By Alfred Zacharia
Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has issued a strong warning to drug traffickers, cultivators, and users, saying Tanzania will not tolerate any form of narcotics-related activity.
Speaking in Dodoma on Thursday evening during the national commemoration of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Majaliwa declared that Tanzania is not a safe ground for drug trade and vowed that the government will intensify its crackdown.
“Tanzania is not a safe place for sellers, traffickers, cultivators, or even users of drugs,” he said. “We are prepared, and the days of this business are numbered.”
Representing President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the event held at the Jakaya Kikwete Convention Centre, the Prime Minister said the government has drawn a red line against any individual or network involved in drug abuse or trafficking.
He ordered commanders of national security organs to tighten surveillance across all potential entry and exit points, including the Standard Gauge Railway, bus terminals, ports, and airports, warning that failure to act decisively will leave youth vulnerable to permanent physical and mental harm.
“These drugs rob our youth of their strength and thinking capacity. We must act to secure their future,” he said.
Majaliwa dismissed recent arguments from some economists who suggest that the drug trade could bring financial benefits.
“If we want to create a generation of Tanzanian zombies, let’s legalize this business,” he said. “But this government will never allow that. These debates are pointless, and we reject them entirely.”
He acknowledged the critical policy and budgetary shifts under President Samia’s leadership, noting that the budget for the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA) has been increased and the agency equipped with transport facilities to enhance efficiency.
He praised the work done so far by DCEA and highlighted progress in the legal system, which has contributed to higher conviction rates in drug-related cases.
“Out of every 100 cases brought to court, we are winning at least 76,” he said. “This reflects the strength of the new law and the determination of our institutions.”
He also pointed to the close coordination between DCEA on the mainland and its Zanzibar counterpart, ZDCEA, as a major factor behind the growing effectiveness of the national strategy.
Majaliwa said the cooperation has allowed joint operations to disrupt key networks and shut down trafficking routes that previously exploited loopholes.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Ummy Nderiananga, said the government has opened new zonal DCEA offices to decentralize enforcement and strengthen community-level interventions.
She said Dodoma already has an operational regional office that will serve as a hub for anti-drug operations in central Tanzania.
“President Samia has invested in this fight with real resources, not just words,” she said.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, said Tanzania’s international reputation in the fight against narcotics has significantly improved.
“There was a time Tanzania was seen as a transit route for drugs,” he said. “Today, under President Samia’s leadership, that narrative has changed. We have restored our image globally.”
He said that during the period, the agency, in collaboration with other security forces, intercepted 2,301,414.94 kilograms of narcotics, up from 2,050,542.73 kilograms seized between June 2023 and May 2024.
From January to December 2024, the seizures stood at 2,327,983.8 kilograms compared to 1,965,341 kilograms recorded in 2023.
“This is not just a number. It reflects the scale of the threat and the level of commitment needed to confront it,” he said.
As the country marks this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse, the message from Dodoma is loud and clear: there is no space in Tanzania for the drug trade, and those who try to exploit it will face the full weight of the law.
