DODOMA: THE Parliament has reached a resolution that directs the government to submit to the House an evaluation report on the performance of undeveloped privatised tourist hotels and lodges before the next Parliamentary meeting scheduled for April, this year.
The directive was issued on Friday after Members of Parliament deliberated on the 2024 Report tabled by the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Land, Natural Resources and Tourism,
Timotheo Mnzava (CCM – Ko- rogwe Rural). The tabled committee report evaluated the performance of two ministries from February 2024 to January 2025, namely the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development and the Ministry of Natural Re- sources and Tourism.
According to the Committee Chair, some tourist hotels and lodges that were privatised in 1990s during the privatisation process were either not developed or had their original intended purposes changed by investors.
In the report that was lat- er adopted by the Parliament, Mr Mnzava said Bunge devel- oped interest in tracking the performance of the privatised hotels and lodges in 2023.
According to the Com- mittee Chair, the government informed the committee that it has constituted a special team, headed by the Solicitor General, for the purpose of holding talks with investors, focusing on finding the best modality on how the government can repossess the facilities.
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The discussion between the constituted team and the investors will also determine the amount of money that the government is required to reimburse to investors before repossessing the hotels.
According to Mr Mnzava, latest development, as per the Registrar of Treasury, shows an in-depth evaluation on the performance of facilities is going on, adding that a comprehensive report on the matter is expected to be ready in June, this year.
He said a preliminary report is likely to be ready next month.
In general, Mr Mnzava said an evaluation on the performance of the tourist industry shows a remarkable im- provement, as the sector has been recording growth each year.
However, he said one of the challenges facing the industry is lack of sufficient accommodation facilities for tourists.
He said having learnt of the problem, his committee, on January 2023, met former Treasury Registrar, Mr Mgonya Benedict so that it could receive information on the development of the privatised hotels and lodges.
He said the committee, in its 2023 Report tabled to Parliament, and through the resolution adopted, directed the government to take ac- tion against investors who acquired the government facilities during privatisation but had violated the agreed privatisation conditions.
According to Mr Mnzava, the resolution was not implemented and the matter was reported back to Parliament through its report tabled to the House on February 08, 2024.
He said after the government failed to implement the resolution, his committee sought further clarification from the government through the Office of Treasury Registrar (OTR).
