Village Land Management and Administration in Tanzania: The Autonomy of Village Councils

Abstract

This article examines the control, management and administration
of village land in Tanzania. It addresses the autonomy of village
councils in the management and administration of village land.
The article has generally showed that management and
administration of village land is vested in the village council and
the village assembly. The land allocating authority as far as village
land is concerned is the village council. In some cases, however,
approval of the village assembly may be required. Involvement of
the village assembly shows that the village council is not
autonomous in excising its powers of control, management and
administration of village land. In addition to involvement of the
village assembly the village council is bound by the advice,
directives and guidance issued from time to time by the
Commissioner and/or the district council as the case may be. It
has been shown that the Commissioner or the district council has
a stake in the control, management and administration of the
village land.

Keywords: Village Land, Customary Right of Occupancy, Management
and Administration, Land Dispute Resolution, Village
Council, Village Assembly, Village Land Council.