The government of Zimbabwe has approved the Musha-Muzi Housing Programme which is expected to anchor and facilitate the sustainable financing and development of affordable houses for the lowest-earning members of society. The massive and affordable housing fund is targeting civil servants and non-Government employees.
According to Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, the programme was presented by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, as Chairman of the Enhanced Cabinet Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management.
“Cabinet was informed that the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) proposed the establishment of the Musha-Muzi Housing Fund. An independent housing governance ecosystem will be created to operationalise the scheme and assure participants of utmost prudence in managing the fund,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
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Musha-Muzi Housing Programme
She further added that the programme comprises four phases. Phase 1 will target civil service employees and will be replicated countrywide, while phases 2, 3 and 4 will be extended to non-Government employees.
“The Musha-Muzi Programme will build a four-roomed house on a 200 square-metre piece of land. In redevelopment areas, the programme will focus on the construction of high-rise developments in areas already serviced by existing municipal facilities. For the high-rise developments, an average of 800 square metres will be required for development of four storey units to cater for 16 families,” said the minister.
According to the minister, cabinet was told that the fund will, through its managers, approve and appoint qualified and competent developers for the construction of the housing units, with each developer expected to construct a minimum of 50 units or more per development. Developers will be paid on satisfactory completion of each development.
“Meanwhile, interested financial institutions with the capacity to provide mortgage facilities within the required financial levels will be given a stock of housing units to release to the market. Identified and approved beneficiaries will then access mortgages through the institutions at the indicated affordable housing rates,” she affirmed.
