Dodoma: Tibaijuka warns against land sale deals with foreigners

Written by DAILY NEWS Reporters.

THE government has reaffirmed its stance that it will revoke land deals concluded between individual Tanzanians and foreigners.

Presenting budget estimates for the 2013/14 financial year, Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development, Prof Anna Tibaijuka, told the National Assembly here that the government will not tolerate people selling land to outsiders.

“The government is aware that foreigners, especially from the East African region have been sneaking in the country in an attempt to acquire land illegally with the help from local and dishonest officials,” she said.

“It is against the law for individuals to sell land to foreigners laws. I appeal to Tanzanians to realise that the laws on the land are still intact and applicable. The law doesn’t give room for individuals to sell land to foreigners,” she said.

She told the august House that a foreigner cannot be allowed to possess land in Tanzania unless he or she is an investor and has followed the required procedure, warning that individuals and officials who will be caught illegally selling land to foreigners will be taken to task.

She further said that the government will continue to strengthen land councils from the village to the national level and empower them to resolve land conflicts which are on the increase countrywide.

Prof Tibaijuka also called on councils in the country to enforce planning of cities, municipalities and towns laws and stick to urban planning and building regulations to avoid shoddy projects which have in recent years resulted into the collapse of buildings, especially in Dar es Salaam city.

“I also call for the fast development of areas to be used in the establishment of satellite cities and towns to avoid congestion,” she said.

Presenting the views of the House Standing Committee on Lands, Natural Resources and Environment, Dr Mary Mwanjelwa (Special Seats—CCM), said the government should ensure that land benefited all Tanzanians and not be sold to foreigners in the name of ‘investment.’

She also called on the government to demolish the condemned 16-storey building under construction close to a similar building which collapsed in April, killing at least 30 people.

On April, 5, Tibaijuka ordered the demolition of the building, giving a 30-day ultimatum, but nothing has happened to date, which prompted the committee to question the powers of the central government vis-à-vis local governments.

Source: http://dailynews.co.tz/index.php/parliament-news/17974-prof-tibaijuka-warns-against-land-sale-deals-with-foreigners