The government has reaffirmed that its decision to hold minority shares in selected companies, both locally and abroad, is aimed at participating in strategic decision-making and ensuring that its investment currently valued at TZS1.94 trillion delivers tangible benefits to the nation.
The statement was made on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, by Ms Lightness Mauki, Director of Performance Management, Monitoring and Evaluation of Commercial Entities at the Office of the Treasury Registrar (OTR).
She was speaking ahead of the upcoming Forum for Board Directors of Companies in which the government holds minority shares, scheduled to take place from March 16 to 18 this year at PAPU Tower in the Arusha Region.
Appearing on Jambo Tanzania, a programme aired on Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC 1), Ms Mauki was responding to a question from the host on why the government continues to retain minority stakes instead of fully divesting from certain companies.
“The government’s objective is not to directly run businesses, but to safeguard national interests. There are companies where it is strategically important for the government to retain shareholding even if it is as little as two percent,” she explained.
According to her, the OTR oversees a total of 308 entities with its total investment standing at TZS92.3 trillion.
Of these, 252 are majority government-owned companies, while 56 are companies in which the government holds minority shares, with ownership below 51 percent.