High Court Land Division

High Court Land  Division was established as a result of the land reforms which were implemented by the Land Act 1999. Until 2010, the Land Court had exclusive jurisdiction to determine land disputes relating to land with a pecuniary value of TZS 50,000 or more. 

38 judgments
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38 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
June 2018
Wrong citation of the specific statutory provision for extension of time renders the application to appeal incompetent and struck out.
Land law – Appeals – Extension of time to appeal – Proper enabling provision for appeals from District Land and Housing Tribunal to High Court – Section 38(1) Land Disputes Courts Act versus Section 14(1) Law of Limitation Act. Civil procedure – Competency of application – Wrong citation/non‑citation of statutory provision renders application incompetent and liable to be struck out
29 June 2018
Applicant’s s.96 CPC application to correct typographical omissions (case number, missing respondents, omitted counterclaim) granted.
Civil procedure — Amendment of judgment — Section 96 CPC — Correction of errors apparent on the face of the record. Typographical/clerical errors — Wrong case citation and omission of parties/third parties. Decree amendment — Inclusion of omitted counterclaim (although dismissed). Unopposed applications — effect where errors are manifest
29 June 2018
A title obtained via fraudulent transfer by a non-administrator is void; municipal revocation of such title is lawful.
Land law – Ownership dispute – Whether a purported transfer of a deceased’s property by an unauthorized person can pass title – fraud vitiating transfer. Administrative revocation – Lawfulness of municipal revocation of title after fraud discovered Evidence – Application of s.123 Evidence Act (estoppel) and standard of proof for allegations of fraud. Transfers of right of occupancy – requirement of authority's consent; void agreements without consent Probate/administration – limits on transfer by non-administrator
29 June 2018
An application arising from execution must be brought under section 38(1) CPC; wrong citation led to striking out.
Execution proceedings – Questions arising from execution, discharge or satisfaction of decree – Section 38(1) CPC governs such disputes – Wrong citation of law – Section 95 (inherent powers) inapplicable where specific provision exists – Interlocutory relief cannot displace execution regime.
26 June 2018
Applicant failed to satisfy Atilio v Mbowe criteria; injunction against bank enforcing mortgage dismissed with costs.
Interlocutory injunctions; mortgage/security enforcement; Atilio v Mbowe criteria (prima facie case, irreparable harm, balance of convenience); courts will not shelter defaulting borrowers; contractual rights of lenders to enforce security.
25 June 2018
Disputed house forms part of the deceased's estate; concubinage and defective affidavit render applicant's ownership claim invalid.
Land law – ownership dispute over house allegedly built with deceased – whether property forms part of deceased's estate Succession/probate – administrator's role to deal with estate; court should not itself distribute estate assets. Family law – relevance of legality of marriage/concubinage to estate claims Wills – testamentary affidavit invalid where not witnessed by two witnesses as required by law (GN 436/1963, Sch.3, para.19)
22 June 2018
An application to restore a struck-out suit failed because the advocate's alleged illness lacked corroborating medical evidence.
Civil procedure – restoration of struck-out suit – Section 95 CPC – need to show sufficient cause; medical evidence required to prove advocate's illness; uncorroborated assertions and afterthoughts insufficient.
22 June 2018
Applicant failed to prove ownership; respondent established title and recovered rent arrears, damages and interest.
Land law – proof of ownership and burden of proof; Land registration and title – Certificate of Title and sale agreement as conclusive evidence; Lease law – tenant liability for rent arrears; Forged document – allegation of fraud requires strict proof; Change of land use – conversion of farm number to plot number.
22 June 2018
An application founded on wrongly cited statutory provisions is incompetent and is struck out with costs.
Civil procedure – jurisdiction and competence – wrong citation of enabling provisions renders an application incompetent; Order XXI Rule 20 concerns execution notices, not contempt/disobedience orders; Section 95 (inherent powers) is exceptional and cannot cure fundamental jurisdictional defects.
22 June 2018
High Court upholds tribunal ownership finding; appellants failed to prove excess value, long possession, or forgery.
Land law – jurisdiction – pecuniary jurisdiction of District Land and Housing Tribunal; valuation burden on party alleging excess value Evidence – documentary title (Right of Occupancy/Certificate) outweighs undocumented oral possession Possession – claim of long uninterrupted occupation/adverse possession must be proved Procedure – Tribunal must stick to pleaded issues; Regulation 20(1) relates to judgment contents Exhibits – allegations of forgery/alteration require proof and may be dealt with as separate criminal matters
22 June 2018
An applicant relying on a court clerk’s misinformation must produce a supplementary affidavit from that third party or the application fails.
Civil procedure – Setting aside dismissal for non-appearance – sufficiency of reasons – focus on explanation for absence rather than merit of case Evidence – Third-party assertions – requirement for supplementary affidavit where affidavit deposes to information from another person. Procedural fairness – allegations of court clerk misinformation require direct evidence, not hearsay
22 June 2018
Court dismissed review, finding no error apparent on record and applicant failed to prove annexures justified reopening the decision.
Review — Section 78 and Order XLII r.1(b) CPC — review permissible for new evidence or error apparent on face of record; competence of appeal; right to be heard; inadmissibility of re-opening own decision.
22 June 2018
Stay of execution should be sought in the appellate court; concurrent appeal and revision applications amount to abuse of process.
Civil Procedure – Stay of execution – Order XXI Rule 24(1) – Proper forum for stay where appeal lies to Court of Appeal Civil Procedure – Abuse of process – Concurrent appeal and revision applications – effect on entitlement to interim relief Execution – Appointment of court broker and proclamation of sale – timing of stay application
22 June 2018
Applicant's wrong statutory citation rendered extension application incompetent and it was struck out with costs.
Land appeals — extension of time — proper statutory provision post‑2016 is Section 41(2) Cap. 216; wrong citation fatal — application not moved; affidavit jurat must show date; verification must support averments; withdrawal not permitted after respondent raises preliminary objections.
22 June 2018
A purchaser from a person without title cannot acquire ownership; earlier village-approved sale and possession prevail.
Land law – sale and transfer – sale by non-owner (nemo dat) – purchaser from a person without title cannot acquire better title Evidence – burden of proof in claiming ownership – party alleging right must prove relevant facts. Possession and village-approved sale documents – evidential weight in land ownership disputes Procedural – assessment and weighing of evidence by trial tribunal reviewed and upheld
22 June 2018
Extension of time denied where applicant failed to prove sufficient cause, including inadequate proof of illness and unexplained delay.
Civil procedure – Extension of time – application under Limitation Act – requirement to show sufficient cause; proof of illness; accounting for delay; reliance on advocate’s conduct needing corroborating affidavit.
22 June 2018
Whether the applicant's consent was required and whether the mortgage was validly created with spouse consent.
Land law – spouse's consent for alienation of matrimonial home; burden of proof on spouse alleging lack of consent; Land Act and Mortgage Financing (Special Provisions) Act 2008 – duties of mortgagor and mortgagee to disclose and verify spousal status; validity of mortgage where another spouse provided written consent.
22 June 2018
Land claim dismissed as time-barred and for lack of locus standi; res judicata not established.
Law of Limitation – recovery of land from deceased: cause of action accrues on date of death (s.9(1), s.35 Law of Limitation Act); Limitation period 12 years. Locus standi – plaintiff must show status as legal personal representative; letters of administration and affidavit required. Res judicata – requires same parties and subject matter (s.9 Civil Procedure Code); prior tribunal decision held not binding where parties/subject differ
21 June 2018
A decree-holder must pursue execution under the tribunal’s Order XXI procedures; filing a fresh suit for enforcement is incompetent.
Land law – execution of tribunal decree – proper forum and procedure for enforcing possession decrees under Order XXI Rule 95 CPC. Civil procedure – preliminary objection – pure point of law vs. factual controversy (Mukisa Biscuit principle) Execution – resistance to delivery of immovable property – applicability to non-parties resisting possession
19 June 2018
Belated amendment of inconsistent Chamber Summons denied; application struck out for vagueness and delay.
Civil procedure – amendment of pleadings – belated amendment sought at hearing; vagueness and internally contradictory prayers in Chamber Summons; counsel’s negligence not a sufficient reason; Limitation Act (Part III Item 21) sixty‑day rule – failure to seek leave to file/amend out of time.
18 June 2018
Fraudulent spousal consent to mortgage not proved; lower tribunal’s finding upheld and appeal dismissed with costs.
Land law — Mortgage of matrimonial property — Spousal consent under s.114(1)(a) Land Act — Allegation of fraud in civil proceedings — Higher standard of proof for fraud — Appellate deference to tribunal’s factual findings.
18 June 2018
Plaintiff proved lawful purchase and title; defendants ordered to vacate and hand over possession; claimed specific damages denied.
Land law – Sale agreement and transfer of title – proof of purchase and transfer as evidence of ownership. Contractual covenant – vendors’ obligation to remove tenant – effect on entitlement to possession Evidence – burden of proof under section 110, Law of Evidence Act; specific damages must be specifically pleaded and strictly proved Relief – declaration of ownership, order for vacant possession, costs; dismissal of unproved specific damages
18 June 2018
Plaintiff's prior lawful acquisition created a subsisting right; later title to another is void, trespass and injunction granted.
Land law – valid acquisition by sale – evidence of sale agreement, offer letter and receipts; Effect of creation/acceptance of right of occupancy – subsequent grant null if prior right subsists; Certificate of Title issued contrary to prior subsisting right – nullity; Trespass and injunction; Burden of proof on balance of probabilities.
18 June 2018
Appeal against Tribunal’s dismissal of preliminary objection was premature and incompetent under section 74(2) CPC.
Civil procedure – Appealability – Interlocutory order – Whether dismissal of a preliminary objection by a tribunal is a final order – Application of Bozson test and section 74(2) Civil Procedure Code (Cap.33 R.E.2002).
18 June 2018
Extension of time refused where applicant and counsel were negligent and failed to demonstrate sufficient cause or diligence.
Civil procedure – Limitation – Application for extension of time under section 14(1) Law of Limitation Act – requirement of sufficient cause and diligence. Procedural duty – Applicant and counsel’s duty to follow up judgment delivery – negligence may defeat extension applications. Case law – principles on sufficient cause and accounting for delay (Bushiri; Yusuph Same; Benedict Mumello)
8 June 2018
Court granted six‑month interim injunction preventing respondents’ construction and alienation pending trial due to prima facie case and risk of irreparable harm.
Interim injunction — prima facie case; irreparable injury; balance of convenience; interlocutory relief without prejudging ownership; preservation of suit property.
8 June 2018
Failure to give sufficient reasons for delay — High Court dismisses extension application; Rule 49(3) not applicable in High Court.
Procedural law – extension of time under section 11(1) AJA – requirement to show sufficient reasons to exercise discretion; Evidence of delay – court’s failure to supply judgment/decree not a prerequisite for High Court extension applications; Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 – Rule 49(3) applicability limited to applications filed in the Court of Appeal; Procedural irregularities – substantive complaints do not constitute reasons for delay.
8 June 2018
Applicant failed to prove ownership or a binding PPP contract; fourth respondent holds title and suit is dismissed with costs.
Land law; ownership – proof by title (Right of Occupancy); burden and standard of proof in civil claims; contract formation – requirement of offer and acceptance for PPP agreements; specific performance claim dismissed for lack of binding agreement; eviction and title disputes.
8 June 2018
An appeal filed beyond the statutory 45‑day period is time barred; delay in obtaining certified copies does not excuse late filing without leave.
Land law – Appeals – Time limit for appeal from District Land and Housing Tribunal – Section 41(2) Land Disputes Courts Act (as amended) – 45 days from date of decision – Delay in obtaining certified copies not a substitute for applying for leave to file out of time.
8 June 2018
Leave to appeal requires a point of law; complaints about factual evaluation do not justify leave, application dismissed with costs.
Land law; leave to appeal to Court of Appeal under s.47(1) Land Disputes Courts Act; requirement of a point of law; distinction between questions of law and challenges to findings of fact/evidence; dismissal for failure to meet threshold.
8 June 2018
Court granted extension to file amended plaint, finding sufficient cause and no procedural abuse, each party to bear own costs.
Civil procedure – Extension of time (s.93 Civil Procedure Code) – applicants must account for each day of delay – discretion exercised judicially – sufficient cause includes dispute over beneficiaries’ rights and absence of procedural abuse – right to be heard emphasized; delay due to obtaining valuation report.
8 June 2018
An application citing wrong statutes and combining incompatible reliefs is incompetent and is struck out with costs.
Civil procedure – competence – Proceedings instituted under wrong statutory provisions – Non-citation of enabling provision renders application incompetent; Civil procedure – omnibus applications – Distinct reliefs (stay of execution and revision) cannot be combined in one application; Land disputes – proper provision for revision is Section 41, Land Disputes Courts Act.
8 June 2018
Application to set aside dismissal for non-appearance dismissed for failure to prove sufficient cause.
Civil Procedure – Order IX Rule 9(1) – Setting aside dismissal for non-appearance – Requirement to show sufficient cause – Need for corroborative evidence (cause list, summons, affidavits) – Discretionary relief.
8 June 2018
Temporary injunction granted to restrain sale/eviction where applicant alleges lack of spousal consent and risk of irreparable harm.
Civil procedure – interim injunction – requirements: prima facie case, irreparable harm, balance of convenience; mortgage disputes involving alleged lack of spouse's consent; Order XXXVII and Section 68(c) CPC.
8 June 2018
Application for extension of time struck out due to misjoinder of parties and different subject matters.
Land law — procedure — extension of time for appeal — misjoinder of parties — Order 1 Rules 3, 9 and 10 Civil Procedure Code — distinct causes of action; party not in original proceedings cannot be joined as appellant.
7 June 2018
Leave to appeal granted to determine whether statutory notice was required before reallocation of allegedly abandoned village land.
Land law — Leave to appeal — Point of law — Village Land Act ss 39(1)(a), 45(1)(a) — Notice before reallocation of abandoned village land — Exceptional circumstances — Time limitation for leave (Court of Appeal Rules r.45(b)).
6 June 2018
Plaintiff's 1988 offer invalid due to pre-existing registered grant; defendant's registered title prevails.
Land law – validity of administrative letter of offer – effect of prior existing grant; Registered title and deed of conveyance – evidentiary weight; Village council powers to allocate land; Right of occupancy and possession; Validity of survey where prior registered grant exists.
1 June 2018
Mortgage held valid where mortgagor’s affidavit declared non‑matrimonial status; plaintiff failed to prove marriage or lack of consent.
Land law – Mortgage – Requirement for spousal consent where land is matrimonial – Bank’s due diligence under s.114 Land Act (as amended) – Affidavit by mortgagor declaring non‑matrimonial status; Evidence – burden on plaintiff to prove matrimonial status.
1 June 2018