Orders arrest of suspects in land conflict assaults

President John Magufuli has ordered the arrest and prosecution of pastoralists accused of assaulting Fukayosi villagers in Bagamoyo District.

On his way back to Dar es Salaam from Dodoma yesterday, Dr Magufuli directed the Bagamoyo District Commissioner (DC), Majid Mwanga, to make sure that all the culprits are arrested and brought before the legal organs.

The president stopped his motorcade at Fukayosi Village in order to talk to villagers who had gathered at the ward offices holding placards bearing messages that demanded pastoralists with Mang’ati origins be ordered to vacate the area.

One of the farmers told the president that the pastoralists have been harassing them by grazing their herds in their farms and when they tried to stop them they ended up being canned and some killed.

Responding, President Magufuli ordered the Bagamoyo DC to institute measures that will end the disputes between farmers and pastoralists.

“From today, there should be neither a pastoralist assaulting a farmer nor a farmer attacking a pastoralist. Livestock keepers should stop feeding their herds in farms, I will make close follow ups on this issue,” he said.

He directed the DC and other district leaders to work on the matter before he holds them accountable, “all those who have assaulted people should be arrested and brought before the law.”

In December, last year, a farmer in Morogoro Region was seriously injured after intervening in a brawl that had ensued following the pastoralists’ move to graze their cattle in maize and bean farms at Mikumi in the District.

The farmer, Augustino Mtitu, had to undergo an operation to take out a spear that had pierced through his mouth to the neck.

Reacting on the recent incident, Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development Minister, Mr William Lukuvi, described the incident as a crime.

He said that people who injured the farmer took the law into their hands, that is why the defense and security organs have taken immediate actions, including arresting all the suspects.

Mr Lukuvi (pictured) noted that in the new land policy, there will be section which will state strict conditions on proper land use including specifying the number of livestock to be kept in an area.