Govt shelves establishment of new administrative areas

SUNDAY NEWS Reporter

Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa

GOVERNMENT will not allow setting of new boundaries and establishment of new administrative areas until further notice, the Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa, has said.

“For now, we are not providing any new administrative areas in order to strengthen the existing ones, reinforce infrastructure, office buildings, houses for new districts and councils; once they are in good condition, we will come up with new decisions,” he said.

The Prime Minister made the statement at a public rally in Ulyankulu and Kaliua, in Kaliua District, Tabora Region yesterday.

He was responding to requests by members of parliament (MPs) from Kaliua and Ulyankulu constituencies, who said there was need to divide Kaliua District for easier distribution of services to people living far from the administrative centres.

Speaking about the conflict between the people living near the conservation areas and the authorities, the Prime Minister said the government was still verifying boundaries in conservation areas and a report on that will be provided once the exercise comes to an end.

To speed up the exercise, Mr Majaliwa has urged citizens living around villages bordering conservation areas not to extend any boundaries until the exercise of verification is completed.

“We have decided to put beacons in all conservation areas to determine the boundaries. Once you see officials doing the verification process in your area please do not be violent as that is the initial stage of identifying border areas.

“Do not extend your areas, once the report is out we will know what to do with villages that have extended their areas. It will remain so until the government determines otherwise,” he said.

The Premier was informed by the MP for the constituency in question, Ms Magdalena Sakaya that community members cannot have permanent residence because they were not sure whether their areas were within a conservation area or not as boundaries were not clear.

The Prime Minister said the government is to review and if necessary have to make revision of laws regarding Forestry Conservation and laws regarding the issues of refugees.