A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the Award of
Master of Science (Development policy) Degree of Mzumbe University
The study was done in Songambele and Mkoka villages Kongwa District, Dodoma.The
study focused on Assessment of land use conflicts in Tanzania. Taking Mkoka and
Songambele villages as a case study. The study addressed the following three
objectives(i) to access the causes of land use conflicts in selected villages in the study
area.(ii) identify types of land conflicts in selected villages in the study area.(iii) to
identify the effects of land use conflicts in the study area.
The population of the study consisted of village land committee, Land tribunal, and
villagers. The study involved a sample of 105 respondents including 90 respondents who
were randomly selected and 15 respondents that were selected purposefully. A cross
sectional research design was used however qualitative and quantitative approach were
used to design research questions. Four methods were used to collect data to address the
research objectives. These included a questionnaire, interview, observations, documents
review.The data collected were analyzed by using both qualitative and quantitative
methods.
The research finding revealed that, the causes of land use conflicts in Mkoka and
Songambele was pastoralist keep graze their cattle in the farms, removing of
demarcation, and land grabbing by powerful individual, scarcity of grazing land, double
leasing of plots ,no title deeds. Types of land use conflicts clashes between pastoralists
and farmers, families and families and other between villagers. However, the effect
associated with land use conflicts include: shortage of food to villagers, killing, and loss
of peace among the villages, crop and livestock destruction, lose of originally owned
land, development stagnation, decrease of income.
The study therefore recommended that government should raise awareness on land use
policy to the villagers through provision of seminars, workshops and leaflets on land use
policy and the rights of people. The government should also put clear and permanent
boundaries in surveyed land in the villages, The anti corruption institution should make
frequent follow up of the village land committee and land tribunal on their judgements
regarding land use conflicts.