Geita. The fate of Rashid Kwanzibwa, who had been presented as an investor in a disputed area at Katoro Senta hamlet, Katoro Ward, in Katoro township, remains unclear after the government said it does not recognise him as an investor.
Geita Regional Commissioner Martine Shigela announced the decision on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, while presenting findings of an investigation conducted by a commission formed under two sectoral ministries to probe the land dispute between the Geita District Council’s Finance and Economic Committee and the investor.
Before announcing the decision, Mr Shigela said that in 2018 the government, through the lands department, surveyed the sports ground and placed it under the ownership of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
However, the surrounding area, comprising ward and division offices, the Katoro constituency MP’s office, a village warehouse, a primary court and lands offices, was not surveyed after the exercise stalled.
In the ruling, the regional commissioner directed the Assistant Commissioner for Lands in Geita Region, working with land experts from Geita District Council, to continue surveying, planning and allocating the remaining areas to prevent a recurrence of the earlier confusion. He said the process should be participatory to avoid similar disputes in the future.
Regarding the fate of Mr Kwanzibwa, Mr Shigela said there was no investor with a formal contract for the area. He added that CCM, the legal owner, had already begun an internal process, from the branch level, to discuss the type of project to be implemented, its benefits to Katoro residents and to the party, after which an investor would be identified.
“As we speak, our team has established that there is no one called an investor and no contract has been signed for this area. If you see someone being called an investor, he has no contract and has not been allocated the land for investment activities,” said Mr Shigela.
He added that, in recognition of the importance of the sports sector, CCM would ensure the continued presence and development of the sports ground as part of the process of identifying an investor.
Apart from youth sports, the ground has also been used for cultural festivals, government meetings and various religious gatherings. CCM therefore considers it important that any investment does not interfere with the ground’s primary use.
Katoro resident Francis Nganyila said he was satisfied with the decision but called for transparency and public participation when transferring ownership of some areas to the party, especially land previously owned by local governments, such as the site in question, which had initially belonged to the village government.
“I would like to urge the government that whenever CCM wants to undertake any activity on land that was previously owned by the village government, it should follow proper procedures and consult the citizens, who are the rightful owners of that land,” he said.
The dispute surfaced on January 23, 2026, when videos circulated on social media showing members of the Geita Council’s Finance and Economic Committee, led by its chairperson Jumanne Misungwi, halting construction works over alleged procedural violations.
Following that move, tensions escalated, involving Geita MP Joseph Kasheku, popularly known as “Msukuma,” and Katoro MP Kija Ntemi, who were seen verbally and physically confronting Mr Kwanzibwa, the man presented as the investor.
In the video, the MPs accused him of demolishing ward office buildings without permission and starting construction without the required approvals. They also cited irregularities in his commercial building investment agreement with CCM and alleged he used abusive language and issued threats against party and government leaders—claims he denied.
Following the conflict, on January 24, 2026, the Minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Prof Riziki Shemdoe, gave the Geita regional commissioner 14 days to work with district council experts to investigate and resolve the dispute.
Given the seriousness of the matter and its connection to the lands sector, on January 26, 2026, the Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Dr Leonard Akwilapo, dispatched experts from his ministry to join those from the local government ministry to conduct further investigations and provide a conclusive report.
