DODOMA, Tanzania: Lawmakers have voiced support for President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s renewed push for accountability and discipline in public service, framing governance reforms as critical to sustaining growth and improving service delivery.
Members of parliament were debating the president’s address to the 13th Parliament, delivered at its inauguration in November, which outlined priorities including governance, infrastructure, education, energy access and national stability.
Ahmed Shabiby, a ruling party lawmaker from Gairo, warned that corruption and misuse of public resources risk undermining development gains, urging stronger action against errant officials.
“We are seeing rising corruption in some sectors. Communities are now more aware and can easily identify wealth acquired unlawfully,” Shabiby said.
He called on Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba to intensify enforcement, including acting on public complaints and pursuing accountability through legal channels.
Zainab Abdallah, a youth representative from Pemba North, echoed the call for integrity, praising regular workplace forums led by the prime minister as helping reinforce discipline and clarify performance expectations across government.
She urged firm action against what she described as underperforming civil servants who undermine public programmes.
In her inaugural address, President Samia said the rule of law was central to development, pledging to step up efforts against corruption, embezzlement and unethical conduct.
“We cannot allow a few individuals to undermine national progress through selfish interests,” she told parliament.
Infrastructure and energy Lawmakers also welcomed increased investment in infrastructure, particularly rural and urban roads, seen as vital for productivity and market access.
Sheilla Lukuba, a special seats MP from Morogoro, cited higher budget allocations to the Tanzania Rural and Urban Roads Agency (TARURA) as evidence of political commitment to maintaining feeder roads.
Ojambi Massaburi, MP for Kivule, said funding for TARURA and the Ministry of Works had increased, stressing the need for strict contractor oversight to ensure value for money.
On energy, MP Sarah Msafiri said the government had begun implementing the president’s pledge to electrify unserved hamlets within 100 days.
She cited the signing of 30 contracts worth 1.2 trillion shillings to extend electricity to more than 9,000 hamlets across 25 regions, targeting about 290,000 initial customers.
Energy expansion is a cornerstone of Tanzania’s industrialisation and rural development strategy.
Education and stability Lawmakers also praised education reforms aimed at aligning skills with labour market needs.
Husna Sekiboko, a Tanga-based MP, pointed to an updated education policy prioritising skills in data science, artificial intelligence and industrial technologies.
Others highlighted the extension of compulsory education to 10 years as a measure to expand access to vocational and practical training, particularly in rural areas.
Several MPs stressed that peace and stability remained prerequisites for development, as Tanzania and its East African peers compete to attract investment and expand regional trade.
