Samson Serelelo vs Zabron Nely Amalumwe (PC Civil Appeal No. 49 of 1998) [1999] TZHC 198 (6 October 1999)

)00:T.A, J. IN THE KWH comm· OF TANZANIA 4£ TABORA P. C. CIVIL .. AP_P.EAL NO. 49 OF 1998 ( ORIGIN.At CIVIL cE- NO ··79 OF 1998 MANYa 1 nt AND CIVIL AePE.AL :OOe 2 OF 1997 JWUI,Tj} • Varsus N. fflr~- ••••• •• •• •. • •• • ...... ••• ~ In 199'6 samson Sebolalo instituted a suit. aga.ins11; Zabron Ntjyarrah'I.UllWO 8fi, Ma.rucm.i a-1inm;r Cout-1L elm:m:i:ng o- ps-oel. of land measuring 70 ft. by 50 f1t s:i tuatad at Mnanila Village, Ma111~ Xasu.lu .Toi.striO"tt as well as Shs. 21,oe~/= boibg damages in -rosct', of his 13 · trees upr.ooted. by Zabr.on Ntamalnmwe. The Ma.ey-ovu P.rime;ry Cot:a.-t: Magistrate entored judgment inf~ of 8.Mson Sabelelo. Being dissatisfied, Zabron. N-t.:iy.amalumwo a];lpoalod to tho .Kasulu Distri.at:. Court. 'Jhe .Apl)Qc:'\l was- suooassf'~ :Being iovod SlllllSon Sebolelo ( appe.llant} !ins. a.ppo&lad to this ... Court. At. the hearing o:f this a.ppeal the appe.l. appoa.red and at"guad the appeal in parson. Tho respondent had tho servieas of Mr. Boaz, learned advooa:te. A-ft the trial evidence on behalf of the appellant. wns to the Gf£oot. that the appcll.a.nt: had purchased the disputed paroel of lnnd from one Reuben Ruhuha. on 15-8.1971• In 1973 the appella.l'.rt 'WclS desirous· of d.evel.opi~ tho said parcel of ~and but dUB to iha impending operation :Vijiji ho oatμd not stat't. d.Gvoloping the parcel o£ lani. On coming from so.fa.1:i in 1978 the appallant f own s struotura OJ.Teated on tho diaputad pat'eal o.£ land. · Re oomplai.nod

2 to tho village autharitios am was inf armed that; the disp_utod hnd. was within the village land. The- appellant. then lost i:rrtG.a.--es1i in tho land.. In 1994 the structure that had boon errooted' on the disputed l:nui oollapsed due t.o la.ck of re.pairs. The respondent evod the poles and iron sheets.· ~ ··· · ·· , ......... . ap]»llant then pla.ntod Euptus; trees· on the said la.nd. In J'U.?1(3 1996 th.a r0spond.0nt uprooted Gho said euoacyptus treos and in O<>tobar 1.996 started arreoting a building on the disputed lam.. ']ho appollarrtt. was f.lggr:ia'vod. He instituted. proooodiDgS agailJSt tho rospondont. Evidence on behalf. of tho respondent.. was to the effect- that tho ros-porident 'Wt,"'Oth.ar w.i.th two other people, Daniel Yogwa cUld Simon· Mna:W. had purob.a.sod tho disputed parcel of land from RO'.I..U)Qn Ruh.uha in 1971.. The ti.Toe then formed a pm"tinership with the intention Of o:ng.lging in. oaE!P.9ntry and mas,om:a:y business. The firm errected a building a.ii; the- disputed. land whi.oh -was used - the purpose of the firm's business. In 1994 the stlid firm enoountered :financial pt"oblams and ceased carrying on busimss. In· 1996 tho building oolla.psed due to lack vf maintenance. In M, 1996· while IIt'OP,-:teing to arreo1t another building thoy disCOVerad treos planted on tho disputad: land.. Reuben Ruhuha told the Court that in 1973 ha sold. part of his land to tho appellant; ani a.n.Clther: paroel to tho respondent .. On this evidenoo, the District, Court; Magistrate reversed the deoision of the trial Court which had entered ant, in favour of Samson Sebelelo. 'llha reason :for the Dis:m-iot, Court's daoision. was that S/llIIBo:n Sebalel.o's, claim: was timo baTredi Rtt.1:8 2 of the Customany Law (Limitation of Prooootings) Rulos, 1963 ( GN. No. 311 of 1964) provides1

3 11 N o proc0cdi?¥ss f aJ! the enf orccment of a claim under oust omary law: of a. n-"lturo shown in the second column of th~--- shod.ula heto shall b0 instituted after tba expiration of tho oaJ!rospo11ding period shown in tho third .column of that sohodule, suo:.1 PoriOd. being doomed to ool11Ill0noo on the dey when tho right to bring suob. proooedings. f .irst aoousod Qt' on the day when those rules come into O);)Oration, whether is the later. 0 In iiorms of i tom 6 of the said :3 chedulo limitation pe:riuo. o£ pro:,-oodillgs. to rooover :possession of lrun Qt' monoy seourod on mortgage uf land is 12 yoars. In tho instant case right. to bi-i:ne action aooru.od in 1978 whon Sebelelo discovered' that a buildi~ had boon arrootod on tho disputed! land.. He did not insti tuto proooedings until 1996, a poriad of 18 yea-rsae The lea'.t'ned District. Magistrate was, tharof oro, right to dooido as he did• Tho a.p}X3al is !:l.Oom'd.il'¥5ly dismissed with oosts,. D. M. MWIT.A. J1IDGE 6/10/99 i ·- t_, ----:., Delivered in Clia.mbars this 6th dey of Oc~ober, 1999 in tho prenonoo of Mt-. :Bonz aa.vooato for the respondent. '\ ' ) JUDGE