Zanzibar to demolish and rebuild post-revolution housing estates, starting with Michenzani and Kilimani

Zanzibar will demolish and rebuild all public housing estates constructed in the years after the 1964 Revolution, including the Michenzani, Kilimani and Kikwajuni estates, President Hussein Mwinyi has announced.

Speaking on November 8 at the launch of 209 residential units at Saateni in Unguja, Mwinyi said the buildings, many of them about 60 years old, had exceeded their useful lifespan and were no longer safe for occupation. "These houses were built 60 years ago. Their useful lifespan has expired, they are no longer fit for occupation and they put people's lives at risk. The Government has decided to rebuild all of them," he said.

Reconstruction has already begun at Kikwajuni and is progressing at Saateni, with Michenzani, Kilimani and rural areas next. "We started in Kikwajuni, we are now at Saateni, and we will continue to Michenzani, Kilimani and rural areas. No public housing estate will be left behind," the President said. He clarified that Stone Town would not be demolished because of its status under Unesco rules; its historic buildings will instead be renovated and restored, with rental allowances for residents who vacate temporarily and a guaranteed right to return. Residents who left their homes to make way for the Saateni project will pay only 50 per cent of the rent set for the new houses.

Mwinyi said the government was introducing financing arrangements so that ownership is not confined to wealthy households, including a housing scheme for public servants, an interest-free payment system and a dedicated housing fund. "Home ownership should not be an opportunity reserved for the rich. We want public servants, young people, businesspeople and citizens in low- and middle-income groups to be able to afford decent homes," he said.

Zanzibar Housing Corporation (ZHC) Director-General Sultan Said Suleiman said the Saateni development offers one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom houses for different income groups and will include commercial premises, social services and parking. The corporation launched the online sale of the units at the ceremony. Suleiman said ZHC's portfolio had grown from Sh70 billion to Sh1.12 trillion since he took over its leadership on June 20, 2026, and noted that Zanzibar's population is growing by 3.4 per cent a year, making efficient use of the island's limited land increasingly important.

Minister for Lands and Housing Development Rahma Kassim Ali said the 2026 Housing and Urban Development Policy would widen access to ownership through instalment payments, housing loans and a dedicated housing fund catering for different income groups.