kangwina matinde 90 others vs fala mazuta 128 others 2022 tzhclandd 849 30 august 2022

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA (SUMBAWANGA DISTRICT REGISTRY) AT SUMBAWANGA LAND CASE NO. 1 OF 2020 1 KANG'WINA MATINDE...... ....... ........... ................. ....................... st PLAINTIFF KULWA MZULINGI............ .............. ............................ ........... . 2 nd PLAINTIFF MASUNGA JOSEPH ............... 3 ....... rd PLAINTIFF .4 JETRUDA JOSEPH...... ......................... ........................ ................. th PLAINTIFF 5 EMMANUEL MASANJA.................................. ................................. th PLAINTIFF NGASASOKONI ................................. .................................... . 6 th PLAINTIFF 7 SAMORA MAYIGE......... ................................ ................................ th PLAINTIFF 8 JOSEPH L. IGOLOLA ..................... ............... ................................. th PLAINTIFF 9 DOTIO DILA ...................................... ................ ............................. th PLAINTIFF DILA MANAMBA........ ....................................... .............. ....... . 10™ PLAINTIFF SACKA MAKEZO...... ............................. ........................................ 11™ PLAINTIFF DANIEL FEDUKA .................... ....................................................... 12™ PLAINTIFF KASANZU MTALUMA ........... ................................ ............. 13™ PLAINTIFF REGINA ALLY ..................... ....... ........................................ .......... 14™ PLAINTIFF MAKEJA WENNA ............. ...... ................ ....................... .............. 15™ PLAINTIFF DANIEL JAMES ........................ .............................................. . 16™ PLAINTIFF MAYUNGA MASEMBA........ ............. .................................... . 17™ PLAINTIFF MBOJE MAHUGA ............. ............. ............ ....... ........................... 18™ PLAINTIFF SAIMON S. LUNYILIJA.......................................... ....... .............. 19™ PLAINTIFF GABEHO JIMOTIRI............. ........... 20™ PLAINTIFF DUYIINYASI........... .............. .............. ....... ............................... 21™ PLAINTIFF HENER SENDWA ................................... ..................................... 22™ PLAINTIFF DOTTO MASELE............. ............... ....................................... . 23™ PLAINTIFF MASULE LUTINGINYA....... ............... ....... ........................ 24™ PLAINTIFF JOHN SILIMBI......... ....... ............... .................................. . 25™ PLAINTIFF BONDELA SAMBAYI..... ......................... .............. 26™ PLAINTIFF BONIFAS BOMA................... ......................... ...................... 27™ PLAINTIFF BULUGU MKOMA........................ ........................ ....... ....... .........28™ PLAINTIFF JAMES MASUKE.............. ............ ............................................... 29™ PLAINTIFF SHUKULU MAGESA........................ ............................................ 30™ PLAINTIFF NHIGA LUPIMO....................... .................... ...............................31™ PLAINTIFF GENGESABA LWIGI.................. ............................... ............. . 32™ PLAINTIFF SAMWEL NTENENHI............... ................................ ............ . 33™ PLAINTIFF NYAFA JIHUMBI............... ......................................... ........ ....... 34™ PLAINTIFF NZARE LUSWETULA...................... ................................................ 35™ PLAINTIFF MASALU JINYAMA............... ........................... . 36™ PLAINTIFF NJILE MAKALAYE.......... ....................... ....... ............................... 37™ PLAINTIFF HUSEIN ZUOPOJA................................................. .............. ....... 38™ PLAINTIFF 1 KULWA MALIWA............ ........................ 39™ PLAINTIFF MASUNGA JILUNGU................................. 40™ PLAINTIFF EZEKIEL HADIKA......... ........ 41™ PLAINTIFF SHIJA L. KISOMBA.......... ........ 42™ PLAINTIFF MAJILA JAGWA................................... ...................... 43™ PLAINTIFF SOSPETE MASASI................. ........... 44™ PLAINTIFF LUGUNANA NKONDO.......................... 45™ PLAINTIFF PASKALI JOSEPH............................ 46™ PLAINTIFF RUHIGO NHENENGO....................... ......... ................................. .. 47™ PLAINTIFF LUCHOMA K. BUNDI...................................... 48™ PLAINTIFF HENELI SENDWA....... ........... 49™ PLAINTIFF DOTTO NKWAMINO...................... ................ 50™ PLAINTIFF MATOGOLO KANG'WIN A........ ........ 51™ PLAINTIFF KANUNDO GEDI............................... 52™ PLAINTIFF HAMIS MABILIKA NYANDA.............................. 53™ PLAINTIFF SHIJA FULANO........................ 54™ PLAINTIFF MILIONI MAJA.............. ........... 55™ PLAINTIFF NHIGULE JILALA............................... 56™ PLAINTIFF LUCAS MALULANYA........... ............ ...... ........... 57™ PLAINTIFF MANENO MALONGO....................... 58™ PLAINTIFF ELIAS LUFUNGULO........ ..................... ............... 59™ PLAINTIFF PETER MATHIAS.................... ........... 60™ PLAINTIFF MASALU BULASHI........................ 61™ PLAINTIFF DOTIO MASHILIMU...... ....... 62™ PLAINTIFF LEONARD H. MWANANDENJE.......................... 63™ PLAINTIFF MARY MADUHU.................. 64™ PLAINTIFF JOSEPH SIMON............... ...... ...... ............ 65™ PLAINTIFF DAUDl JIPALA...................... 66™ PLAINTIFF ANASTAZIA JOSEPH................. 67™ PLAINTIFF LUSIA BAG I LI.,................. .. 68™ PLAINTIFF BAZILIO SENDWA............ .............. 69™ PLAINTIFF MAYUNGA MASEMBA......................... ............. 70™ PLAINTIFF SAIDI LU BASH A......... 71™ PLAINTIFF SAMWER L. LUFUTA..................... .............. 72™ PLAINTIFF YEGELA MARIKO..................................... 73™ PLAINTIFF MLEKWA MAKOLES................ ................................... .................. 74™ PLAINTIFF MAKALANGA MANYOTA..................................... 75™ PLAINTIFF MIKOMA CHALESI.............. ....................... ... 76™ PLAINTIFF JOSEPH SAMWEL............. 77™ PLAINTIFF MKINA SOKONI MMKlNA...........»........................ ..... 78™ PLAINTIFF MAPAMBANO MPANGAMCHU... .................. 79™ PLAINTIFF EMBASI RUHENDE............. ................. 80™ PLAINTIFF KULWA SOSELA.................................. . 81™ PLAINTIFF NEKI RUCHAGURA........................ 82™ PLAINTIFF 2 RICHARD KADAMI HAMIS............................... 83™ PLAINTIFF EMMANUEL KATWALE BULOGO......... ......... 84™ PLAINTIFF JIDOGA LUTELEMBA.......... .......... 85™ PLAINTIFF MALONJA MAJI........................ 86™ PLAINTIFF JOSEPH IGOLOLA. ................... ............. 87™ PLAINTIFF MASHIMO MAJEBELE.......................................... 88™ PLAINTIFF NGASA SOKONI......... ............................... 89™ PLAINTIFF KITABU SILA........ ...... ........ 90™ PLAINTIFF ZILIWA SINGU...... .......... 91™ PLAINTIFF VERSUS FALA MAZUTA ....................... 1 st DEFENDANT KAPELE ZENOBI......... ............ 2 nd DEFENDANT MWALIMU JAKOMO...... ............... ......... .3 rd DEFENDANT LUSIANO KA PA KU........... .. 4™ DEFENDANT FULEKI FUPE................... 5™ DEFENDANT KAYAPA FELE.............. ............................ ........... ..................... 6™ DEFENDANT FUMA BOGA...................... ...................................... 7™ DEFENDANT KANILA MALABIKA.................. 8™ DEFENDANT NAMES MKANA......................................... .............. 9™ DEFENDANT SEBASTIAN JAKOBO....................... 10™ DEFENDANT MWALIMU HAPPY...... .....;............... ................................... . 11™ DEFENDANT ASKARI YUNI................... 12™ DEFENDANT EVODIYA NTANYENYA........................... 13™ DEFENDANT BWANA MIFUGO....... ........... 14™ DEFENDANT MWASAGA........ ............... 15™ DEFENDANT MASAJA............................ 16™ DEFENDANT MIZIMU.................... 17™ DEFENDANT JAKOBO........ ................................................... 18™ DEFENDANT MALIYANA.......................... 19™ DEFENDANT KIBUNGULU....... ............ ....................... .......... ................... 20™ DEFENDANT JAGISONI..................... 21™ DEFENDANT SADIKI................. 22™ DEFENDANT SAIMONI............. ......... 23™ DEFENDANT JEREMIAH...... .................. 24™ DEFENDANT JAPHETH............... 25™ DEFENDANT LINUS SIWEZI......... ........... 26™ DEFENDANT DENDE............... 27™ DEFENDANT CHARLES......... . 28™ DEFENDANT JENIS............................ 29™ DEFENDANT MAYELA CHELEHANI......... .......................... 30™ DEFENDANT MBOJE.................. 31™ DEFENDANT 3 DEO KATULI.................. ....................... 32™ DEFENDANT CHRISTOPHER .............. 33 th DEFENDANT . 34 ABAS.................. ....................................... .............. ............ th DEFENDANT SALUM KUBEBA........... .............. 35™ DEFENDANT SIKU SESELEMBE......... ............................ 36™ DEFENDANT AMAN...... ......................... ..37™ DEFENDANT JAFET................................. 38™ DEFENDANT DOTO MHELA....................... 39™ DEFENDANT GILES.......... .................. ...... .................. 40™ DEFENDANT STEVEN WILLIAM......... ........ ........................... 41™ DEFENDANT ROZIMELX RICHARD........ ......... 42™ DEFENDANT ATHUMAN IDD.......... ........ 43™ DEFENDANT ZENOBI KAPERE.................... 44™ DEFENDANT ANNA MBOGO................................. 45™ DEFENDANT JAPHETH ALFRED....................... 46™ DEFENDANT SAMSONI MAGWOLO............. ......................... 47™ DEFENDANT CHARLESTEKERE......... .............. .... 48™ DEFENDANT DORICA NDABILA............................ 49™ DEFENDANT LAZARO KATABI................ 50™ DEFENDANT MASHAKA DOTTO.............................................. 51™ DEFENDANT MAIKO JULIAS.............. 52™ DEFENDANT JOHN GEOFREY........................... 53™ DEFENDANT MASANGA CHARLES........................................................... 54™ DEFENDANT FRANK MTAINDWA........... ........ ....... ........................ 55™ DEFENDANT LEORNARD KAGUSA......................... 56™ DEFENDANT DAMAS DAMIANO............. ........................ ........... ..... 57™ DEFENDANT STEPHANO KALILO................... 58™ DEFENDANT CHARLES MWANAGWA....................... 59™ DEFENDANT SAID JUMA..,............ ........ 60™ DEFENDANT FRANK KALYALLYA................................ ............... ............ .. 61™ DEFENDANT JANETH ALLY.............. ..... 62™ DEFENDANT SANGU JOHN....... ...... .................................. 63™ DEFENDANT AIDAN GEORGE .......................... 64™ DEFENDANT JONASANI MGOMBA........ ......... .............. 68™ DEFENDANT GEOFREY NTAINDWA ............................... 66™ DEFENDANT ANASTAZIA JOSEPHAT...................... ................. 67™ DEFENDANT SIKU SELELEBE.......................................... 68™ DEFENDANT JOSEPH KUTULI......................................... 69™ DEFENDANT FUMU BOGO...................... 70™ DEFENDANT KAPAYA FELE............... ................................... 71™ DEFENDANT FRANK FUPE.............. 72™ DEFENDANT KULWA MAMBA................. ............... 73™ DEFENDANT BEBE VIBO............................. 74™ DEFENDANT MWALIMU JAKOBO........ ......... 75™ DEFENDANT 4 MWALIMU KANA............... ....... ........... ...... .......... 76™ DEFENDANT SABA KAMZI...... ................ 77 ........ th DEFENDANT MARCO ROMANI.......................... 78™ DEFENDANT SEFU KABEBE.............................. 79™ DEFENDANT LUYEYE......... ......... 80™ DEFENDANT LINUS SIWEZI........ ........ 81™ DEFENDANT JENIS.............. 82™ DEFENDANT DOTO SEKETULE........... ............... 83™ DEFENDANT MASANGASL................. ........ 84™ DEFENDANT BILIA............................... ......... 85™ DEFENDANT WIMBI................................... ...... ............ ...................... ...... 86™ DEFENDANT KABILA................... 87™ DEFENDANT SIKOMBE................... 88™ DEFENDANT SABA............. .................. 89™ DEFENDANT TINYA................... ........... 90™ DEFENDANT MBAJE.......... ........... 91™ DEFENDANT NDALU SAGUDA................................ 92™ DEFENDANT MAMA KWANGIPENYE..................... 93™ DEFENDANT SAMWELI PANGANI....... .......... 94™ DEFENDANT BABA ENDO...... ........... 95™ DEFENDANT PETER SAMSON MPEPO....................... 96™ DEFENDANT PHOSTINI M RIN DA.............................. 97™ DEFENDANT KANYEMA MRINDA...................... 98™ DEFENDANT PENCHA................................. ..................... 99™ DEFENDANT LONKA......... ................... 100™ DEFENDANT FUREKI.................... 101™ DEFENDANT JUMA SAID......................... 102™ DEFENDANT JANETH ELIAS...... ............................................................... 103™ DEFENDANT JONAS MIGOMBA....... ........... 104™ DEFENDANT SADICK SAID................ ....105™ DEFENDANT TAUSI JOHN...... ........... 106™ DEFENDANT SILVIA JUMA.................. .......... 107™ DEFENDANT PILI ANDREA................. 108™ DEFENDANT ALPHONCEB RASHID.............. 109™ DEFENDANT ADAMU CHARLES........................................... 110™ DEFENDANT MAIKO JULIAS........................ ........................ .............. ... Ill™ DEFENDANT LAZARO KATABI.......... ......... 112™ DEFENDANT GODELINA MWANAWIMBE..................................... 113™ DEFENDANT KATABI DOTO............. 114™ DEFENDANT RASHID JOHN............. ................ 115™ DEFENDANT LAZARO JOHN...... .................... 116™ DEFENDANT JOHN SAGU...... ......... 117™ DEFENDANT GEOPHREY JOHN............................ 118™ DEFENDANT KAGUSA LEONARD,........................ 119™ DEFENDANT 5 DAMIANO JUMA......... ...................... ..................... 120 th DEFENDANT KAMINA JOSE PH AT......... .................... .......... ......... 121™ DEFENDANT RASHID JUMA ............. 122™ DEFENDANT SAIMUNIIDD...................... 123™ DEFENDANT JAPHETH MWANAGWA .............. 124™ DEFENDANT THACDEO JUMA ........... 125™ DEFENDANT MALIANA EDIGA........ ............. 126™ DEFENDANT TATU SAHIDI.................................... 127™ DEFENDANT EPHRAIM MWAMPOULU ........... 128™ DEFENDANT SHUKRANI M KA LU KA ....... ....... ................... 129™ DEFENDANT EX-PARTE JUDGMENT 28/07 & 30/08/2022 NKWABIr J.I In this land case, the plaintiffs are suing the defendants for a piece of land. The reliefs the plaintiffs are seeking are: (i) All defendants be evicted form the land. (ii) Permanent injunction against all the defendants, their relatives, servants and anyone coming from their orders. (iii) General damages for trespass. (iv) Recovery of agricultural products to a value of the rice price as per 20 bags per each acre from the time of evasion up to the day of return of the land. (V) T shillings 250,000/= per each day from the day of judgment up to the day of return of the land. (vi) Cost of the suit. 6 (vii) Any other relief the Honourable Court deems fit and just. The facts leading up to this suit are that the plaintiffs on one hand are peasants who live and conduct farming business in Stalike and Igongwe villages in Stalike ward within Nsimbo District in Katavi Region. On the other hand the defendants in this matter are businessmen who conduct business in Katavi region. It was also stated by the plaintiffs in the plaint that in the year 2017 the plaintiffs having formed an intention of conducting an irrigation farming scheme in Stalike and Igongwe villages areas, did each individually buy from various owners pieces of land in the area which was earmarked village farming area covering the land measuring 3,515.35 acres valued at Tanzania shillings 527,302,500/= and using the same area in cooperative form of farming. But to the surprise of the plaintiffs on diverse days of November 2019 the Defendants started forcefully entering into and together continued to occupy and use the Plaintiffs" lands preventing the plaintiffs of their legal utilization of the same so as to make the letter suffer the loss of using it and profits realizable therefrom. Demands and reminders that the defendants vacate the suit land 7 have never been heeded to by the defendants. The endeavour to cultivate rice in the lad was frustrated by the Defendants the act which entitles the plaintiffs to claim for general damages in trespass besides other claim. Since, the defendants did not appear in mediation, the written statement of defence was struck out under Order VIII (c) Rule 29 of the Civil Procedure Code, Cap 33 R.E. 2019 by this Court at the instance of the prayer by the counsel for the plaintiffs. Thus, the hearing of this case proceeded ex-parte. The plaintiffs paraded four witnesses to build on their case. The evidence on the plaintiffs' side was that PWl Richard Kadahni Hamis, who is the chairperson of the peasants (Chama cha Wakulima wa Umwagiliaji Muungano) testified that he cultivates rice, maize and groundnuts in the area. It is also the evidence that is in the record of this Court that the pieces of land were bought from the villagers who were owning the same. The transactions were sent to the village leadership. The copies of sale/purchase agreements were received in court as exhibits. PWl as the chairperson of the group used to be the custodian of the land purchase agreements. 8 The whole area has the size of 3,515 acres. It is also the evidence that the plaintiffs started to cultivate the area since the farming season of 2017 - 2018, and 2018 - 2019, but in the year 2019 - 2020, that is in December 2019, there came a group of persons who invaded their land. At the time of invasion, the plaintiffs had already cultivated the area and had sown seeds. The leader of that group that invaded their agricultural land was the W.E.O. of the Ward, namely Shukrani Mkaluka (the 129 defendant). When they invaded the pieces of their (plaintiffs') land, they allocated it amongst themselves (defendants). The invaders harvested the crops of the plaintiffs. To date, those who invaded plaintiffs' pieces of Shamba are still holding plaintiffs pieces of shamba. For the first year, he cultivated 10 acres of land, in the following year, he cultivated about 20 acres. For every acre he was harvesting 20 sacks of rice. Then the Court was prayed for orders of vacant possession to the plaintiffs' area, compensation for the plaintiffs' who have not cultivated their pieces of land for two years and other reliefs as per their plaint including but not limited to defendants be forcefully evicted from the plaintiffs' pieces of shamba. After the judgment, if the defendant continues to remain in 9 plaintiffs' farms, this Court has to order compensation as per plaintiffs' harvest per each year. The testimony of PWl was supported by the testimonies of PW2 Christopha Angelo Mrisho, PW3 Yegela Michael and PW4 Mkoma Charles Mwoigela who teamed up in order to prove the plaint. Faced with the above evidence, this Court is minded to go back to the overused laws, that he who alleges must prove and in civil litigation, proof is on the balance of probabilities, see East African Road Services Ltd v. J.S. Davis & Co. Ltd. [1965] E.A. 676 and Karangirangi v, Asteria Nyalwambwa, Civil Appeal No. 237 of 2017 (CAT) at pg. 7 & 8. "... we think it is pertinent to state the principle governing proof of cases in civil suits, The general rule is that, he who alleges must prove. ... It is similarly that in civil proceedings, the party with legal burden also bears the evidential burden and the standard in each case is on balance ofprobabilities.zz io The pertinent question here is, have the plaintiffs managed to prove the plaint on the balance of probabilities? I think the answer to the above question is in the affirmative. The first reasons for an affirmative answer to the question posed is that the defendants failed to enter appearance during mediation and on the prayer by the counsel for the plaintiffs, this Court struck out the written statement of defence filed by some of the defendants. I also note that some of the defendants did not enter appearance though the summons was even published on newspaper. The next reason for an affirmative answer is that the plaintiffs have tendered evidence (documentary exhibits) to prove that they purchased pieces of land at the suit place. The transactions were blessed by the villages' authorities for the two villages. There is no evidence to the contrary. The certificate of registration of the plaintiffs' irrigation association namely (Chama cha Wakulima wa Umwagiliaji Muungano) corroborates their evidence that they own the pieces of land for agricultural activities. 11 Lastly, the oral evidence by all four witnesses on the plaintiffs' side which oral evidence has not been controverted by the defendants coupled with the other pieces of evidence such as documentary evidence suffice to tilt the balance of the case to the plaintiffs' favour. The above suffices, and thus I hold affirmatively that the plaintiffs have proved the case on the balance of probabilities. As such, I declare that the plaintiffs are the owners of the disputed piece of land which has the size of 3,515.35 acres situated within in Stalike and Igongwe villages' areas that they purchased and the transaction blessed by the villages' authorities. Lastly, I determine the reliefs the plaintiffs are entitled to. In this judgment herein above, I have listed the reliefs that are sought by the plaintiffs. Because the plaintiffs have proved their case, I grant them the following reliefs: •a. The plaintiffs have to have vacant possession of the suit land. In case the defendants neglect to vacate the suit land, forceful eviction be carried out against the defendants from the suit land. 12 b. Permanent injunction against all the defendants, their relatives, servants, agents and anyone coming from their orders. c. General damages for trespass at the tune of T.shs 100,000,000/= (a hundred million Tanzanian shillings). d. Recovery of agricultural products to a value of the rice price as per 20 bags per each acre from the time of evasion up to the day of return of the land. e. Costs of the suit awarded to the plaintiffs. f. The suit land is declared the property of the plaintiffs. It is so ordered. DATED at SUMBAWANGA this 30th day of August 2022. Mu J. F. NKWABI JUDGE 13