Pinda to reshuffle senior Manyara District officials

Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda has announced that major reshuffle of senior administrative officers in Kiteto District and Manyara Region will be done this week as part of government efforts to end land disputes there.

The Premier made the announcement on Monday in the National Assembly while tabling the government statement on the resurfaced land dispute in Kiteto District in Manyara Region and has resulted in brutal killings of at least five people in the area.

Additionally, the prime minister said already the police have arrested 13 people in connection with the dispute and that security in the area has been intensified with support from Dar es Salaam police Special Zone.

“The government has taken several measures to confront the dispute in the area….the dispute persists even after the high court ruling…I have directed authorities to remap the area and plan good land use for both pastoralists and farmers,” the PM said.

“We have also directed all the seven villages forming the Ebolei Motangosi game reserve area to conduct a general meeting to resolve on the best use of the land and the meeting should been attended by all administrative officials,” he added.

He said the dispute results from tribalism, disobedience of the rule of law and failure of leaders to make quick decisions to stop escalation of minor disagreements.

He also associated the disputes to climate change that has accelerated shortage of water and land for pasture.

Pinda said the government will continue providing education to the villagers to understand rights of each group given that it's difficult to demarcate
pastoralists and farmers.

He expressed optimism that the disputes will be resolved once and for all.