“The $75 demanded by landlords in Senga for a single room is too much and that is the reason why we end up opting to stay in Mkoba where rentals are relatively cheaper,” said Agrippa Sigauke. Phineas Mlambo, another student, who now resides in Mkoba, said it was cheaper to rent a room in Mkoba and commute every day.
“I cannot afford the rental fees charged by Senga landlords. They seem not to appreciate our plight,” Mlambo said. He said students in Senga, which is close to MSU, tended to live in groups of around three per room.
Landlords in the suburb are reluctant to offer accommodation to single occupants, and charge students per head and not per room. In effect, a single room is fetching at least $225 per month.
In areas like Mkoba, students pay a flat $50 per room, regardless of the number of occupants.
The university, with an enrolment of some 10,000 students, has accommodation space for only 1,100, forcing students to live elsewhere.
Some desperate students are “squatting” on campus because they do not have the money for accommodation in the suburbs. Student Representative Council member, Tryvine Musokeri, said they had raised the issue with Senga landlords and the university administration but there was no solution in sight.
Post published in: News