IN a bid to settle land disputes at the grassroots, Mwanza Regional Consultative Council (RCC) has urged the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Developments to post enough Land Officers to various local government and district offices, where they can be easily reached.
That was said yesterday during a meeting by the Council’s members, while discussing and setting strategies on how to implement all development projects in the region in the 2020/21 financial year.
They said some land related disputes in the area, only require public awareness to address and not much attention as one might think.
“Some of the land problems should be addressed at the low local level instead of filing them as cases in court. In some cases, people need to talk to each other, and it is therefore our responsibility to bring them round the table for a talk. “Just as it is the case with some departments, including that of social welfare, the ministry should also dispatch some of its officers to various local offices, and this move will reduce piling cases in courts,” majority of them said.
On his part, Ukerewe District Commissioner, Mr Emmanuel Magembe said that instead of people spending a lot of time on land conflicts in courts, the presence of dispatched local land officers will minimize the cases.
“Some development activities aren’t fast going, because of land conflicts. People require sustainable land-related education so that they have knowledge on the matter,” he said.
He cited an example of a land conflict between farmers and pastoralists that could be solved at the initial stage local land officers are dispatched to grassroots’ offices.
Commenting, Misungwi District Commissioner, Mr Juma Sweda said land officers can play a big role in ending grassroots’ land disputes across the country, adding that fellow DCs should also set time to hear and solve wananchi’s land problems, which are high in their areas of work.
Presiding over, the Deputy Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development, Dr Angeline Mabula said the government is aware of land disputes, adding that majority of them can be solved at the grassroots, but shortage of land officers slow the work.
“However, we have stepped far in solving the conflicts and we keep on coming with new strategies to end them. Among the strategies is to encourage Tanzanians to formalise their plots, not only for conflicts to be solved, but also for businesses, and land title deeds serve as collateral for loans access,” she pointed out.