Interplay of Community Power, Regulatory Compliance, and Public land Acquisition in the Tanzanian Context: A Case of Makongo Juu in Dar salaam

Regularisation of informal settlements in Tanzania remains inconsistent, particularly regarding space standards, due to the absence of compensation mechanisms in dense areas such as Makongo Juu, Dar es Salaam. This Study assesses community power and regulatory compliance during regularisation, aiding policymakers in enhancing contributions to public land in support of SDG 11 (United Nations, 2025). Community participation emerged as pivotal, transforming repeated failures into success through inclusive processes that actively resolved land disputes and promoted community acceptance, thereby enhancing tenure security. This study highlights the need for community-government models to inform scalable guidelines under SDG 11, prioritising participatory processes to enhance compliance with space standards while mitigating demolition risks. Local authorities could adopt IRIS-inspired flexibilities but mandate gazette publication and post-regularisation monitoring to sustain tenure security and infrastructure equity.