Building of 750 houses to start 2017 in Dodoma

Dar es Salaam. Developers have started implementing their plans for construction of over 750 houses in Dodoma following government’s decision to relocate the country’s headquarters from Dar es Salaam.

The National Housing Corporation (NHC) and the Watumishi Housing Company (WHC) are specifically targeting government officials as the prospective buyers of the houses to be constructed starting January next year.

The aim is to ensure that they have quality and affordable houses in place by the time the government officially relocates to the new capital.

WHC, CEO Dr Fred Msemwa told BusinessWeek that they are finalizing technicalities before actual construction starts in January, 2017.

The project, he said, will be done in three phases.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has allocated 55 hectares of land to WHC at Njebegwa Investment Centre for the latter to undertake the project.

According to Dr Msemwa, the allocated area is enough for the purpose. It is also well developed with tarmac roads and other necessary infrastructure like for electricity, water and waste water already in place. The plan, he said, is to build 250 affordable houses at a total cost of Sh16 billion, where prices will be ranging between Sh32 million and Sh65 million depending on type of family house.

“Eighty units will be constructed in the first phase, 100 in the second phase and 70 in the third phase,” he said.

It is estimated that the first phase will take at least eight months to complete before moving on to phase two.

According to him, WHC will not decide on the type of structure but will announce to their prospective buyers to choose the house they need before construction starts, while the remaining houses will be decided by the company and put up for rent.

Meanwhile, the NHC corporate affairs manager, Mr Yahaya Charahani said the corporation plans to construct at least 500 units in Dodoma at its Iyumbu area which is adjacent to the University of Dodoma.

NHC, he said, has other plots of land for the project in Dodoma including at Chamwino, Bahi and Chemba where houses will be built in support of the government’s decision to shift to Dodoma. “Our plan is to start with 300 units in the first phase which will be undertaken in the next twelve months before embarking on the other houses which will make a total of 500 units by completion of the project,” he said.