AfricaPress-Tanzania: ZANZIBAR President Dr Hussein Mwinyi has called on all residents of Tumbe in Pemba and Nungwi in Unguja who will be provided with houses built for them after their former houses were destroyed by rains to care for them.
President Mwinyi said the houses will soon be inaugurated for use by the people intended.
Dr Mwinyi was speaking at the weekend at Tumbe in Pemba’s Micheweni District, Pemba North Region after inspecting five of the houses that would be occupied by 30 families.
He thanked residents of Tumbe for being ready to cooperate with their government, saying all challenges regarding the houses were being worked upon to ensure they were completed in time.
“We are informed that if the problem is the availability of water, this will soon be solved, as well as funds for compensation that would be finalized within two weeks,” he said.
Meanwhile Dr Mwinyi thanked sponsors who built the houses – Red Crescent from UAE for the work done, in ensuring the houses were provided with basic social services including a modern health centre, a school, mosque and shops.
In regard to peace and tranquility, Dr Mwinyi called on Zanzibaris to continue with the maintenance of peace and tranquility and solidarity as the aim of government of national unity was to unite all Zanzibaris and to eradicate uncalled for conflicts in the society.
He said what remained for the government is to push up for development following the existing state of peace and tranquility, as the country still many social services, especially in rural areas including water, health, roads and education, and pledged that all these would be made available to them.
Minister of State in the Second Vice President Office (Policy, Coordination and House Affairs) Dr Khalid Salum Mohamed said apart from the 15 houses that would accommodate 30 families, there are also a modern health centre, 15 shops, a mosque to accommodate 350 worshippers and a school with nine classrooms.
He said the houses were build following heavy rains in 2017 that displaced over 6,500 families in both Unguja and Pemba, but people from the Red Crescent came and with government cooperation they built houses to assist the victims.
He said there were so many victims, but it was decided that houses for 385 families had to be demolishes as they were cited in dangerous locations.
In regard to compensation, the Minister said already they have paid out 16m/- and another 11m/- would be paid in the following week
