CDA cautions against haphazard land sale, invasion

DAILY NEWS Reporter in Dodoma

THE Capital Development Authority (CDA) has warned people with the habit of selling off their lands and thereafter invading other plots in the municipality, saying they risk eviction and legal action.

Acting CDA Public Relations Manager, Ms Angela Msimbila, sounded the warning over the weekend, saying the habit compromised the development of proper planning in the capital city-designate.

“Despite that, the practice also bothers CDA and the government, who are faced with the prospect of paying compensation unnecessarily as the invaders go as far as invading government-designated plots,” she noted. The habit erupted shortly after the government announced its renewed zeal to shift the capital city to Dodoma.

According to Ms Msambila, some of the land invaders are reported to have invaded the land plots designated for government’s residential areas and other government development areas.

Ms Msambila pointed Nbathi as one of the area that has been invaded by residents despite having been designated for government development projects, including construction of ministerial buildings. In an interview with the ‘Daily News’, various residents admitted invading the areas, attributing their move to ‘’life’s hardships facing the majority of the people.’'

Some of them, Pelis Mwaluko, Majojo Julisa and Daudi Mtabalizo, said the majority of the people tend to sell surveyed lands to acquire financial resources, hence the invasion of unsurveyed land plots. In August, this year, CDA announced to have surveyed 20,000 residential and economic development areas in Dodoma Municipality.

In September, this year, the Dodoma Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Jordan Rugimbana, directed CDA to set up a system that would ensure that residents of Dodoma acquire a better system that would lead them into acquisition of land plots in the municipality.

Mr Rugimbana said the system should guide the development plan in Dodoma, especially at this time when the government and its institutions are planning their move to Dodoma to control challenges such as land conflicts looming due to land invaders and illegal land evictions.

Earlier this year, the Vice-President, Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan, warned CDA of emerging conflicts as the government and its institutions move to the new capital, directing concerning authorities to ensure that city’s master plan is implemented without any conflict.