Foreign investments links to land conflicts and livelihoods in Chasimba village in Kinondoni district, Tanzania

Foreign investments in Africa gained momentum in 1980s and with increased foreign investments, there have been a strong relationship between land and associated land conflicts. Individual investors and corporate with support from the governments in Africa have been involved in lease and purchase of large tracts of land that had been depended upon by most Africans for ages. In Tanzania, such large land acquisition has largely caused grievances, protest, riots, and other forms of conflicts. The major types of land conflicts in Tanzania include family conflict, pastoralists against agriculturalists as well as investors against local people. The research is based on the land conflict between the investors and local people. The case study has been Chasimba community and TPCC factory. The research has been carried out at Wazo and Bunju wards, Kinondoni municipality; Dar Es Salaam. It has been found out that the conflict has been there from 1979 when the Dar es Salaam master plan demarcated the area to be industrial area. It was then sparked by the 1993 land evaluation where the citizens were to be resettled at Mwangalami but the area was later occupied by rich people instead of the required Chasimba residents. In 2003, the TPCC factory opened the case in court against the Chasimba residents and TPCC won the case in 2008. The issue was officially closed by the court of appeal in 2010. The researcher used the random and stratified methods in selection of the sample size. A total number of 118 respondents were selected. 100 respendents were selected at Chasimba Village randomly for the filing of the questionnaire. Names were written on pieces of paper using the log book found in the office and 100 people were selected randomly to fill the questionnaires. The other 18 respondents were selected based on their level of knowledge to the topic from their respective offices or departments. The researcher has found out that the major causes of conflict include corruption, failure of the factory to demarcate or fence their area, political interference, lack of transparency and division among the residents. The conflict has caused a number of impacts like deaths, destruction of the properties, loss in times of finance and time as well as lack of peace and tranquility among the Chasimba residents. The researcher was of the view that if the land policy issue on resettlement was adhered to, the land conflicts could not have been as severe as they are. But the proper city/land use planning, proper documentation of the decision, fencing of the area in subject as well as quick implementation of the decision could serve to minimize the magnitude of the impacts.