The government has pledged continued support for the Tanzania Women Accountants Association (TAWCA), recognising its growing role in promoting financial integrity, women’s economic empowerment and the country’s transition to a digital economy.
Deputy Minister for Finance Mshamu Ali Munde said TAWCA had evolved from a professional association into an important institution contributing to human capital development, financial management and inclusive economic growth.
Mr Munde made the remarks in Mwanza yesterday when he opened the ninth TAWCA conference on behalf of Finance Minister Khamis Mussa Omar.
The conference, held at Malaika Resort, is being conducted under the theme “Leadership that Leaves a Legacy in the Digital Era: Innovation with Integrity for Sustainable Results.”
Mr Munde said the association’s growth from 18 founding members to more than 1,200 active members reflected the ability of professional women to build sustainable institutions and contribute to national development.
“TAWCA’s various initiatives to empower women economically clearly align with the government’s efforts to strengthen the use of technology in public financial management, enhance transparency and curb the loss of resources,” he said.
He added that the initiatives supported the government’s broader objective of promoting economic inclusion and ensuring that development opportunities reached citizens at the grassroots level.
The deputy minister highlighted TAWCA’s Bado Naweza programme, which has trained 101 young women in business and provided guidance to 208 women entrepreneurs.
Through the programme, the association has also achieved a 96 per cent loan repayment rate, while its SACCOS fund has grown to more than Sh520 million.
Mr Munde said the achievements demonstrated how professional associations could contribute to strengthening women’s financial capacity while creating avenues for access to capital.
“On behalf of the Minister for Finance and the government at large, I pledge our continued support for TAWCA and call upon ministries, government institutions, development partners, businesses and sponsors to work with the association in implementing its programmes,” he said.
He urged delegates to use the conference to develop innovative approaches to financial management, strengthen mentorship between different generations of professionals and identify practical measures for advancing the accounting profession while maintaining high standards of integrity.
TAWCA chairperson CPA Mary Mabiti said the association’s progress since its establishment in 2015 had been driven by collaboration, empowerment and continuous professional development.
She said TAWCA had become an important platform for connecting women accountants while supporting young professionals through training, internship opportunities and career development programmes.
Ms Mabiti said the association was also encouraging its members to embrace lifelong learning and innovation as the business environment continued to change rapidly.
“Our achievements have been driven by collaboration between TAWCA, the government, the National Board of Accountants and Auditors (NBAA), various institutions, partners and other stakeholders,” she said.
“Collective strength is essential in advancing the profession, empowering women and contributing to national development.”
TAWCA patron and NBAA executive director CPA Prof Siasa Mzenzi assured the association of continued cooperation and support in implementing programmes aimed at strengthening the accounting profession.
Prof Mzenzi urged TAWCA to benchmark its development against successful professional associations across Africa, saying such engagements could help Tanzania exchange experience and adopt best practices.
He said stronger collaboration would enable TAWCA to build a more resilient and inclusive community of accounting professionals capable of making a greater contribution to the country’s economic transformation.