DODOMA (Tanzania), April 22 (NNN-DAILYNEWS) — TANZANIA has intensified its fight against corruption over the past four years under President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s leadership, marked by bold legal reforms, enhanced institutional capacity and increased public involvement across all sectors.
Minister of State in the President’s Office (Public Service Management and Good Governance), George Simbachawene, said that a key milestone of the current administration was the revision of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Act, Cap 329, which has significantly broadened the mandate of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB).
“The amended law expands the bureau’s legal reach beyond public service to also tackle corruption in sports, gaming and political elections,” he said.
“This is a bold step that places Tanzania among leading nations in the global anti-corruption effort.”
He said that the reforms align with today’s evolving economic, social and technological realities, demonstrating the government’s commitment to meaningful and timely change.
In tandem with the legal overhaul, the government has strengthened the operational capacity of the PCCB by investing in staffing, financial resources, tools and training.
Between 2022 and 2024, 1,190 new positions were approved for the bureau, alongside funding for structural and professional development, as well as construction of new PCCB offices across the country.
These efforts have significantly improved PCCB’s performance. Over the four-year period, the bureau conducted numerous investigations and monitored development projects, resulting in the recovery and prevention of financial losses amounting to 205.07bn/-, all of which has been returned to government coffers.
“These recovered funds have been redirected into essential development initiatives such as the construction of health centres, procurement of medical supplies and improvement of school and road infrastructure—directly enhancing the well-being of citizens and supporting sustainable national development,” the minister said.
To further engage citizens in the anti-corruption campaign, Simbachawene noted the launch of the TAKUKURU Rafiki programme on Dec 20, 2022.
The initiative aims to identify and resolve service delivery challenges that could otherwise, fuel corruption, particularly in development projects.
“Implementation of this programme has yielded positive results. Many issues raised by citizens have been addressed, helping to improve public service delivery and reduce opportunities for corruption,” he noted.
Since its launch, the programme has received 22,482 grievances, of which 15,104 have already been resolved.
These complaints span critical sectors such as health, education, water, energy, communications, infrastructure, environment, land, agriculture, livestock, transport and public safety.
Simbachawene reaffirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to eradicating corruption, saying the reforms undertaken reflect President Samia’s vision of building a transparent, accountable and citizen-centred governance system. — NNN-DAILYNEWS