Mbarali District Council in Mbeya Region has strengthened its revenue collection systems as part of ongoing reforms aimed at improving efficiency, increasing local income, and closing loopholes that have previously led to loss of public funds.
The measures were announced by the Executive Director of Mbarali District Council, Raymond Mweli, who said the council is focusing on stronger supervision, better coordination, and improved use of collection points across all administrative levels.
Mweli told journalists that all 20 wards in the district have been equipped with revenue collection gates to monitor the movement of goods and ensure all payable charges are properly collected.
He said the system is designed to reduce evasion, especially in the transport of agricultural produce, which forms a major part of the district’s economy.
He further explained that the council has introduced an emergency gate mechanism that can be activated immediately whenever there are reports of suspected tax evasion or illegal movement of goods.
“Kimsingi tuna mageti mengi katika kata zote, lakini tumeweka utaratibu wa kufungua mageti ya dharura pale tunapopata taarifa za utoroshaji wa mazao au changamoto nyingine. Hapo tunafungua geti na kuweka mkusanya ushuru kwa mujibu wa sheria ili kudhibiti upotevu wa mapato,” Mweli said.
According to him, the emergency system helps ensure rapid response and prevents revenue loss by allowing officials to act quickly while still following legal procedures.
Mweli added that the council has reorganised revenue collection into five operational zones, including Madibila, Imalilo, Songwe, and Kapunga, each with assigned supervisors responsible for daily monitoring and reporting.
He said the zoning approach is intended to strengthen oversight and improve accountability by ensuring that every area has close supervision.
“Lengo ni kuwa na macho mengi zaidi katika usimamizi wa mapato. Kila kanda ina wasimamizi ambao wanahakikisha hakuna mianya ya upotevu wa mapato,” he added.
The Executive Director also noted that the council is working closely with security organs, including the district security committee, law enforcement agencies, and ward officials, through joint patrols and inspections. These operations include both planned and surprise checks to ensure compliance with tax laws.
He said the joint operations have helped reduce cases of evasion, as traders and transporters are now more aware of enforcement actions and are increasingly complying with regulations.
Mweli further stated that the Office of the District Commissioner and council management continue to conduct regular inspections at revenue collection points to identify challenges and improve service delivery.
He said the reforms are part of a broader strategy to strengthen transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the management of public funds at the local level.
In a separate view, development stakeholder Nora Agustino welcomed the measures, saying they have improved discipline in revenue collection and reduced losses that were previously experienced in the system.
She noted that stronger supervision has encouraged compliance among taxpayers and improved overall trust in the system.
“Awali kulikuwa na watu wajanja waliokuwa wakikwepa mapato, lakini sasa tunaona uthibiti ni mkubwa zaidi,” she said.
Mweli also highlighted positive economic prospects for the district, noting that Mbarali expects increased rice production during the 2025/2026 farming season.
He said higher agricultural output will boost economic activity in the district and contribute to improved local revenue collection through related taxes and levies.
He added that agriculture remains the backbone of Mbarali’s economy, and continued improvements in productivity are expected to strengthen both household incomes and the council’s financial base.
The council says it will continue refining its systems to ensure sustainable revenue growth while maintaining strict oversight and accountability across all collection points.
