Dodoma residents report night-time demolitions of homes as land fears grow
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Residents of Mazengo Street in Dodoma's Zuzu Ward say unidentified people have been demolishing their houses at night, while the city council says it was unaware of the incidents and has promised to investigate.
Residents of Mazengo Street in Zuzu Ward, Dodoma City, have raised concerns over the demolition of their houses at night by unidentified people, saying the incidents have left them worried about the future of their land. The residents spoke to Mwananchi, the sister newspaper of The Citizen, on September 11, 2026.
The residents said houses in the area had been demolished while they were asleep or away attending to their daily activities, making it difficult for them to identify those responsible. Some said they had lived in the area for between seven and 10 years without experiencing such incidents before, and that the demolitions had raised questions about who was behind them and the status of the land on which they had built.
Dodoma City Council said it was not aware of the reported demolitions. City Council Information Officer Denis Gondwe said the complaints were new to the council and that he had only learnt about them from the journalist covering the story. He said the council would investigate the reports to establish what was happening in the area before issuing an official statement.
One resident, Paul Ndiongo, said the demolitions usually occurred at night when residents were asleep or away. He said groups of people also visited the area during the day claiming to be the lawful owners of the land, and that some of the groups included religious institutions and were accompanied by security personnel. Another resident, Sada Abasi, said the demolitions had been accompanied by the theft of livestock, including goats and chickens, and that the houses targeted were mainly those under construction or completed but not yet occupied.
Mazengo Street Chairperson Joshua Kajembe confirmed receiving complaints from residents but said he had not yet visited the affected area because of other official duties and the distance from his office. A visit by Mwananchi found that the demolished houses were located on open plots and were mainly at various stages of construction, while houses occupied by residents had not been demolished.