Mandela Institute finally gets land for construction
Compensation money however needed in order to buy off plot
holders
By Staff Writer and Matilda Kirenga
A total of 5000 acres, out of the 5500 acres of land, that were set aside to be
distributed among local residents in dire need of plots, in Arumeru District,
will now be fenced off and be kept for the proposed Nelson Mandela Institute of
Science, Technology and Research center.
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The proposed Institute of Science,
Technology and Research is named after Nelson Mandela, former President
of South Africa. |
The proposed Mandela Institute, which will be the only one in
Africa, south of Sahara, is going to be the main Capacity building training
center, for Science and Technology training, Engineering and research
undertakings, in the Sub-Saharan region.
The Institute will be built on the 5000 acres of land on both the Lucy and
Karangai estates of Arumeru, as proposed by the Arusha regional officials and
according to its Secretariat, the center is scheduled to start operating in
2007.
But there are some hitches. People who once owned the plots, need to be
compensated. The cost of one acre of land in the area, currently stands at Tsh.
225,000 having jumped up from the previous Tsh.173,000 per acre.
Already over 100 acres had been bought by some local residents in the area, but
as far as reliable sources are concerned, the value of these plots keep going up
with each passing day and if the project keeps delaying, the compensation cost
will be extremely high.
Regional officials are pushing for fast action in implementing the project,
saying the Institute will be of much benefit to both the African continent,
Tanzania, Arusha region and even the Arumeru district.
"Obvious better roads and other important infrastructures will be constructed in
the locality and these will boost development in the area." Says a statement
from the Regional Secretariat.
Tanzania was chosen to host the Nelson Mandela Institute, during the African
Union meeting that was held in Abuja Nigeria, at which it was agreed that the
country was to provide land for the project.
The meeting, chaired by the Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, the current AU
headman, also formed a special fund, the "African-Wide Fund" to support the
establishment of the new institution, dedicated to offer academic excellence for
African countries.
The World Bank on the other hand will launch a special "Tanzania week." as an
effort to promote the project worldwide. The institute is a brainchild of the
Poverty alleviation conference of China. This project will put Tanzania in a
position to be working with the World Bank.
Tanzania, is also expected to work with WB and other education stakeholders in
reviewing its, Primary and Secondary School curricula, prioritizing Mathematics
and Science subjects.
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