Demolition protest descends Mkwajuni into chaos

Dar es Salaam. Police were used tear gas to disperse Mkwajuni residents who closed part of Kawawa road by burning tyres in protest of the authority’s decision to mark their houses in preparation for demolition.

Activities at the area were brought to a stand still after wananchi fought back police using stones. The incident which occurred yesterday at around noon caused discomfort to the users of the road as it caused a huge traffic jam.

One of the residents, Mr Ramadhan Aman, said they decided to demonstrate in order to demand their rights and not to disrupt peace and order. Mr Aman said before demolishing their buildings, the government should have relocated Mkwajuni residents to another area.

“After they demolished our houses we decided to put makeshift structures in the area so that we could find a place to sleep since we have nowhere to go; now they want to demolish even the makeshift structures, where do they want us to go?” Posed Mr Aman.

For her part, Ms Mariamu Masebo said she was surprised the government was evicting them from the land where some of them were born. According to her, the government had promised to relocate them to Mabwepande but she expressed surprise that their houses have been demolished before the relocation.

National Environment Management Council (NEMC) director general Boniventure Baya said the council decided to mark the makeshift structures for demolition after finding out there were more than 186 of them in the area.

Mr Baya insisted that the structures would be demolished anytime from now under tight police security. He added that no one would be compensated because they have been settling in the area illegally.

Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander Simon Siro said police have arrested several people in connection with the incident.

A woman walks near the remains of her temporary settlement at Mkwajuni Valley in Dar es Salaam yesterday after demolitions by the National Environment Management Council (NEMC).  Since December, last year, NEMC has demolished hundreds of houses which were built illegally at Mkwajuni and Kinondoni valleys. PHOTO|OMAR FUNGO