MANYARA: THE government is undertaking a comprehensive review of persistent land disputes nationwide to find lasting solutions, the Prime Minister, Dr Mwigulu Nchemba, has said.
“We will review this issue as it has begun to endanger our national cohesion. We cannot allow this matter to dominate our lives and it is unacceptable for the same problem to exist in every corner of the country,”
Dr Nchemba said yesterday while addressing residents of Babati Town in Manyara Region during a working visit.
He noted that longstanding land disputes threaten peaceful coexistence among Tanzanians and stressed the need for immediate and coordinated interventions.
Dr Nchemba also urged Local Government Authorities (LGAs) to take citizens’ complaints seriously.
Citing recurring issues such as land disputes and stalled projects in regions including Arusha, Tanga and Kilimanjaro, he instructed village executive officers, village chairpersons, ward executive officers, district commissioners and regional commissioners to submit monthly reports to his office.
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These reports must detail the number of complaints received and the number resolved.
“This trend of piling citizens’ complaints as if there is no government is unacceptable. Leaders are stationed in every area to ensure citizens’ access to services,” he said.
“It is inappropriate for a citizen to submit a complaint to a Village Executive Officer and find no response, forcing them to seek assistance all the way to the ward, district, regional offices and even the president,” he added.
Dr Nchemba said he would closely monitor the monthly LGA reports to identify performing and non-performing leaders and enforce accountability.
During his visit to Katesh, he also highlighted the government’s achievements over the past four years, including the construction of over 2,700 primary schools, 1,300 secondary schools, one girls’ science secondary school in every region, 143 administration blocks and a total of 79,000 classrooms nationwide.
In healthcare, he noted that the government had built 119 district hospitals, 2,800 dispensaries and 649 health centres, bringing services closer to the people.
“All these projects uphold the respect and dignity of our country,” Dr Nchemba said.