Sombre mood engulfs Kimara, Mbezi

Dar es Salaam. Sombre mood is renting the air on city’s Kimara and Mbezi suburbs where the government has started demolishing houses built within 121.5 metres on either side of the Morogoro Road.

Some of the victims have been voluntarily pulling down their houses while asking the government, without success, to reconsider limiting the road reserve within 60 metres on either side of the highway.

A number of them told The Citizen that they acquired lands as far back as the 1970s and back then they claim the reserve was 60 metres on either side of the road.

Their cry is not heard, The Citizen has observed mansions worth hundreds of millions being torn to the ground or being earmarked to face the same fate at any moment.

Among structures earmarked for demolition include those of the owner of Peacock Hotel, retired Tanzania’s ambassador to Botswana, the owner of famous Bar and Night Clubs 5N and former director for domestic banks of Bank of Tanzania (BoT).

Speaking to The Citizen yesterday Peacock Hotel’s managing director Joseph Mfugale said “I cannot fight the government on issues of development but it would be necessary for everyone’s rights to be considered.”

He said, “The new government boundaries (121.5 metres) were set only three years back. I have been here for many years. My plot was outside the original boundary. I bought this land many years back and its located far away outside the 60-metre distance.”