Africa-Press – Tanzania. CITIZENS living in land disputed villages across the country, will breathe a sigh of relief, as eight cabinet ministers will today begin traversing all 26 regions countrywide, to address the villagers’ challenges.
The ministers will embark on the tour to cover 920 villages that initially had land disputes, the objective being to give assurance to the villagers that they will continue living in their areas .
The Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development, Mr William Lukuvi said at a press conference in Dodoma on Monday that the tour of the regions follows a directive by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, in a bid to bring to an end land disputes in the country.
Mr Lukuvi said even as villagers had encroached some reserved areas, President Samia directed that they should be left in those areas, save for areas that have interests for the national security and areas that are closer to major sources of water like the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP).
The president’s amnesty focuses on villagers who are living near forests and national parks, among other reserved areas.
According to Mr Lukuvi, he will lead the team which will start by visiting ten regions, from October 10th this year.
The regions are Dodoma, Singida, Manyara, Tabora, Mbeya, Morogoro, Dar es Salaam, Pwani, Mara and Geita.
The ministers who will join Mr Lukuvi are the Minister of State in the President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government, Ummy Mwalimu, the Minister for Agriculture, Prof Adolph Mkenda and the Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Development, Mashimba Ndaki.
Also in the list are the Minister for State in the Vice- President’s Office, Union and Environment, Selemani Jafo, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Damas Ndumbaro, Minister for Defence and National Service, Dr Stergomena Tax and Minister for Water Jumaa Aweso.
According to Mr Lukuvi, over 707,000 forests had been removed from state ownership, therefore allowing people to settle in and conduct their activities.
He added that villagers living in those areas would be given title deeds after his ministry plans and surveys their areas.
He expressed optimism that his team would ensure that land disputes in all 920 villages would be fully resolved after the team finishes its working tour of the area.
