Kakobe church billboards removed

By Alex Bitekeye and Beldina Nyakeke
The two huge billboards in front of the Full Gospel Bible Fellowship (FGBF) church, were removed yesterday by Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) technicians.

The move came after the church ignored a notice issued by the Tanzania Roads Agency (Tanroads) Dar es Salaam office to the church, institutions and individuals to remove all structures erected on the road reserve to pave the way for construction of high tension power line from Ubungo to Makumbusho.

Tanesco technicians yesterdaay met no resistance from church followers who had earlier this year blocked Tanesco from erecting electricity poles in the vicinity of the church premises.

The operation started at around 11am when two Tanesco lorries carrying technicians accompanied by four armed policemen and a crane from Ravji Construction Limited arrived at the church premises.

According to eye witnesses, a person with loud speaker warned that anyone who would attempt to block them, would be acting against the law. The technicians went to work and within minutes the two billboards were pulled down.

Few church followers who had started to converge at the site shortly after Tanesco technicians arrived, stood at a safe distance, looking at what was going on without commenting or protesting. A witness, Mr Juma Khamis, told this newspaper later that it was a peaceful exercise and none of FGBF members interfered with the exercise.

Bishop Zacharia Kakobe himself was not around and attempts to reach him through his phone failed. His cell phone was unanswered for long time before it was switched off.

Mid last week, the Dar es Salaam Tanroads regional manager, Mr James Nyabakari, told this newspaper that his office had issued a one-week notice to FGBF and other people to remove their objects in the road reserve.

He said the authorities might be forced to intervene and remove all objects interfering with the project, if owners will fail to heed the notice within the specified time.

He added that Tanesco has been given the go ahead to uproot the billboards on the expiry of the seven-day notice, warning that the owners of the structures would bear the cost of their demolition. He clarified that they had instructed Tanesco to uproot the billboards and take them to Tanroads office and send demolition cost bill to FGBF who should refund Tanesco.

For better part of this year, Bishop Kakobe followers took turns to guard the church premises to prevent Tanesco from constructing a power line near the church.

Bishop Kakobe argued that the high tension electricity routed through the area would pose danger to thousands of believers who gather outside the church everyday.