LANDS, Housing and Human Settlements Development Minister, Mr William Lukuvi, yesterday revoked five title deeds of a Briton, accusing him of acquiring the land deceptively.
Mwanza-based Toyota dealer Hamant Patel
is alleged to have used a Tanzanian birth certificate to acquire the
land. Mr Lukuvi further ordered an immediate verification of resident
and non-resident joint venture companies, which had been given land and
later transferring ownership to foreigners.
Addressing a news conference in Dar es
Salaam yesterday, Mr Lukuvi decried a tendency by non-residents to
camouflage as citizens through the use of Tanzanian documents to
fraudulently acquire land.
“We are forced to revoke the five title
deeds of Patel, the foreigner who owns plots in Mwanza, Tabora and
Simiyu,” said Mr Lukuvi, pointing out that the information from the
Immigration Department shows that the foreigner was residing in the
country under a Class A permit, which expires in 2017.
“I have ordered a probe by the
Prevention and Combatting of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) on Patel to find
out if he owns properties in other areas along with those involved in
the process,” said the minister.
Mr Lukuvi said the Companies Act on land
ownership demands residents to possess at least 51 per cent shares for
the company to qualify for the title deed, charging that some companies
have been deceitfully using advantage of the residents who later
transfer their shares through the Business Registrations and Licensing
Agency (BRELA).
“The verification has already started
and if we discover companies, which were formed on the ill-intention,
serious legal actions will be taken against all involved in the law
violation,” vowed the minister. Tanzania’s Land Act limits ownership of
land to citizens, with foreigners allowed access to land through the
derivative rights via the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC).
Currently, a group of impostors are
allegedly using forged documents, purporting to be the City Council
offers of 1980, to deceive the poor. Mr Lukuvi reminded public officials
to be on the watch while effecting financial transactions on the sales
and transfers of properties using the offers.
“From now onwards, all transactions
related to the sale or transfer of property using original 1980 offers,
should go through the Zonal Commissioners’ offices for verification in
three months before the notice expiration,” he said.
People who will present the offers
within the three months will obtain titles within one month, while
serious legal measures will be taken against those found in possession
of forged documents. The minister, however, condemned the current trend
by some people grabbing undeveloped farms and transforming them into
residential areas without proper authorisation.
“Do not take the law into your hands,
but rather inform the authorities and the government will confiscate the
properties and process the areas into residential,” he ordered.
Elaborating on the grabbing of former
Premier Fredrick Sumaye owned farm by members of the public at Mabwe
Pande, Mji Mpya, Mr Lukuvi said the land had been undeveloped for some
time and the owner had been issued with a notice.
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