Tanzania's anti-corruption bureau returns 1,508 plots to Dodoma residents

Tanzania's Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) has returned 1,508 plots to their rightful owners in Dodoma following investigations into irregular land allocations that deprived residents of their property rights.

The recovery was among the bureau's achievements for the six months from April to September 2026, presented to journalists by the acting head of PCCB in Dodoma, Mr Rukondo Mujuberi. He said the intervention followed complaints from residents, particularly in Mahoma Manyika, where plots surveyed in 2019 by a private company were allegedly allocated to people who were not entitled to them. The investigations were conducted in collaboration with the Dodoma City Council and the Assistant Commissioner for Lands in the region.

"Some of the citizens who benefited from these measures are here today to testify about having their properties returned," Mr Mujuberi said, describing the recovery as part of broader efforts to protect citizens' property rights and address irregularities in land allocation.

Beyond the land disputes, the bureau said it recovered Sh92.72 million through investigations and interventions involving public institutions and individuals. Of that amount, Sh55.01 million was returned to the accounts of the Chemba, Chamwino and Kongwa district councils, Sh9 million was refunded to residents allegedly defrauded by leaders of a community savings group, and Sh25 million went back to Ministry of Health employees who had paid for non-existent plots. A further Sh2.81 million was recovered from unlawful development contributions collected by village leaders.

The bureau also reported findings in construction projects. In Chamwino District Council, investigators identified irregularities in the procurement of construction materials for an education project worth Sh302.2 million, which were subsequently addressed. At Lamaiti, a dispensary project worth Sh239.46 million was found to have defects in some rooms and the affected sections were demolished and rebuilt to approved designs, while Sh700,000 spent on activities unrelated to the project was returned. In Kondoa, a contractor building a primary and pre-primary school at Seva failed to remit Sh4.71 million in withholding tax to the Tanzania Revenue Authority, which was later paid, and in Chemba construction materials worth Sh1.73 million were recovered from health projects after being left in stores without accountability.

During the six months, PCCB monitored 30 development projects worth Sh5.42 billion across education, health, water, administration and roads. It received 308 complaints, of which 140 involved alleged corruption, and handled 13 cases in court, with eight ongoing and five determined in favour of the Republic. The bureau said court decisions facilitated the recovery of Sh18.16 million, of which Sh17.13 million was returned to the government and Sh1.03 million to members of the public.

"PCCB will continue to receive and investigate citizens' complaints professionally, fairly and in accordance with the law," Mr Mujuberi said, urging residents to report suspected corruption through PCCB offices and its official communication channels.