‘Government orders TPDF officers to stop sand mining along Tegeta River’ 4 August 2020

The government has on Tuesday ordered the Tanzania People Defense Forces (TPDF) officers to stop sand mining activities along Tegeta River after residents of Kisanga B, Tegeta filed a complaint that the army officers were extracting sand from the riverbed, something that was deemed as an environmental hazard. According to residents the ongoing sand mining activity was bound to disturb the river water flow and put their lives and properties in danger during rainy days.

…Speaking to The Citizen, Kisanga Chairperson Mwajuma Mrisho said she had received complaints from the residents on Sunday, August 2 and then she reported the matter to the Kinondoni District Commissioner who later ordered the army officers to stop the mining exercise. "I personally visited the site and witnessed the ongoing sand mining activities carried out at the River by the army officers. When I asked them if they had a permit to do so, they said they were granted the permit by the Kinondoni Municipal director, but later I came to realize it was not true," said Ms Mrisho. The chairperson further disclosed that her office was not consulted by the army officers about the sand mining exercise along the river.

…According to Lt Col Luhoga, the government has contracted the TPDF to implement the projects. "We ran out of sand so we decided to extract sand from the River which is passing just at the back of my house. Thus, if it was something that endangers the community living alongside the River, I would be the one to worry because the exercise is taking place just nearby my house," said the TPDF officer. He added that the exercise was conducted in compliance with the environmental guidelines to ensure that the area remained free from soil erosion even during rainy days.