Tenants face eviction as blocks ownership move to Church

by Nyamanoko Bwire and Staff Writer

A total of 16 families, tenants of 16 living quarters, belonging to the Arusha Municipal Council are facing eviction after the council has transferred the buildings ownership to a nearby Church.

The families, comprising over 100 people, occupy living quarters with numbers ranging from AMC 59 to AMC 66.

Led by their ten cell leader, Amina Abdallah, a delegation of eight tenants complained to the Arusha Times that, they were not involved in the deal and they feared for their future.

Having been tenants in the quarters for over 30 years now, the said, if the houses were to be sold, then they should have been given the priority of purchasing them, as it was the case for NHC tenants.

Through the official letter with reference number MD/C.12/4/109 the Arusha Municipal Council, on the 20^th of October 2003, informed the tenants that, their residential houses were now under the Tanzania Assemblies of God (TAG) Parish of Calvary Temple.

Apparently, Calvary Temple borders the affected residential houses and the sudden transfer of their ownership to the Church is being regarded as a prelude to a conflict between the Church and the current tenants.

Already, according to the tenants, the relationship between the Church and the neighbouring community has soured following the move by the Calvary Temple to chop down trees which reportedly fell onto electric cables and caused blackouts to the tenants.

Calvary Temple’s Senior Pastor, Wilson Kimaro admitted that, indeed the council had transferred the blocks ownership to his church.

"It wasn’t a dubious affair", said Kimaro. "The issue was passed at the full council sessions!"

According to the pastor, Calvary Temple had given the council their English Medium School located adjacent to Unga Limited primary school.

In exchange, the council was to give the church a plot for expansion at Kilombero area.

"We were surprised when, the council gave us the residential quarters complete with tenants," said Kimaro. "We are not businessmen, we don’t need houses to rent out, only a land for expansion."

This paper discovered that, the residential plots were also being surrounded by controversy since 1999, with a pending court case.

Michael Mdemu, a tenant of house number 62 said he was surprised by the council move to dispose of the houses while the case was still in court.

The case in question is about rent, apparently the tenants were adamant in paying new rental charges as imposed by the Municipal Council.

Municipal Director, Noah Mwaikuka, wasn’t available for comment, when this paper called his office this week. 

Last modified: October 30, 2003.
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