Speaking on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Ms Rahma Kassim Ali, confirmed that agreements had been signed
Unguja. A protracted dispute between the Zanzibar government and residents of Kikwajuni has been resolved, clearing the way for a major housing redevelopment project to proceed.
For months, uncertainty clouded the future of families living in the ageing Kikwajuni flats.
In February this year, Mwananchi, sister newspaper to The Citizen, reported rising tension after the government asked residents to vacate the area to allow for demolition and reconstruction.
Many feared they would be displaced permanently.
The project, overseen by the Zanzibar Housing Corporation (ZHC), will see the construction of 1,095 modern housing units.
The four- and five-storey buildings will be developed at an estimated cost of $45 million, equivalent to Sh115.425 billion.
Construction is scheduled to begin in March 2026 and is expected to take two years.
The existing 158 houses were built shortly after the Zanzibar Revolution. Of these, 59 are privately owned.
The remainder belong to ZHC and are leased to tenants.
Over time, the buildings have deteriorated. Officials say their 50-year lifespan has expired, raising safety concerns.
To ease the transition, the government has disbursed Sh1.8 billion in sustenance payments to affected residents.
Speaking on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Ms Rahma Kassim Ali, confirmed that agreements had been signed.
She said all residents would receive monthly support for two years and would be allowed to return once construction is completed.
“We have agreed that the houses will be rebuilt. Owners will return after completion. Tenants will have priority to rent if they can afford it,” she said.
Monthly support is tiered. Residents of one-room apartments will receive Sh150,000.
Those in two-room units will receive Sh300,000. Three-room occupants will receive Sh450,000.
The secretary of the residents’ committee, Mr Omar Nassor Suleiman, confirmed that most families had accepted the terms.
He said 99 per cent of documented house owners had secured written assurance of return.
For undocumented properties, residents were granted priority status.
He noted that the matter had been clarified in meetings with senior government leaders.
Questions remain over future rental rates. Authorities say charges cannot yet be determined but will be affordable.
ZHC director general, Mr Sultan Said Suleiman, said the redevelopment will also include modern shops, a commercial area and a large mosque.
He added that compensation for owners has been paid in full.
Four-room houses received Sh14.8 million. Three-room units were paid Sh10.6 million.
Two-room houses received Sh7.6 million over the two-year period.
For many families, the agreement brings relief. After months of anxiety, they now leave with a promise of return and the prospect of safer, modern homes.
