Row over double allocation of land

MAUREEN ODUNGA

THE Minister of Lands, Housing and Human Settlement, Mr William Lukuvi, has been requested to intervene in a land conflict over a 230-acre farm at Visiga near Kibaha allegedly possessed by both family of Joseph Uliza Chapile and the owner of Kernel Limited, Johnson Lukaza.

According to the family representative of Chapile, Mr Ramadhan Pazi, officials from Kibaha Town Council are to be held responsible for the conflict.

“Knowing that this issue was not resolved by the ministry and the zonal office in Morogoro who surveyed the family farm and a farm numbered 216, some officials assured us that all was well,” said Mr Pazi.

He named the Town Surveyor of Kibaha as Mr Dennis Festo whom they blamed for interfering in the matter. “Knowing that the issue had not yet been resolved he advised the family to buy 600 beacons worth 3.5m/-.

This was revealed in Coast Region recently when officials from the local government authority, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlement, Council officials and other stakeholders were directed to inspect the farms.

Earlier, before the inspection of the farms all the people met at the office of the village executive officers, where Kichangani local government authority leader, Mr Kawanda Kawanda, demanded that both parties display documents that prove their ownership.

The directive was not received very well by the officials from the Council and this led to a commotion that went on for about one hour.

The argument was that it was not necessary for the parties to display their documents. Their role was to go and inspect the farms.

On the part of the owner of Kernel Limited who is also the Chairman of Proin Promotions Ltd, Mr Lukaza said his title deed read that the farm was 10 Kms away from Morogoro Road and it possessed 130.2 hectares of land equivalent to 320 acres.

The farm of the family of Uliza on the other hand had possessed 230 acres and it was located 4.5 km away from the road with a traditional title deed acquired through all the necessary steps of the village authority.

When the inspection began both the family of Uliza and Mr Lukaza pointed to the 230 acres farms as belonging to them despite the measurements reading 4.5 Kms from Morogoro Road.

Mr Lukaza claimed that there was no need for the inspection to go ahead because his farm was on the exact points demonstrated by Mr Pazi.

“Since we have noticed that both farms are located on the same location and points, therefore the authority should intervene on the matter taking into consideration that they are the ones who have issued me with the title deed,” stressed Mr Lukaza.

Ward executive officer of Visiga, Mr Kambi Legeza, requested the Kibaha Town Council and the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlement to work on the matter fast enough to stave off breach of peace.