MPs back land planning solution
DODOMA: MEMBERS of Parliament have linked the country’s persistent land disputes to inadequate land-use planning, saying nearly 70 per cent of conflicts occur in unsurveyed areas.
The legislators are now calling for accelerated planning, surveying and titling programmes nationwide. Contributing to the 2026/27 budget estimates for the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, lawmakers said resolving land conflicts requires stronger planning systems, improved digitalisation and timely implementation of land programmes.
Timotheo Mzava (Korogwe Urban-CCM) said inadequate land-use planning remains one of the leading causes of disputes across the country.
“In such circumstances, the first solution is to prepare, supervise and implement proper land-use plans. Since independence, only 4,873 out of 12,333 villages have been covered, which is still very low,” he said.
Mr Mzava welcomed the allocation of 48bn/- to the National Land Use Planning Commission, describing it as the highest development budget ever allocated to the sector.
He said the commission plans to prepare land-use plans for 1,410 villages during the financial year, urging the government to ensure timely release of funds to accelerate implementation. Jafari Wambura (Rorya-CCM) said recurring conflicts between farmers and pastoralists stem largely from poor land-use planning, arguing that sustainable development cannot be achieved without clear land management systems.
“We cannot achieve our development vision if we continue discussing conflicts year after year. Proper land-use planning is the solution,” he said.
Echoing similar concerns, Japhet Hasunga (Vwawa-CCM) said rapid urbanisation is outpacing planning efforts, leading to the growth of unregulated settlements and increasing compensation costs for government projects.
He said greater investment in planning, surveying and formalisation of land ownership would help citizens use land productively while improving access to finance through title deeds. Several lawmakers also called for improvements to the e-land system, saying digitalisation would help reduce fraud, prevent double allocation of plots and improve service delivery.
Issa Mchungahela (Lulindi-CCM) said some land disputes are fuelled by dishonest practices involving brokers and officials, stressing that transparent and accessible ownership records would help restore public confidence in land administration.
Meanwhile, Arif Premji (Mtwara RuralCCM) raised concerns over delays in compensation payments and challenges faced by residents seeking title deeds in protected coastal areas despite living there for generations.
Lawmakers further urged the government to strengthen oversight of land administration, improve staffing capacity in the sector and accelerate issuance of title deeds to support economic growth and reduce disputes.
