More than 200 families of workers belonging to the Burka Coffee
Estate who have been residing in staff housing units located within
the coffee farms are compelled to vacate their estate to pave way
for new developments in the farms.
“We are simply relocating our workers from the base farm
settlements within the estate so that they may find alternative
residences in town, because the part of the farms the Burka South, has
been bought by another investor, the Delina General Enterprises
Limited,” explained the Human Resources Manager for Burka Coffee
Estates, Mrs Pamela Kaaya, pointing out that the workers will still be
employees of the agricultural oriented company.
Since 1899 the Burka Coffee Estates have been growing and exporting
Arabica beans from the farms but recently a large part of the estate
measuring 418 acres was annexed and given to the government, through
the Arusha District Council for the development of the proposed
satellite city.
Also, some 297 acres were sold to the Burka City establishment whose
largest shareholder was Mawalla Trust Limited and since 2011 there had
been mutual agreement between Mawalla Trust and Burka Coffee estate
for the latter to carry out farming operations in the land including
making use of the residential quarters for farmers that are located
inside the segment.
However from last April 2015 Burka City Limited sold the Burka South
farms to Delina General Entreprises Limited a firm which plans to take
over the land effectively from the 1st of August 2015 with the
agreement that the area should be vacant by the time Delina moves in.
Because the Burka Coffee Estate workers’ housing units are
located within the piece of land to be taken over by the new owner next
August, the farm management has started the process to remove its
workers from the area.
“It is a very costly undertaking because our firm has to pay
six-month rent to all the 200 families, including moving allowances and
foot the bill of transferring their children from one school to
another,” explained Ms Kaaya.
Mr John Mwanayongo is among the affected Burka Estate workers,
serving as warden: “The management agreed to pay each of the families
living in three-bedroomed units 870,000/- as house allowance,” he said,
adding that those in two-bedroom units will be given 630,000/- and
those in one-bedroom houses are each to get 450,000/-.
“We are also entitled to 350,000/- school shifting allowance per
child attending Primary or Secondary institutions and 200,000/- for
each of the youngsters in kindergarten schools,” explained Mr
Mwanayongo.
Other workers like Ms Saumu Mwinyimvua and Mr Juma Ramadhan said
moving from their base into the harsh rental life in Arusha city was
nothing short of a nightmare; “We used to have all the basic services
including water, electricity and treatment but once outside all these
will come at a price,” they lamented.
Hakuna maoni:
Chapisha Maoni