Paul Makonda, the former Dar es Salaam regional commissioner, is under furnace for allegations of conspiracy to illegally seize a billion shilling property said to be owned by GSM tycoon Mr Gharib Said Mohammed. 

“Makonda is avid to own one of Mr Gharib’s bungalows located between Masaki and Oysterbay”. 

People close to Mr Gharib told sources, adding that Makonda had that plan back when he was Dar es Salaam RC. 

He used his power, political clout, and intimacy with the former President to wage war on wealthy people and illegally seize their properties for his benefit. 

The former Dar es Salaam RC Paul Makonda is alleged to have snatched Gharib’s properties during the late President Magufuli’s reign. 

Unprecedentedly, five months later, after the passing of late Magufuli, Mr Gharib claimed ownership of properties said to have been snatched by Makonda, subsequently prompting an underway skirmish. 

Mr Gharib took a step further to cement his ownership over the property by starting construction on the site, a move that saw Makonda rant in enormous displeasure, claiming he’s the sole owner of every inch of the property and what is attached to it, and posses credentials that testify his ownership. 

However, some question his wealth and link it to allegations of abuse of power that awaits him at the court.

Makonda reduced his public appearance since the passing of President Magufuli in March 2021. 

Makonda shunned court’s summons against him to testify charges of abuse of power brought forward by Saed Kubenea. Shockingly, Makonda re-surfaced at Mr Gharib’s father’s funeral at Kisutu in Dar es Salam. 

Video clips circulating across social media show Makonda with people in police uniforms around him, saying he will fight for what is rightfully his, that he’s the sole owner of the property.

He doesn’t care what they will do, but he will fight till the end. Makonda said those words shortly after being restricted entrance at the premise claiming his. 

Witnesses say Makonda earlier rejected the proposal to leave the premises until the police came to drag him out by force. In anger and dismay, Makonda said, there’s a campaign designed to tarnish him online, adding that that’s the tip of an iceberg of many bad things planned against him.

The former controversial Dar RC said the dirty game to shift his property’s ownership started in January, he pleaded with authorities to intervene. The police in Dar says the issue has not been tabled to them yet. 

Makonda and Gharib seem to have had a sort of reciprocal friendship, that Gharib enjoyed privileges of Makonda’s unlimited power under his feet and Makonda, in return, built his fortune from Gharib’s wealth. Makonda’s value before Gharib seems to have plummeted after dropping out system, prompting the sore relationship between the two. 

Suppose Makonda and Gharib’s case go further. In that case, Makonda seems to stand on the losing end because Gharib’s hand appears to be longer to penetrate corridors of power that Makonda had enjoyed in the previous regime.