Abstract:
Despite being praised as a land of peace, Tanzania is not immune to land disputes Particularly,
local communities in Arusha region have been experiencing conflicts. For instance, in Meru
District and Arusha City local community clash over ownership and use of land. The general
objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of Ward Tribunals in settling land disputes
in Arusha City. The study applied a mixed method approach which combined questionnaires
and interviews in data collection. The study was based on a sample size of 112 respondents
that included 64 members of ward tribunals and 48 disputants. Data collected through
questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages), and
independent t-test. Study findings identified land use and land ownership disputes. The land
disputes identified included disputes over payment of house land, disputes over land use
between the City Council and micro entrepreneurs, land use disputes between pastoralists and
farmers, land use disputes between pastoralists and other land owners, and land use disputes
between family members. The study identified three land ownership disputes that included
multiple allocation of land, land inheritance disputes and boundary disputes. The study found
that most frequent applied mechanisms included consultation, mediation, conciliation. The
study revealed that decentralized land governance has enabled ward tribunals to resolve land
disputes on timely manners, dispensing justice and reducing land conflicts at the community
levels. The study identified four constraints affecting effectiveness of ward tribunals. They
included resource constraints, legal constraints, socio-cultural and political constraints. Based
on the findings the study concludes that decentralized land governance has facilitated
application of alternative dispute settlements mechanisms to address land disputes. The study
recommends multiple strategies for strengthening effectiveness of ward tribunals, through
provision of financial support, sufficient training and community awareness.
