Josephine Christopher is a senior business journalist for The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers
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The move, aimed at addressing longstanding economic challenges in this tea-rich region, could pave the way for the government to repossess idle land and factories, transferring them to cooperatives under state oversight
Mbeya. The Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) presidential candidate, Samia Suluhu Hassan, announced the formation of a special task force to evaluate underutilised tea plantations and factories, including those owned by Mohamed Enterprises Limited (MeTL).
The move, aimed at addressing longstanding economic challenges in this tea-rich region, could pave the way for the government to repossess idle land and factories, transferring them to cooperatives under state oversight.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Rungwe District, Mbeya Region, Ms Hassan outlined bold plans to revitalize the tea and avocado sectors, settle outstanding debts, and create jobs, reinforcing her commitment to rural development ahead of the October 2025 general elections.
"We allocated farms believing that working with the private sector would bring development … the government has created a conducive business environment in terms of policies and legal frameworks plus delivered essential services like water, electricity.”
However, she admitted that some companies, including MeTL and Wakulima Tea Company (Watco), have failed to deliver.
“It seems they have failed to do their part, » she said.
To address this, Ms Hassan, Tanzania’s incumbent president seeking re-election, revealed that a team has been formed to assess the plantations and factories.
Expanding on this, she outlined the government’s goal: “Our aim is for the government to take over these farms and factories and transfer them to cooperatives under government leadership … that’s where we are headed.”
This signals a potential repeat of actions taken in 2020, when the government revoked MeTL’s titles to six idle farms in Tanga Region for non-development, a precedent locals hope applies to Rungwe’s tea estates.
Turning to the avocado industry, a key economic driver in Rungwe, President Hassan outlined ambitious plans to boost production and market access.
She announced, “We are coming to build 50 avocado storage facilities, with two in Rungwe … these facilities will store avocados for three months while we monitor global prices.”
She added that “industrial processors are planned for Mbeya to add value to avocados, potentially through products like oils or packaged goods".
To further support farmers, Hassan revealed that the government is hiring extension officers … providing free avocado pesticides, already Sh2 billion had been spent.
” This investment underscores her administration’s focus on modernizing agriculture and ensuring farmers have the resources to compete globally," she said.
Rungwe MP candidate Anton Mwantona took center stage, detailing a litany of challenges facing the district.
Mr Mwantona pointed out that 240 hamlets remain without electricity access, hampering daily life and economic activities in remote areas.
A particularly poignant issue raised was unpaid dues from tea factories affecting thousands of locals.
Mwantona had noted that, ”Approximately 15,000 citizens are owed Sh1.1 billion for a three-month period ".
Complementing Mwantona’s remarks, CCM candidate for Busokelo constituency, Lutengano Mwalwiba, focused on the tea sector’s broader woes.
He lamented that tea fields are closed, leaving the youth without jobs.
Mwalwiba implored voters to elect Samia so she can address it as a strategic crop.
He advocated for tea to be elevated as a national priority, with investments in modernization, subsidies for farmers, and reopening of facilities to restore livelihoods.
