Tanzania's Parliamentary Standing Committee on Administration, Constitution and Legal Affairs has called for the creation of a land bank to support public servants' housing projects. The committee says the scheme would reduce construction delays, lower costs and help address an estimated shortage of more than 219,000 houses. Deputy Chairperson Edwin Swalle made the recommendation during a visit to Watumishi Housing Investments projects in Dodoma, urging the President's Office to prioritise the initiative in future budgets.
The government plans to build an additional 1,000 houses for public servants in district areas, a step expected to reduce the housing deficit by about 0.5 per cent. However, the committee noted that decent accommodation was crucial for employees working in remote and difficult areas, where shortages could harm staff morale and make it harder to attract and retain skilled workers. The committee recommended reviewing house prices and extending repayment periods to improve affordability.
Watumishi Housing Investments operates a rent-to-own scheme where beneficiaries pay a 30 per cent deposit and settle the remainder through instalments over 10 to 25 years. The Minister of State responsible for Public Service Management said WHI planned to deliver 739 housing units in the 2026/27 financial year, including 245 units at various construction stages and 494 new units set to begin work. Construction of 666 houses in Dodoma had reached 85 per cent completion by June 2026 and was expected to finish in February 2027.
WHI has cut construction costs by up to 30 per cent through direct implementation and supervision, and has built and sold more than 1,500 affordable houses. The organisation says more than 300 public servants are benefiting from its rent-to-own scheme. The acting chief executive cited access to affordable serviced land and adequate capital as key challenges, and said WHI was engaging councils, landowners, investors and financial institutions to secure land and financing.