst conflict between pastoralists and farmers occurred in December 2000 in Kilosa district in Morogoro region, where 38 farmers were killed. Hostilities reignited in 2008 and eight people were killed, several houses set alight and livestock stolen.

Yesterday, Minister for Lands and Housing Development William Lukuvi declared at a rally with the residents of Bunju ward that the plan to evict them was effectively shelved. “From now on, I have changed your title from invaders to owners of this land,” he said.

Certificates of right of occupancy are expected between now and October to ensure the residents own the land legally, but they will be required to pay certificate fees. “Today, I am officially declaring that this area is upgraded to residential from the current status where people also mine pebbles,” he said.

The decision sparked cheers and celebrations as residents thanked Mr Lukuvi for what they now consider a lasting solution. The minister told them, though, that the handover of the land would continue on condition that they stop mining pebbles in the residential area, otherwise the peace agreement would be compromised.

There are plans to form a joint committee involving representatives of residents and surveyors from the ministry to kickstart the survey.

The experts will start mapping out the construction of water and electricity infrastructure and social services including a school and dispensary. Twiga Cement has committed to supporting the construction work for the project. Mr Lukuvi attributed the achievement to Mr Rodriguez, who okayed the land deal. Mr Rodriguez said the company believed in the community’s right to housing, electricity and water.

The government will reportedly pay some of the money to Twiga Cement as compensation for the land given to the residents. The amount of cash involved will be decided during talks between the two sides.