No compensation for speculators on Dongo Kundu road project

By PATRICK BEJA

Consultants handling the resettlement of families along the southern by-pass are expected to move to the ground today amid confusion over the fate of land speculators.

South Coast Regional Commissioner, Nelson Marwa, said a list of genuine landowners would be read in public during the screening of names of people to be compensated for land.

"We will read the names in public and ensure no grabbers benefit from other people’s land," Mr Marwa assured.

The commissioner warned land speculators along the Dongo Kundu by-pass to stop land transactions or the Government would demolish the new structures.

"We are going to deploy surveillance vehicles with a special team to kick out anybody trying to construct structures with the intention of getting compensation," Marwa said.

Separately, Changamwe MP, Ramadhan Kajembe, and his Likoni counterpart, Masoud Mwahima, want the Government officers to conduct screening and deny speculators compensation.

Kajembe said he would team up with Kinango MP, Gonzi Rai, whose constituency also borders the by-pass popularly known as Dongo Kundu Project, to block grabbers who rushed to the area to cash in on the compensation package.

"Land grabbers who rushed to Dongo Kundu for speculative purposes should not be compensated," said Kajembe.

But former Likoni MP, Suleiman Shakombo, warned such a campaign could lead to victimisation of people who have invested in land along the by-pass route.

"Many people willingly disposed of their plots cheaply and squandered the money. We have to be careful because some of the sellers want compensation from the land they have already sold after learning that the project is about to start," Shakombo said.

But Mr Kajembe, who is Environment assistant minister, warned that those who took up land on the designated route less than two years ago should forget compensation from Government.

It was reported that scores were invading the land earmarked for the road in the hope of being compensated.

Kajembe joined local residents in raising alarm over land speculators along the 17.5km route from Miritini to Ngombeni in Likoni the South.

"Many land grabbers are rushing to the project site in the hope of getting compensation during relocation. The Government should revoke their title deeds and only compensate indigenous people," Kajembe said.

Mr Anthony Kaemba, a valuer with Car Consultants, who are handling the resettlement action plan for the project, said those who have occupied the project site for two years and above would qualify for compensation.

"We strictly follow procedure on resettlement and those who have not stayed on the land for two years would not get any compensation," Kaemba said.

Car Consultants Roads Director, Christopher Abuodha, said they would meet residents in the villages to assess land and property for compensation.

Related Topics

Dongo kundu road