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Demolition victims march, want compensation
2008-03-28 10:18:53
By Correspondent Hellen Nachilongo
About 400 victims of the illegal house demolition at Tabata Dampo area in Dar es Salaam staged a peaceful demonstration yesterday to the office of the regional commissioner to put pressure on the government to pay them compensation.
The march started yesterday afternoon from the area where an illegal demolition exercise a few weeks ago saw their houses pulled down to the RC`s office at Ilala Boma area, where however, law-enforcers diverted them to the nearby Mchikichini market.
Armed policemen aboard vehicles carrying water canons denied the demonstrators access to the RC\'s office compound.
Addressing an informal meeting at Mchikichini market, the demonstration leader, Saidi Masoud, vowed that they would not move from the place (Tabata) because they had been living there for more than 30 years.
During the demonstration, some of the victims carried placards bearing words like ``Shall we see 2010,`` and \"We won`t go anywhere, we are ready to die.``
Addressing the victims, Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo legislator Chacha Wangwe said as an opposition party, Chadema was ready to do all it would take to ensure that they got justice.
At least 96 households were left without shelter after their homes were demolished about a fortnight ago by city council officials who were executing a directive allegedly issued by the sacked executive municipal director, John Lubuva.
City fathers had told the victims that they should vacate the area because it had been allocated to a businessman for other use.
Since then, the victims, including women and children, have been sheltering themselves in tents amidst the debris of their demolished homes.
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