Revelations that the government repossessed former Prime Minister Fredrick Sumaye’s two farms were appalling and shocking. Thanks to such revelations, I can smell something fishy that is more than meets the eye. Sumaye was quoted as saying “I have received a letter informing me that my 326 acre farm has been taken away by the president and I am not allowed to set my foot there.” Other media outlets reported that Sumaye is accused of amassing 800 acres of land while many Tanzanians are living on just trifling parcels. We used to hear about land grabbing in Kenya; and we used to laugh at their leaders for being selfish without noticing that soon ours will follow the same trend.
Sumaye is entitled to owning land according to the law. However, he disowned repossessed farms saying belong to his wife and son. How did Sumaye’s family acquire such farms? Did they use his political sways when he was in power? How many self-serving biggies did like him in this matter; and how many acres were grabbed thereby? Did Sumaye’s kin buy the said farms on his behalf? Sumaye said that “they (the authorities) want me to return to CCM. This is why, they are trying to weaken me, but I will never return.” If truly the target is Sumaye, why did the government confiscate his son’s and his wife’s farms as if it doesn’t know who actually owns the same? Will this make Sumaye kow tow or pooh pooh; and go on with his opposition politics. Is it true that this issue is political or legal provided that in Tanzania land belongs to the government which aims at preventing land grabbing, especially by rich and the high and the mighty?
To counter Sumaye’s accusations, the authorities came clean averring its move isn’t a witch-hunt or a political gimmick. Minister responsible for Land, William Lukuvi, was quoted as saying that “the government routinely identifies and revokes title deeds of farms belonging to anyone who has failed to develop their land, irrespective (of) their (political) affiliation.” To know who is right and who is wrong, Sumaye repudiated such claims saying that his farms were not staying idle. For, there is electricity on top of 200 cows, goats and other assets.
Although Sumaye alleged the farms belong to his son and wife, there is something shifty. To know whose farms are, Sumaye gives us the answer as he was quoted from his Facebook page as saying the letter was sent to him to prevent from setting a foot on the said farms. Sumaye does not say the farms repossessed belong to either his wife or his son. Why, if indeed, the said farms are not his? Legally speaking, if those farms don’t belong to Sumaye, he would have told the authorities so instead of accusing of it of a purge. More importantly, Sumaye would have told the rightful owners of the farms to go to court provided that those farms are not his if, indeed, are not his. Does it mean that the government doesn’t know who actually bought the land as registered in land registration if truly Sumaye is telling truth? For those of us who grew up under Ujamaa na Kujitegemea where nobody was allowed to amass such big parcels of land, we still are shocked and dismayed. Again, are there other farms that Sumaye owns that have not already been dealt with? How many politicians are out there who used their office to amass land like Sumaye?
What should be done for the country to do away with this form of endemic corruption?
I propose that the authorities must audit all farms suspected to have been owned through land grabbing; and thereby gazette all culprits before taking more legal actions so that this can be a good lesson for other that are still at large.
Like any Tanzanian, Sumaye must be treated fairly; and according to the law regardless of his political affiliations.
So, too, Sumaye must sue shall he think that he is illegally and unfairly treated due to his political affiliations or keep quite if he can’t sue.
The authorities must deal with other big enchiladas. For, after Sumaye’s farms were confiscated the Chairman of Wami-Lukindo village, Apolinary Kahumba was quoted as saying that “Mzee Mwinyi’s farm have cattle and goats. Regarding its size, I am not quite sure; but it is not less than one thousand acres.” Many would want to see how Mwinyi’s farms are going to be dealt with provided that President John Magufuli said he would not persecute his predecessors regardless the crimes they may have alleged to have committed. These being the case, does it mean that Tanzanians have been living with land grabbing under their nose?
Source: Citizen Wed., today.
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