Dodoma — DEPUTY Minister for Home Affairs, Ayoub Mohamed Mahmoud, said a plan to construct 6,800 houses for prison staff has been finalised to address accommodation challenges.

He said the long-term strategy will accommodate more than 21,000 households and is estimated to cost over 2.88tri/-.

In a supplementary question, Babati Urban MP, Emmanuel Khambay, sought to know whether there are plans to construct a modern prison in Babati.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

Responding, Mr Mahmoud said the country is facing a shortage of prison facilities.

"Currently, the country has 129 prisons, including zonal, regional and district facilities, but about 50 districts do not have prisons," he said.

He added that the government is continuing to allocate funds for prison construction, noting that each facility requires about 8bn/- to build, with an estimated 40bn/- needed to meet demand.

He said that construction is ongoing in several areas, including Karatu where works have been completed, as well as Kilosa, Gairo and Kingurukutwa in Mchinga where projects are underway.

Earlier, in a basic question, Mr Khambay had asked when the government would improve prison staff housing and procure new vehicles for Babati Prison.

Responding, Mr Mahmoud said Babati Prison is among facilities-built decades ago and now facing infrastructure deterioration.

"Babati Prison was constructed in 1974, and its infrastructure, including staff housing, has significantly deteriorated," he said.

He added that the government, through the Prisons Service, has begun implementing both short-term and long-term measures.

"At Babati Prison, three houses are currently under construction using internally generated funds," he said.

He further said that in the 2025/2026 financial year, the government has allocated 5bn/- for the purchase of 31 vehicles for administrative functions and transport of inmates.