More than half city’s tourist hotels face demolition in planning crackdown.
Over 60 per cent of more than 200 tourists’ hotels in Zanzibar face demolition because they are built on the sea side, contrary to environmental regulations.
A prompt survey by members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives identified massive violations of the regulations.
The lawmakers have since declared war on such premises. “This is unacceptable, all structures built on beaches contrary to the law should be demolished. The department of environment should make sure the order is implemented,” said Mr Hamza Hassan Juma, Chairperson of the House Committee on Environment.
Hamza and his team blamed the environment department and other responsible authorities for failing to make sure that investors abide by the laws, particularly at this time when the environment is a global issue. According to Mr Sheha Mjaja, Director of the Department of Environment, regulations require any project to conduct Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before taking off, and any structure should be built at least 30 metres and 10 metres from sandy and rocky beach respectively.
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