Zanzibar lawmakers raise alarm over land disputes, call for accountability in budget debate

Minister for Lands and Housing Development, Rahma Kassim Ali, delivers the budget speech for her ministry at the House in Chukwani, Unguja, Zanzibar.

What you need to know:

  • Tabling a proposed Sh345.4 billion budget before the Zanzibar House of Representatives during its 19th session in Chukwani, ministry officials outlined eight priority areas, including land use planning, housing development, and improved service delivery. But legislators were quick to shift focus to what they described as a deepening crisis of land mismanagement—one they say is often worsened by public servants themselves.