Dar Es Salaam — VILLAGERS from Kisarawe district who gave over 8,000 hectares of land to British Sub Biofuels Plc to cultivate jatropha are regretting their move which they think was due to ignorance.

The residents of Muhaga, Kibuta and Mtamba, said their hope of becoming rich overnight due to promises of oil money are very distant.

Some villagers said that they were not being compensated for their land, while others said they received too little money for their livelihood.

The villagers blamed government and district officials for misleading them.

"We were cheated. District officials told us that all other 10 villages in the district have already agreed to give the investor land and that higher authorities have already sanctioned the move," said Halima Ali, a resident of Muhaga village.

Muhaga village gave away over a 1,000 hectares of land to Sun Biofuels which has since written an official letter to the village authorities, informing them that no one will be allowed to trespass the company's farm area effective March 15.

"By this letter and in order to maintain good relationship, we are giving you a three weeks' notice effective February 23, 2010. When it reaches March 15, 2010, the company will be compelled to use force to arrest and evict anyone within the area of its jurisdiction," the letter dated February 24, 2010 and signed by acting Human Resources Officer, M. Tembo, read in part.

Villagers bordering the over 8,000 hectares farm, part of which is already planted with jatropha and cassava, are complaining against the company's blockade saying it denies them access to water sources and a short cut to neighbouring villages where their blood brothers live.

"If the company makes its threat good, we will suffer because we will have to go round their farm as short cuts will be closed," said Nasoro Nzeru, a Mtamba village chairman who, however, was yet to receive Mr Tembo's letter which his peer at Muhaga, Athumani Mkambala had a copy.

Sun Biofuels applied for 20,000 ha of land in the district but only managed to get close to 9,000ha from 11 villages with a population of over 11,200 people, according to local officials. The villages which also include Marumbo, Paraka, Kidugalo, Kului, Mtakayo, Vilabwa, Mitengwe, Mzenga 'A' and Chakaye, agreed to give the British firm their land in return for several promises.

Initially, district officials had set the compensation mark at 800m/- after an Ardhi University expert evaluation of individual plots.

Former Kisarawe District Land Officer, Leo Rwegasira, said the money was earmarked to compensate to 2,840 households.

But last week, the Sun Biofuels Chief Executive Officer, Richard Morgan issued a statement saying only 230m/- has so far been used to compensate the villagers, amidst complaints of unpaid villagers and those seeking fair payments for their land.

Mr Rwegasira is now Rufiji District Land Officer where multinationals are also facing allegations of land grabbing, cheating villagers and colluding with district officials to silence resistance.

"To the best of my knowledge, the decision to give land to the investor was done properly in accordance with the law. Village assemblies were convened and people were clearly told of what to expect," argued Kibuta ward counsellor, Sinahila Jeta.

Mr Jeta who confided to 'Daily News' that he holds a masters' degree from a United Kingdom university, said district officials and villagers were overwhelmed with promises of changing their impoverished district into an oil rich area.

While joining Mr Morgan to call upon villagers who have genuine complaints on their compensation to come forward, Jeta said prior to seeking audiences with villagers to acquire land, Sun Biofuels representatives, gave Kisarawe district officials a seminar on what the biofuel project was all about.

"If there is anyone whose land has been taken by the investor but has not been compensated, please list your names and next Monday I will go with you to the district headquarters to find out what had happened," Jeta said.

When contacted through email to respond to a number of issues raised by Kisarawe villagers, Morgan resorted to making threats.

"I strongly advise you to get your facts right before you print your story. From your mail you are clearly misinformed already. Why are you deliberately targeting SBF?" Morgan charged.

Without giving his version of correct facts of the issues raised by 'Daily News,' Morgan wrote, "What is your agenda other than a totally negative approach to the whole subject. You and your paper were the subject of a conversation I had with the Tanzanian High Commissioner in London yesterday.

Her advice to us was to contact our lawyers and the Media Council of Tanzania, The UK renewable energy firm expects to invest over 40bn/- in Kisarawe within the next two years.