In August 2026, ESS Creative and Legal Foundation facilitated the mediation of a TSh 350 million land dispute at the High Court Mediation Center involving Sarah Zabron Kyando, the purchaser, and the seller. The disputed land is located in Bunju B, Dar es Salaam.
After purchasing the land, Sarah discovered during the title acquisition process that the land map appeared to show a substantial portion of the property as belonging to the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS). She challenged the seller, who denied the allegation.
When the matter came to ESS, our mediators, Erick Mukiza, Executive Director and Accredited Mediator, and Godliving John Mambo, Accredited Mediator, initially faced difficulties because the seller did not attend the mediation sessions.
Recognising that the dispute could not be resolved without clarification from TANROADS, the mediators innovatively involved TANROADS as a necessary stakeholder, although it was not a party to the dispute.
TANROADS State Attorney, Advocate Gurisha Yese Muwanga and road engineers, together with the buyer and ESS mediators, conducted a site visit and measured the disputed area. The assessment established that the disputed land was not part of the TANROADS area. This clarification from the government officials helped the team of mediators to resolve the dispute quickly and amicably.
A dispute that could potentially have continued for years through litigation was resolved through mediation in less than a month.
A Wider Lesson for Land Disputes
This case demonstrates why the participation of government officials can be critical to successful mediation.
Through our mediation work, ESS has observed that some disputes do not fail because parties are unwilling to settle, but because key government officials are unavailable when their technical or institutional clarification is necessary.
This is particularly common in land disputes involving competing titles, title and offer conflicts, surveyed boundaries, demarcation, and other matters requiring government verification.
The participation of State Attorneys, the Commissioner for Lands, Registrar of Titles, surveyors, engineers, and other relevant officials can help establish facts and remove uncertainties that prevent settlement.
The Bunju B case demonstrates a simple principle: when the right government institution participates in mediation, a dispute that might take years to resolve through litigation can sometimes be settled within weeks.
ESS Creative and Legal Foundation remains committed to working with the High Court Mediation Center and relevant government institutions to strengthen effective and accessible mediation in Tanzania.
ESS Accredited Mediators Erick Mukiza and Godliving John Mambo conducting the mediation at the High Court Mediation Center.
Sarah Zabron Kyando, the purchaser, and TANROADS State Attorney, Advocate Gurisha Yese Muwanga, shake hands following the successful resolution of the dispute.
Sarah Zabron Kyando and TANROADS State Attorney, Advocate Gurisha Yese Muwanga, display their Certificate of Settlement before the ESS mediators at the High Court Mediation Center.