Residents of an estate in Mlolongo have protested over 182-acre public utility land grab by a private developer.
The Mlolongo Phase Three estate residents have petitioned the government to intervene in the row over the public land set aside by the defunct Mavoko Municipality in the 1980s, claiming that the developer has embarked on putting up the perimeter wall around 17-acres of the disputed land.
The residents claim that the developer has been intimidating them for questioning the legality of the ongoing construction works on the plot.
According to the residents, the developers are backed by powerful individuals in the government to grab the land.
“There’s a well-orchestrated plan by individuals colluding with unscrupulous Ministry of Lands officials to grab the public utility land,” residents said.
On October 18, 2021, the residents acquired a court order to stop any developments on the land until the matter is determined, however the developer ignored it.
The residents, through their lawyers wrote to the police alleging harassment and threats to evict them.
“We urge police officers to stop meddling in land conflicts and taking sides,” read part of the letter.
However, the police urged the residents to seek court redress since their work is to enforce directives issued by the court.
