Kongwa suspends leaders over alleged land sales

DODOMA: KONGWA District Commissioner, Mayeka Mayeka, has suspended Njoge Village leadership amid allegations of irregular land selling involving village grazing areas and farmland. Other officials have been summoned by the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) for interrogation.

Speaking during the meeting in the village, Mr Mayeka said persistent conflicts among village leaders have been hampering development activities in the area and that strong decisions were needed to resolve the situation. He said the leaders would remain suspended from performing their duties pending decisions by the district authorities and completion of the PCCB investigations.

“There have been endless conflicts among leaders, and this has affected the development of the village. I am, therefore, suspending them from performing their duties until the matter is addressed at the district level and PCCB completes its investigations,” Mr Mayeka said.

The District Commissioner also directed the village chairperson to comply with requirements governing village leadership, including the requirement to reside in the village where they serve.

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“The law governing village leadership requires the chairperson to live in the village where they serve. Therefore, the village chairperson must choose either to move here or continue living elsewhere and relinquish the leadership position because they are the chairperson of Njoge but live in Kibaigwa,” he said.

Kongwa District Executive Director, Dr Omary Nkullo, urged village leaders to stop forming divisions by selectively working with certain officials, warning that such practices could deepen disagreements and undermine development efforts. He called on the leaders to advise and support one another and work collectively to improve service delivery to residents.

Njoge Ward Councillor, Mr Josephat Mponda, said divisions among village leaders were among the factors contributing to the ongoing conflict. He alleged that some leaders had been leasing out sections of village grazing areas for personal benefit without involving residents and other village leaders.

Residents also raised concerns over the leadership disputes, with some alleging that senior village officials, including the chairperson, were unwilling to accept criticism. They said disagreements among leaders had contributed to the prolonged conflict in the village.

The suspensions and PCCB inquiry come as district authorities seek to resolve leadership disputes and investigate allegations concerning the management and use of village land in Njoge.

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