Tanzania's Investment Center chief Ole Naiko states “people cannot just be evicted from their land unless the investment is of national interest” a statement few take seriously in light of the Silverdale Farm Case

“People cannot just be evicted from their land unless the investment is of national interest”

I am not sure anyone really takes this statement from Mr. Ole Naiko seriously in light of the Silverdale Farm case!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The government has said the United Nations’ caution to African states against issuing big chunks of land to foreigners did not apply to Tanzania because it is well protected against the menace. Speaking to The Guardian in a telephone interview yesterday, the Executive Director of Tanzania Investment Centre, Emmanuel Ole Naiko, said the issue of land in the country is being handled with great care to prevent grabbing, adding that there are laws and policies in place to protect the resource.

“There have been several warnings about land grabbing in Africa, but for a country like Tanzania with vast areas, that is not a big issue because the land needs to be put into effective use,” he said.
The TIC boss said the country has 44 million hectares of land, but less than 20 per cent is cultivated or used for livestock keeping.

we encourage commercial farming and insist that more investments should be put into the land,”

“People cannot just be evicted from their land unless the investment is of national interest,” he said.

He said the Land Act No. 4 of 1999 also protects the general land, adding that a foreigner cannot be given land unless he is an investor and must comply with the country’s land laws and investment codes.

Naiko said that people should not complain about investors being given land, because after all they provide employment to many Tanzanians.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN