Africa-Press – Tanzania. AT least five small Islands have been leased to international investors to invest in tourism business after President Hussein Mwinyi’s directive.
President Mwinyi last month said keeping the islands idle was denying Zanzibar billions of shillings in rent and taxes. Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA) Executive Director, Mr Sharif Ali Sharif informed journalists at a press conference on Wednesday that 10 more islands are now being advertised for rent, welcoming any interested persons.
“The small Islands are for rent, not for sale,” Mr Sharif emphasized as he dismissed as false claims that the government is selling the islands.
He said that rituals and customary practices will still be allowed in the rented islands.
He mentioned the islands which have already been leased and which have brought in a total capital investment of 261.5 million US dollars, as Changuu Island given to Changuu Lodge Limited (20 million US dollars); Bawe given to Bawe Retreat Limited (30million US dollars); Chapwani released to ZanTexas Investment Limited (20 million US dollars), and Kwale rented to Group8 holdings Limited (68 million US dollars).
Other Islands are Misali given to East African Investment- Mauritius Limited (83 million US dollars); Pamunda-A allocated to Tulia Zanzibar Beach Resort Limited (15 million US dollars); Pamunda-B Tulia Zanzibar Beach Resort Limited (15 million US dollars); and Pungumbe leased to Imperial East Africa Limited (10.5 million US dollars), while Chumbe Island continue to be under the Chumbe Island Coral Park. “Zanzibar will get more than12 million US dollars from Lease Acquisition Cost (LAC),” he said.
He marketed the other Islands of Miwi (36.82 hectares), Popo (45 hectares), Sume (3.52 hectares) and Kwata (6.73 hectares) all in Unguja South region for rent.
Other Islands for lease rent are; Fundo (37 hectares), Kashani (31.8 hectares) and Njao (470 hectares) in Pemba North; while in Pemba South there is Jombe (76.64 hectares) and Matumbini (200 hectares) islands which are well placed for tourism business.
The ZIPA boss said that the investors must be serious with ‘high end investment’ and that the authority is planning to produce maps of potential investment areas and Investment Opportunity Areas (IOAs).
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