PRESIDENT John Magufuli has directed regional authorities in Dar es Salaam to halt planned demolitions of over 17,300 houses along Msimbazi valley and Masaki Tuangoma which were recently announced by the National Environmental Management Council (NEMC) and the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development.
Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner
(RC), Mr Paul Makonda, yesterday told residents there that he had been
instructed by the Head of State to stop the planned demolitions, noting
that proper procedures were not followed and authorities in the region
were unaware of the exercises.
“After news of the demolitions appeared
in the media, the President phoned me to enquire whether authorities in
the region were aware; I informed him that neither my office nor
district directors were notified,” he explained, adding: He (President
Magufuli) told me he was not elected to raze down people’s houses but
rather, bring about development.
The President was categorical that the
ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) manifesto stresses on improving housing
for the people and not otherwise,” the RC stated.
Mr Makonda was nevertheless categorical
that people who had encroached on land reserved for public use such as
markets, playgrounds, schools and open places, even if they had title
deeds for them should surrender to authorities for possible solutions.
According to the RC, the President was
only aware of demolitions announced by the Tanzania National Roads
Agency (TANROADS) along Kimara-Kiluvya Road and another by the Tanzania
Railway Limited (TRL) along the railway line to pave the way for
construction of the Standard Gauge Railway.
“The President was saddened that the
planned demolitions were announced without informing responsible
authorities, not even the regional authorities. Demol ishing those
houses will leave over 100,000 people homeless,” the RC told the
cheering residents at Kigogo and Masaki Tuangoma.
A few days ago, NEMC announced plans to
demolish 17,000 structures along the Msimbazi valley from Pugu to
Selander Bridge in Dar es Salaam. The same announcement was made by the
Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development for 300
housing structures in Masaki Tuangoma in Temeke Municipality.
But, the RC made it clear that the
President, as the custodian of all the land in the country, was against
the demolition exercises. “It is apparent that some individuals had
planned demolitions in areas which are not even in flood prone areas
just to create hatred between the people and the government,” Mr Makonda
charged.
He called for stringent actions against
local authorities who were responsible for fueling land conflicts in
their respective areas. The Dar es Salaam regional boss stated further
that he had made a follow up and realised that the houses in Masaki
Tuangoma which had been marked for demolition were in fact sold by
leaders in the areas, while they were fully aware that they were either
open spaces or in flood prone areas.
Mr Makonda said he was planning to
request the minister responsible for lands to deploy land officers to
conflict-prone areas, in a bid to resolve them.
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