understanding land law & the concept of land

668 Pages·2013·3.99 MB·English

MANUAL ON LAND LAW AND CONVEYANCING IN
TANZANIA

By

Dr. W R Tenga Mr. Sist J Mramba

Faculty of Law Faculty of Law
University of Dar Es Salaam Tumaini University
DSM College

(2008)

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PREFACE
Land is a prime resource upon which all human activities are dependent. Since the pre-
colonial era land has been a potential resource for various socio-economical and even
political reasons. Effective land management regime has thus been a concern of every
society. The Government at different times has been keen to formulating rules which are
intended to ensure efficient land management and delivery systems. However bearing in
mind that all along land has been associated with other resources, tenure rules have
tended to be complicated with little incentive for comprehension without underscoring
the need for more lucid rules.

Despite the Government efforts to work out different policies and laws, the understanding
of the subject has borne diminishing returns. To the readers, Land Law has been an un-
bearable thorn that has left many injured if not crippled. To the practitioners the subject
has been one that is often approached with caution and seasoned deep-breath. As to the
policy and decision makers it has been a parable that is profoundly intertwined with
customary law which seems to be a matter of the past. It is against such backstop that this
Manual on Land Law and Conveyancing has been written. The manual is generally a
simplified tool for the understanding of Land Law and Conveyancing. The manual adopts
a forward-looking approach and is expected to ease the pressure faced by most in the
understanding and application of land law principles and concepts. It covers the position
prior and after the enactment of the Land Act and the Village Land Act. The manual,
apart from indulging on staturoty law as provide in various pieces, has also assumed a
great impetus from cases law with special aid from the scholarly text on Customary Land
Law of Tanzania: A Source Book by Prof Fimbo G M and James RW on historical
development to customary land law. It does provide some judgments of selected cases
and make reference to the land diposition forms which is particulary vital to the various
land transactions such as applications and dispositions.

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The chapters in this manual are linked in such a way that they provide a continued flow
of ideas which is imperative in the understanding and application of such a broad subject.
Much as land law is complicated this manual does not give a guarantee of any
simplification unless thorough revision is done.

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Contents
PREFACE ....................................................................................................................... 2
List of Statutes .............................................................................................................. 11
List of Cases .................................................................................................................. 13
List of Abrreviations ..................................................................................................... 18
CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................... 19
Understanding Land Law and the Concept of Land ......................................................... 19
1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 19
1.1 Meaning of Land Law ............................................................................................. 19
1.2 Objectives of Studying Land Law .......................................................................... 19
1.3 Challenges in Understanding Land Law ................................................................. 20
1.4 The Meaning of Land.............................................................................................. 21
1.4.1 The Common Law Context in History: Land and Fixtures ............................. 21
1.4.2 Land in the Tanzanian Context ........................................................................ 23
1.5 Sources of Land Law .............................................................................................. 25
1.5.1 The Land Acts .................................................................................................. 25
1.5.2 Other Written Laws.......................................................................................... 26
1.5.3 The United Republic of Tanzania Constitution ............................................... 26
1.5.4 Customary Law ................................................................................................ 26
1.5.5 English Law ..................................................................................................... 29
1.5.6 Indian Laws ...................................................................................................... 30
1.5.7 Islamic Law ...................................................................................................... 30
1.6 Land and Property ................................................................................................... 31
1.6.1 Chattels Real and Chattels Personal ................................................................ 31
1.7 Tenure and estates ................................................................................................... 31
1.7.1 Tenure .............................................................................................................. 31
1.7.2 Estates .............................................................................................................. 32
CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................. 35
Pre-colonial (pre 1890) Land Systems in Tanzania .......................................................... 35
2.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 35
2.1 Overview of Land ................................................................................................... 35
2.2. Significance of Land .............................................................................................. 40
2.2.1 Socio-economic Significance ........................................................................... 40
2.2.2 Political Significance ....................................................................................... 41
2.3 Acquisition of Land Rights ..................................................................................... 42
2.3.1 Allocation ......................................................................................................... 43
2.3.2 Clearing a Virgin Forest ................................................................................... 43
2.3.3 Purchase ........................................................................................................... 47
2.3.4 Gift ................................................................................................................... 48
2.4 Some Crucial Rules at Customary Law .................................................................. 51
CHAPTER THREE .......................................................................................................... 53
Land Administration During the Colonial Era.................................................................. 53
3.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 53
3.1 Land during the German Era................................................................................... 53
3.1.1 The Imperial Decree and its Implication ......................................................... 53
3.1.2 Implication of the 1896 Circular ...................................................................... 54
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3.2 Protection of Native Lands ..................................................................................... 55
3.3 Conversion of German Titles .................................................................................. 56
3.4 Implications of the British Land Policy .................................................................. 58
3.5 The East African Royal Commission’s Report (1955) ........................................... 63
CHAPTER FOUR ............................................................................................................. 66
Independence and After Independence (From 1961 to late 1980’s) ................................. 66
4.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 66
4.1 Modernization Era .................................................................................................. 66
4.2 Land Tenure Reforms ............................................................................................. 67
4.2.1 Conversion of Freehold Titles ......................................................................... 67
4.2.2 Customary Tenure Conversion in Range Areas ............................................... 68
4.2.3 Customary Tenure Conversion under the Leaseholds Enfranchisement ......... 69
4.3 The Socialist Approach ........................................................................................... 70
4.3.1 Customary Tenure and the Development of Villages and Ujamaa Villages ... 70
4.3.2 The Ujamaa Villages ........................................................................................ 70
4.3.3 The Regulation of Land Tenure ....................................................................... 71
4.4 Remarkable Judicial Decisions ............................................................................... 72
CHAPTER FIVE .............................................................................................................. 79
The 1990s-To-Date Land Reforms ................................................................................... 79
5.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 79
5.1 Urbanization Era: Reversing Ujamaa ..................................................................... 79
5.2 Liberalization Era.................................................................................................... 80
5.3 The Presidential Commission’s Recommendations................................................ 81
5.4 Reaction to the Commission’s Report .................................................................... 83
5.5 Why Land Policy 1995? .......................................................................................... 83
5.6 What are the Objectives of the NLP (1995)? .......................................................... 84
5.7 What do the Acts provide? Overview ..................................................................... 85
5.7.1 Categories of Public Land ................................................................................ 85
5.7.2 Transfer of General or Reserved Land to Village Land .................................. 85
5.7.3 Transfer of Village Land to General/Reserved Land ....................................... 87
5.7.4 Women Right to Land ...................................................................................... 89
5.7.5 Forms of Tenure ............................................................................................... 89
CHAPTER SIX ................................................................................................................. 91
Fundamental Principles of Land Management in Tanzania and the Institutional
Framework ........................................................................................................................ 91
6.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 91
6.1 Principles of Land Management ............................................................................. 91
6.2 Land Administration and the Institutional Framework ........................................... 95
CHAPTER SEVEN ........................................................................................................ 102
Rights and Incidents of the Granted Right of Occupancy .............................................. 102
7.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 102
7.1 Land Occupation under the Land Act ................................................................... 102
7.2 Creation of Derivative Rights for Non-citizens and their Implication ................. 103
7.3 Ceiling of Land Occupancy .................................................................................. 103
7.4 Incidents of the Granted Right of Occupancy....................................................... 103
7.5 Powers of Local Government Authorities in Granting Residential Licence ........ 104
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7.6 Types of Granted Right of Occupancy ................................................................. 105
7.7.1 Registration of Letter of Offer ....................................................................... 106
7.7.2 Conditions on the Right of Occupancy .......................................................... 106
7.7.3 Premium ......................................................................................................... 107
7.7.4 Length of the Term of the Granted Right of Occupancy ............................... 107
7.7.5 Payment of Ren .............................................................................................. 107
7.7.6 Change of Use ................................................................................................ 108
7.8 Disposition of Right of Occupancy....................................................................... 108
7.9 Breach of Conditions of Right of Occupancy ....................................................... 109
7.9.1 Fine for Breach of Condition ......................................................................... 110
7.9.2 Summary Action to Remedy Breach of Condition ........................................ 111
7.10 Revocation and its Effects .................................................................................. 111
7.10.1 Action to Enforce Revocation for Breach of Condition .............................. 111
7.11 Auctions of Right of Occupancy......................................................................... 113
CHAPTER EIGHT ......................................................................................................... 114
The Incidents of Customary Right of Occupancy........................................................... 114
8.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 114
8.1 Status and the Incidents of Customary Right of Occupancy ................................ 115
8.2 Applicable Law in Customary Rights of Occupancy ........................................... 117
8.3 Application Procedures for Customary Right of Occupancy ............................... 118
8.4 Determination of Application for Customary Right of Occupancy ...................... 119
8.4.1 Factors to Take into Account in Determining Application for Customary Right
Occupancy............................................................................................................... 119
8.5 Application from Non Village Organizations ....................................................... 120
8.6 Offer of Customary Right of Occupancy .............................................................. 121
8.6.1 Acceptance of the Offer ................................................................................. 121
8.7 Payment of Premium............................................................................................. 123
8.8 Duration of Customary Right of Occupancy ........................................................ 123
8.9 Option for Further Term ....................................................................................... 124
8.10 Payment of Rent .................................................................................................. 124
8.11 Conditions ........................................................................................................... 124
8.12 Disposition of Customary Right of Occupancy .................................................. 125
8.13 Surrender of Customary Right of Occupancy ..................................................... 126
8.14 Breach of Condition of Customary Right of Occupancy .................................... 127
8.15 Remedies for Breach of a Condition ................................................................... 127
8.16 Exercise of Customary Law Remedies ............................................................... 128
8.17 Fine for Breach of Condition .............................................................................. 129
8.18 Revocation of a Customary Right Occupancy .................................................... 129
CHAPTER NINE ............................................................................................................ 131
Compulsory Land Acquisition and Incidents of Land Compensation ............................ 131
9.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 131
9.1 The Land Acquisition Act ..................................................................................... 132
9.1.1 Procedure Prior to Acquisition....................................................................... 134
9.1.2 Compensation of Land Rights ....................................................................... 137
9.2 The Current Position ............................................................................................. 142
9.2.1 Compensation in Cases of Compulsory Acquisition for Public Purpose ...... 142
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CHAPTER TEN.............................................................................................................. 148
Abandonment .................................................................................................................. 148
10.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 148
10.1 Meaning of Abandonment .................................................................................. 154
CHAPTER ELEVEN ...................................................................................................... 162
Succession of Land Rights in Tanzania Testate and Intestate Succession: Internal
Conflicts of Law ............................................................................................................. 162
11.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 162
11.1 Rules of Inheritance/ Succession ........................................................................ 163
11.2 Succession of Land Rights .................................................................................. 163
11.2.2 Types of Intestacy ............................................................................................ 165
11.3 Laws Governing Administation of Christian Estates.......................................... 165
11.4 Succession Under Customary Law ..................................................................... 168
11.5 Islamic Law of Succession .................................................................................. 177
11.6 Hindu Inheritance................................................................................................ 187
11.7 The Probate and Administration of Estates Act .................................................. 188
11.8 Wills .................................................................................................................... 188
CHAPTER TWELVE ..................................................................................................... 191
Conversion and Regularization of Interests in Land....................................................... 191
12.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 191
12.1 Informal Occupation of Land.............................................................................. 191
12.2 Procedure for and Determination of Applications for Validation ...................... 192
12.3 The Legal Effect of Validation of Occupation ................................................... 192
12.4 Registering the Interest ....................................................................................... 194
12.5 Validated Derivative Rights ................................................................................ 194
12.6 Rules for Validated Mortgages ........................................................................... 195
12.7 Regularisation of Interests in Land ..................................................................... 197
12.8 The Purpose and Criteria for Declaring Scheme of Regularization ................... 198
12.9 Declaration of Scheme of Regularization ........................................................... 199
12.10 Modality and the Process of Regularization ..................................................... 201
12.11 Contents of Scheme of Regularization ............................................................. 205
12.12 Pre-requisites before Implementation of the Scheme ....................................... 206
CHAPTER THIRTEEN .................................................................................................. 207
Covenants and Dispositions Affecting Land .................................................................. 207
13.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 207
13.1 Qualities of Effective Dispositions ..................................................................... 208
13.2 Implied Covenants .............................................................................................. 209
CHAPTER FOURTEEN ................................................................................................ 212
Sale of Land .................................................................................................................... 212
14.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 212
14.1 Requirement of Notice ........................................................................................ 213
14.1.1 Actual Notice ............................................................................................... 213
14.1.2 Constructive Notice (Duty of Diligence) ..................................................... 214
14.1.3 Imputed Notice............................................................................................. 217
14.2 Latent and Patent Defects ................................................................................... 218
14.3 Misrepresentation ................................................................................................ 218
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14.4 Regaining of Possession by the Vendor.............................................................. 219
14.5 Registered and Unregistered Title ...................................................................... 220
14.6 Stages in a Conveyance ...................................................................................... 221
14.7 Legal Requirements and Terms of the Contract ................................................. 222
14.7.1 Terms of the Contract .................................................................................. 222
14.7.2 General Clauses in a Sale Agreemement ..................................................... 223
14.7.3 Enforceability of the Contract ...................................................................... 223
14.7.3.1 Requirement of Consent ........................................................................... 223
14.7.4 Grant of Approval ........................................................................................ 226
14.7.5 Restrictive Covenants .................................................................................. 227
CHAPTER FIFTEEN ..................................................................................................... 229
The Law of Leases .......................................................................................................... 229
15.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 229
15.1 Terminologies and Concepts............................................................................... 229
15.2 Possible relationships in leases ........................................................................... 230
15.3 Creation of Leases............................................................................................... 230
15.4 Classification of Leases ...................................................................................... 232
15.5 Holding Over ...................................................................................................... 236
15.6 Option to Renew ................................................................................................. 236
15.7 Incidents of Subleases and Head-leases .............................................................. 237
15.8 Rights and Obligations in Leases ........................................................................ 238
15.10 Remedies for Breach of Covenants................................................................... 251
15.11 Tenant’s Remedies ............................................................................................ 253
15.12 Who May Apply for Relief? ............................................................................. 253
15.13 Determination of Application ........................................................................... 254
15.14 Relief from the Court ........................................................................................ 254
15.15 Unlawful Eviction ............................................................................................. 255
CHAPTER SIXTEEN ..................................................................................................... 256
The Law of Mortgage .................................................................................................... 256
16.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 256
16.1 Mortgage ............................................................................................................. 256
16.2 Mortgage and Charge .......................................................................................... 257
16.3 Creation of Mortgages ........................................................................................ 258
16.4 Creation and Types of Mortgage Recognized in Tanzania ................................. 259
16.4.1 Legal Mortgage ............................................................................................ 260
16.4.2 Charge .......................................................................................................... 261
16.4.3 Lien by Deposit of Documents .................................................................... 262
16.4.4. Creation of Equitable Mortgages Prior 1999 .............................................. 263
16.4.5. Protection of Equitable Mortgagees ............................................................ 264
16.5 Mortgage of Matrimonial Home ......................................................................... 267
16.5.1 Effects of Undue influence on Spouse ......................................................... 269
16.6 Priority of Mortgages .......................................................................................... 270
16.7 Discharge, Variation and Transfer ...................................................................... 271
16.8 Covenants, Conditions and Powers Implied in Mortgages ................................. 274
16.9 Mortgagee’s Remedies........................................................................................ 275
16. 10 Revocation of Mortgaged Right of Occupancy ............................................... 289
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16.11 Rules to limit the powers of the Mortgagees .................................................... 291
16.12 Who May Redeem? ........................................................................................... 293
16.13 Remedies Available to Mortgagor .................................................................... 294
16.14 Discharge through Depositing of Mortgage Money to Registrar ..................... 294
16.15 Creation, Effect and Remedies of Customary Mortgages ................................ 295
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN .............................................................................................. 296
Easements and Analogous Rights ................................................................................... 296
17.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 296
17.1 Creation of Easements ........................................................................................ 297
17.2 Modes of Creating Easement .............................................................................. 297
17.3 Essentials of an Easement ................................................................................... 301
17.4 An examination of the Ingredients ...................................................................... 301
17.6 Termination of Easements .................................................................................. 304
17.7 Licence, Easements and Quasi-easements .......................................................... 304
17.7 Entry Order and Access Order ............................................................................ 304
17.8 Extinguishment and Cancellation ....................................................................... 305
17.9 Public Rights and Communal Rights of Way ..................................................... 306
17.10 Application and Determination of Public Right of Way .................................. 307
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.................................................................................................. 309
Co-occupancy ................................................................................................................. 309
18.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 309
18.1 Incidents of Joint Occupancy .............................................................................. 309
18.2 Principal Features of Joint Occupancy ............................................................... 310
18.3 Incidents of Occupancy in Common ................................................................... 312
18.4 Co-occupancy and Spousal Relationships .......................................................... 313
18.5 Determination of Joint occupancy ...................................................................... 314
18.6 Determination of Joint Occupancy and Occupancy in Common........................ 314
CHAPTER NINETEEN.................................................................................................. 318
Land Registration System in Tanzania ........................................................................... 318
19.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 318
19.1 Registration of Documents ................................................................................. 318
19.2 Manner and Procedure in Registration of Documents ........................................ 319
19.3 Registration of Titles........................................................................................... 319
19.4 Goals of Registration .......................................................................................... 324
19.5 Effects of Registration and Non-registration ...................................................... 327
CHAPTER TWENTY .................................................................................................... 330
Settlement of Land Disputes ........................................................................................... 330
20.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 330
20.1 Applicable Laws in Court ................................................................................... 332
20.2 The Land Disputes Courts Act 2002, Cap 216 ................................................... 332
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE ........................................................................................... 342
Limitation of Actions ...................................................................................................... 342
21.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 342
21.1 General Principles and Definitions ..................................................................... 342
21.3 Ownership and Possession .............................................................................. 342
21.4 The Length of the Period .................................................................................... 343
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21.5 When Does Time Begin to Run? ........................................................................ 347
21.6 Adverse Possession and Adverse Possessor ....................................................... 348
21.7 Exclusive Possession .......................................................................................... 350
21.8 Postponement of Time ........................................................................................ 350
21.9 Exclusion of Periods ........................................................................................... 351
21.10 Effect of Death on the Right of Action ............................................................. 351
21.12 Extension of period and the Effects of Acknowledgement .............................. 352
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO .......................................................................................... 354
An Introduction to the Land Law of Zanzibar ................................................................ 354
22.0 General Overview ............................................................................................... 354
22.1 Land Tenure and Acquisition in History ............................................................ 355
22.1.1 Zanzibar as a British Protectorate ................................................................ 356
22.2 The 1964 Revolution and Land Reforms ............................................................ 358
22.3 Land Registration ................................................................................................ 360
22.4 The Land Tenure Act (1992) .............................................................................. 362
22.4.1 General Overview ........................................................................................ 362
22.4.2 Grants of Right of Occupancy ..................................................................... 363
22.4.3 Tree Tenure .................................................................................................. 364
22.4.4 Sale of Land ................................................................................................. 365
22.4.5 Leases of Public Land and Rights of Occupancy ........................................ 365
22.4.6 Termination of a Right of Occupancy ......................................................... 366
22.4.7 Abandoned and Idle Land ............................................................................ 367
22.4.8 Mortgage of a Right of Occupancy .............................................................. 368
Selected Cases ................................................................................................................. 369
Disposition Land Forms .................................................................................................. 493
The Land Act Forms ................................................................................................... 493
The Village Land Act Forms ...................................................................................... 579

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