The government has revoked the ownership of 3,905 hectares of a farm that once belonged to Barakwega Farm Limited.
Announcing the decision recently at a public rally in Eshkesh village in Mbulu, Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development William Lukuvi said the move will enable a review of allocation of the farm.
The minister immediately passed on the possession of the farm to Eshkesh villagers, pending the review. Lukuvi alleged that Barakwega Limited had defied and violated the regulations governing the 3,905 hectare farm between the firm and Eshkesh villagers.
The minister also directed Mbulu District Commissioner and the area MP Flatei Massay to collect signatures from the villagers as an indication that they had taken the piece of land.
“My office has received so many complaints from the villagers including sanctions over the ownership of this farm,” the minister noted.
He said the villagers should not be left in the dark during the allocation of the farm, saying it should be made known before village council in the presence of the District Commissioner, area MP, ward councilor and director of land surveying from the Ministry of Lands.
Lukuvi also issued a stern warning on investors who request for land on guise that they will support the communities around but fail to honor their promise.
“They use the lands as bait for loans and when they satisfy their demands they leave the villagers languishing in poverty,” he said.
According to the minister, investors should make sure they not only support but also help realize the needs and demands of the communities they operate in.
A recent survey indicates that Tanzania leads East African countries in secretive land investment deals, with the government signing off huge chunks of land to foreign governments and private investors.
Tanzania recorded at least 58 deals involving an estimated 2.2 million hectares, according to the Land Matrix Project, an online database.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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