JPM says govt will never compensate victims of Morogoro Road demolitions

What you need to know:

  • President John Magufuli has reiterated that people whose houses were demolished along the Morogoro Road reserve should not expect compensation from the government.

Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli has reiterated his government’s stand on the expansion of the Morogoro Road saying residents whose houses were demolished to pave the way for the 19km eight-lane road from Ubungo in Dar es Salaam Region to Kibaha in the Coast Region will never be compensated.

He made this stand clear on Wednesday, December 19, when he was laying the foundation stone for the construction of the road at a total cost of Sh141.5 billion.

According to the President, the government came up with the decision to expand Morogoro Road because it  serves the country’s largest seaport, Dar es Salaam, which caters not only for Tanzanians, but also for neighbouring landlocked countries. Hence the need for a wide road to avoid traffic congestion.

“It is sad to note that some legislators have been promising claimants that they will be compensated. We have to remember that there was a case which the government won, and our courts declared that they were residing on road a reserve. On that note I will never compensate for the demolition; I repeat I will never, never compensate those whose houses were demolished,” he categorically stressed.

In that regard, the President revealed that some of his relatives who owned houses along the road reserve had the houses demolished as well – citing the late ‘Mwasabira’ as an example of a relative whose houses he had bequeathed to his three daughters were also pulled down.

In another development, Dr Magufuli said the government clearly understands that Dar es Salaam is among the fastest-growing metropolises in Africa – and that it would be among mega-cities with a huge population by 2030.

In view of this, he said, his government came up with the decision to expand the city’s infrastructure, including the construction of some 212km of roads worth Sh660 billion.

“We need to expand the roads to reduce traffic congestion on them, and avail easy access to social services,” he explained.

Expounding on this, the president said the road from the Askari Monument in downtown Dar es Salaam to Ubungo will be 22.5 meters wide on all sides, while Ubungo-Kimara stretch will be  90 metres wide on all sides.