Zanzibar’s government is exploring lasting solutions to protect coastal communities from seawater encroachment, which has increasingly threatened homes and livelihoods in parts of Unguja.
First Vice-President Othman Masoud Othman said the government would continue implementing measures to prevent seawater from reaching residential areas, while urging communities to stop activities that worsen coastal degradation.
He made the remarks on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, during visits to Uroa and Chwaka in the Central District, where seawater has been affecting settlements and residents’ economic activities.
The visits formed part of his inspection of institutions and activities under the Office of the First Vice-President.
Mr Othman identified unplanned construction and uncontrolled tree cutting along beaches as some of the human activities that could aggravate the problem, calling on residents to adopt more responsible environmental practices.
“Some of the causes are linked to climate change and are beyond our control, but we must avoid those that we create ourselves. We should not allow the sea to come towards us; rather, we should be the ones moving towards the sea,” he said.
The remarks point to the need for coastal communities to balance settlement and economic activities with environmental protection as they face the effects of climate change.
Minister of State in the Office of the First Vice-President Anna Athanas Paul said the government had begun assessing affected areas and identifying interventions that would provide lasting protection for residents.
She urged communities to support the government's efforts by planting trees along the coastline as an immediate measure to help reduce seawater intrusion.
“As an initial step, let us work together to plant trees along the beaches to help prevent seawater from reaching our homes as the government works on a lasting solution,” she said.
Beyond coastal protection, Mr Othman visited Jendele Inclusive Pre-Primary and Primary School to assess challenges facing learners with disabilities and identify areas requiring government intervention.
He said the visit was intended to establish what needed to be improved to ensure people with disabilities enjoyed equal rights and opportunities, particularly in accessing education.
He called on the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training to ensure that public and private schools have appropriate infrastructure and guidelines to accommodate learners with disabilities.
Such improvements, he said, would enable children with disabilities to study in safe and suitable environments alongside other learners.
At the end of the tour, Mr Othman inspected a site at Kibele in the Central District, South Unguja Region, earmarked for the construction of an Integrated Centre for Disability Affairs.
The proposed facility is expected to support efforts to address issues affecting people with disabilities.
Other officials who accompanied him included Zanzibar Minister for Education and Vocational Training Lela Muhamed Mussa, the ministry's Permanent Secretary, the Central District Commissioner, the Director of Environment and the Executive Secretary of the Zanzibar Council for People with Disabilities.