Residents of Kwarara Village in Magharibi B District, Unguja, have appealed to the Zanzibar government to intervene in a land dispute with the Zanzibar Water Authority (ZAWA), saying uncertainty over land reserved for water infrastructure has stalled construction of their homes.
The residents want the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar to clearly survey and mark the boundaries of the protected area, saying they need to know how much land is required for water services and whether they can proceed with construction on the remaining plots.
The appeal was made on October 18, 2026, during a meeting with a delegation of ACT-Wazalendo members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives led by the party’s Chief Whip, Prof Omar Fakih Hamad, as part of efforts to hear residents’ grievances.
Haruna Haji Ame, chairman of the ruling CCM’s Kwarara branch, urged ZAWA to mark the required 50-metre reserve and allow residents to develop the land outside the designated area.
Othman Ali Othman said residents had been left in uncertainty by what he described as repeated changes in the demarcation of the affected land.
He called on the government to intervene, arguing that if the land was needed for water infrastructure, the authorities should consider providing alternative plots to affected residents.
Salama Khamis Mbarouk said the government should either allow residents to use the disputed land or compensate them so they could purchase alternative plots.
The dispute has raised concerns among residents who say they have already invested their savings in building homes and cannot afford to relocate.
Fatma Juma Muhammed appealed directly to Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi to consider the plight of households that had started construction but lacked the financial means to move elsewhere.
“I am a woman, and I appeal to you, my President, Dr Mwinyi, to consider my situation. I cannot afford to remove the bricks, and I have nowhere to take them,” she said.
Fatma alleged that residents had been stopped from continuing construction without being issued formal written notices prohibiting the work.
She said some residents had received letters from shehia leaders to apply for building permits but were subsequently confronted by ZAWA officials who opposed construction.
“The shehia leaders gave us letters to apply for building permits, but ZAWA brings security officers who tell us that we are not allowed to build,” she said.
Seif Haji Shehe, a resident of the area, said he had saved for years to build his house and was now facing difficulties after construction was halted.
Lukman Muhammed Ali said residents had bought the plots and that shehia government leaders had been involved in the process. He urged the authorities to engage residents in negotiations to find an amicable solution.
Ziwani constituency representative Mohd Ali Salum expressed confidence that President Mwinyi would listen to the residents and help resolve the dispute.
He said the government should pay particular attention to low-income households that had invested their limited resources in building homes.
Ole constituency representative Seif Hamad Suleiman called for clarification over what he described as conflicting instructions from authorities responsible for construction in the area.
He said the government and relevant institutions needed to provide a common position to help residents understand the applicable restrictions and determine the way forward.
The residents are calling for a clear demarcation of the water reserve and a resolution that protects essential water infrastructure while taking into account the financial hardship facing households that have already started construction.
The meeting was attended by special-seat representatives Farid Amour, representing North Pemba Region; Moza Mohammed, representing South Pemba Region; and Jabu Makame, representing North Unguja Region.
The dispute underscores the importance of clear communication between public authorities and communities when land is earmarked for essential infrastructure, particularly where residents say they have already invested in housing.
ZAWA had not provided its response to the residents’ allegations in the information presented at the meeting.