AfricaPress-Tanzania: ZANZIBARIS who have haphazardly constructed houses in reserved and flood-prone areas have to demolish their structures voluntarily before the government institutes stern measures against them.
Minister of State, President’s Office, Regional Administration, Local Government and Special Departments, Haji Omar Kheri decried indiscriminate construction of houses along water channels, saying all the trespassers have already been issued with notices.
“Unfortunately, we have leaders also who have constructed houses on outlawed areas, they are equally not safe when the government embarks on harsh moves against the offenders,” Mr Kheri told the House of Representatives here yesterday.
Earlier, presenting the ministry’s budget estimates for the 2020/2021 fiscal year, Minister Kheri said his portfolio has coordinated delivery and management of social services to special groups, including 5,492 elders who received over 319m/-financial support.
He said more efforts are being put on resolution of land disputes by ensuring that all land related conflicts are dealt with and resolved as per existing legislations, rules and regulations.
Mr Kheri said during the July 2019-March 2020 period, a total of 196 land related disputes on ownership of farms and plots were reported in regional and district offices in Unguja and Pemba.
Out of the disputes, 105 have been resolved at regional and district levels while 14 cases have been referred to the Land Court, said the minister, adding that the Land Commission, Agriculture Ministry and Wakf Commission are jointly addressing 77 other cases.
The minister said the fight against gender based violence remains high among the regional administration priorities, arguing that more efforts have been made at regional, district and shehia levels to reduce, if not totally eliminate the inhuman acts.
During the July 2019—March 2020 period, 1,060 cases of gender violence were reported in regional offices, the minister said, elaborating that 501 cases remain at police investigation level, 119 have been taken to court, with 45 of them already decided.
The Director of Public Prosecution is working on 29 cases while the district authorities have decided on 343 cases, with 23 complaints still under hearing stage.
