The Government is in the final stages of upgrading the National Environment Management Council (NEMC) into a fully-fledged authority in a move aimed at strengthening environmental protection and improving enforcement of environmental laws across the country.
Deputy Minister in the Vice President’s Office (Union and Environment), Reuben Kwagilwa, revealed the progress in Parliament in Dodoma on May 13, saying the process has reached the decision-making stage after extensive consultations within and outside government.
The planned transformation is expected to give National Environment Management Council greater institutional powers and operational efficiency, enabling it to better oversee environmental conservation, compliance, and implementation of environmental laws in Tanzania.
Kwagilwa was responding to a question from Shaurimoyo Member of Parliament, Mattar Ali Salumu, who asked why the government had not yet elevated NEMC into an authority to help it perform its duties more effectively.
The Deputy Minister told Parliament that the government is currently reviewing amendments to the Environmental Management Act, Chapter 191, as part of wider reforms aimed at strengthening environmental governance in the country.
He explained that the reforms seek to establish a more powerful institution capable of effectively supervising environmental management and enforcing the law amid growing environmental challenges linked to industrial expansion, urbanisation, and climate change.
Kwagilwa said the Vice President’s Office is working closely with the Office of the Attorney General to ensure all key legal and institutional matters are properly addressed before the proposed bill is tabled in Parliament.
“The Vice President’s Office is cooperating closely with the Attorney General’s Office to ensure the proposed bill considers all important issues before being presented to Parliament,” he said.
He added that preparations for a Cabinet paper are also ongoing, with a special technical meeting expected to take place on May 14, 2026, involving officials from the Vice President’s Office and NEMC.
Among the major issues under consideration are amendments to sections of the law that established NEMC, redefining its responsibilities and institutional structure under the proposed authority model.
The government is also reviewing the structure and functions of the board that will oversee the institution under the new framework.
If approved, the move is expected to significantly strengthen Tanzania’s environmental management systems and improve the country’s capacity to respond to environmental degradation and emerging ecological risks.
