Tanzania: Land Disputes Herald Mama Samia Legal Aid Campaign in Kagera Region
Land disputes, whose worst victims are women, heralded the Mama Samia Legal Aid campaign in Kagera region.
Following its instant results of the ongoing campaign (MSLC) in the region, its residents have called on its endless mobility to keep serving all the needy.
The Kanyangereko villager in Maruku Ward of Bukoba District Council, Ms Adelina Katulla, made the call after the campaign solved her land conflict that came into existence for about five years.
She raised the concern during the campaign launch (in Kagera) on 14th this month, with Minister for Constitution and Legal Affairs Dr Damas Ndumbaro giving a-three ultimatum for the team to finalize her problem.
“The team visited my home the next day and solved the problem within five hours,” she gave the testimony on Wednesday, during the campaign’s meeting in Kemondo ward that was also attended by the Minister.
The conflict started in 2020 after the one who sold her the plot refused to provide the path to her residence, contrary to their agreement at the time she was purchasing the land in 2013.
She, since then, has been consulting several authorities and groups for resolution, be it local government, the Ward land council, and religious leaders, in vain.
She became confused after the Ward authorities directed her to consult the District land council, of which she couldn’t manage to engage an advocate.
“The victory I celebrate today is not only mine, because the given entry is also going to serve the community behind my home,” she said.
After the testimony, Minister Ndumbaro handed her an agreement document that was signed by both parties (engaged in conflict).
The Kemondo resident, Ms Florentina Rutinwa, also recommended MSLAC endless mobility, after Minister Ndumbaro provided the legal officer to freely defend her at the District Land Council.
According to her, she supposed to file her land dispute at the Council since 2023, but failed to make it after independent advocates requested her 800,000/-.
“I have travelled all the way from Kasharu Ward to Kemondo in search of legal assistance after I heard that the campaign won’t reach there. I know my fellows in Kasharu are in need of this aid, a reason why I call on its endless mobility,” she said.
The Coordinator for Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCT) Human right and Conflict Resolution Desk, Ms Naomi Kanyonyi, stressed that MSLAC should all the time be in place since it encourages amicable conflict resolution, a situation that maintains relationships between two parties in misunderstandings.
It also serves time and financial resource people have been incurred in search of justice at the courts. But most importantly, the solutions come in a very minimal time,” she said.
However, she admitted that the community still faces diverse conflicts, recalling that the ELCT desk received a total of 807, last year, with over 50 percent being solved through agreement.
“Besides the land disputes, marital conflicts are also widely reported here,” she affirmed.
Crédito: Link de origem