Tanzania has embarked on a housing construction programme that will see 10,000 housing units built specifically for the Defense Forces of Tanzania (TPDF). The aim of the project is to help reduce a housing problem that soldiers in the country have been facing.
Tanzanian Defense and Security Minister, Mr. Hussein Mwinyi confirmed to the reports and said that the government was enthusiastic to improve the working tools, infrastructure and settlements for the soldiers.
“The government is ready and determined to change the living conditions for the TPDF soldiers by deciding to construct 10,000 housing units for them,” Mr. Mwinyi said.
The project will be constructed in phases and the first phase will include the execution and building of 6,064 houses in different camps in the country, in the second phase, the government intends to construct 3,034 houses for soldiers and officers of different positions.
The security minister further pointed out that the government will continue to budget for renovations of the current houses so as to improve settlements for all the members.
Over 6,000 houses have been built all over the country for the combats.
For Zanzibar, the first phase covers houses that were built in Pemba, while the second phase would cover the construction works in Unguja.
Tanzania continue to faces an acute housing shortage. The current housing deficit in the country stands at over 3 million units, with an annual increase in housing demand of about 200,000 units, according to Tanzania Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development.
But the government has already put measures in place aimed at taming the situation. For instance, National Housing Corporation (NHC) continue to construct more housing units.
By June 2015 the organisation had constructed 15,000 units of which, 5,000 units will be affordable houses for the low-income group.The Civil Servants Housing Scheme is also expected to construct about 50,000 affordable houses in the next 5 years.
Parastatal Pension Fund (PPF) also ventured into low-cost housing by developing a 580-house project in Kiseke, Mwanza. Other pension funds are also venturing on similar projects.
