Report: Makamba backed Manji in suspect land deal (THISDAY)

THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam

NEW details are emerging about the conspiracy over the grabbing of a prime piece of land from the National Muslims Council of Tanzania (BAKWATA) allegedly masterminded by Yusuf Manji’s Quality Group Limited in Dar es Salaam.

THISDAY can reveal how the move was fraudulently hatched, resisted, and eventually pushed by top government officials in the city.

An internal report into the scandal commissioned by BAKWATA says Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Yusuf Makamba, gave his full backing to Mr Manji in the controversial project.

The report was written by a team of BAKWATA sheikhs appointed by the Chief Sheikh, Mufti Issa Shaaban Simba, to investigate the scandal over the property.

According to the report, it was only thanks to the intervention of the former Minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Brig. Hassan Ngwilizi, that Quality Group’s attempt to develop the land was thwarted.

Brig. Ngwilizi, who lives near the BAKWATA property at Chang’ombe suburb, had objected to the private development of the plot by Mr Manji’s company, the report says.

However, it is alleged that while Brig. Ngwilizi was away for election campaigns last November, Mr Manji quickly seized the opportunity by writing a letter to Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Yusuf Makamba, seeking his help in pushing forward his company’s project.

In the letter dated November 8, 2005, Mr Manji complained about the ’’delay in issuance of the building permit by the Temeke Municipal Council.’’

’’It is now more than 18 months since the date of our application, yet to date, Temeke Municipal Council has not issued us with the Building Permit,’’ Mr Manji said in the letter to Mr Makamba.

He added: ’’Considering the above situation, we seek your office?s intervention at the soonest.’’

Mr Makamba then obliged by instructing his assistant -- the Dar es Salaam Regional Administrative Officer ? to order the Temeke Municipal Council to expedite approval of the building permit to Quality Group.

’’What’s the meaning of this bureaucracy ? we should not discourage investors. (Eliya) Ntandu should supervise this and give them (Quality Group) the building permit,’’ Mr Makamba ordered in handwritten instructions to his assistants on Mr Manji’s letter.

In the memo that the Dar es Salaam RC expressly wrote on the same day of the delivery of Mr Manji’s protest letter, Mr Makamba declared that the disputed property belonged to Quality Group.

Working on Mr Makamba’s orders, the Temeke Municipal Council was forced to grant a building permit to Mr Manji’s company, which immediately built a fence made of corrugated iron sheets around the plot.

The 27-page report written by BAKWATA’s permanent probe committee established that there was fraud involved over the secret change of ownership of Plot Number 311/1 Block T at Chang’ombe to Quality Group.

BAKWATA had reserved the property for the construction of the proposed first Islamic University with the name Millennium University of Tanzania.

But in an unexpected twist, ownership of the plot was secretly transferred from BAKWATA to Mr Manji’s company, in what an internal BAKWATA report describes as ’’fraud and conspiracy.’’

Quality Group claimed to have legally gained ownership of the property with the full knowledge and consent of the Trustees of the proposed university.

However, it was later discovered that the certificate of incorporation issued to the Trustees was eventually withdrawn -- and subsequently cancelled.

The Administrator-General, Ms Christabella Kaisi, withdrew her letter of consent with reference number ADG/Ti/4 of October 2, 2002 given to the Trustees of the Millennium University of Tanzania after realizing that the consent was obtained by false pretence.
 
Mzee mwanakijiji,
Ni matokeo ya hiyo kesi na nani anapoteza. Manji ni mtu binafsi mfanya biashara na Makamba pia umetumia cheo chake, yaani hata kama majina yao yangekuwa Peter na Paul na mnyonge ni mkristu usingekuwa na maamuzi ya aina hiyo. Huna ushahidi wala kesi nzima huifahamu kuweza kubeza upande wenye makosa.
Tunawazungumzia viongozi wetu kwa kuangalia maamuzi yao pale haki inapotakiwa bila kujali dini, kabila ama rangi. Marais wetu wa kiafrika wote washenzi lakini hatuangalii wao kwa rangi zao kuwa kielelezo cha madai yetu ya rushwa na ukandamizaji bali vitendo vyao kwa kundi la watu (watanzania). Mtu yeyote anayewatetea viongozi wetu lazima kuna yale anayofurahia ktk matokeo ya maonezi hayo na sio kufuata haki.
Hata Nyerere alikuwa mshenzi?
 
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