By Our Reporter
Nzega Rural MP Neto Paul Kapalata has called for a comprehensive overhaul of Tanzania’s mining administration and laws, arguing that the current framework needs to evolve to maximise the sector’s contribution to economic growth, employment and government revenue.
Mr Kapalata, a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy and Minerals, wants the government to review the Ministry of Minerals’ structure and the mining legal framework to align them with Development Vision 2050 and the ministry’s 2030 ambitions.
He said reforms should move the sector beyond managing minerals as natural resources towards developing a commercially competitive industry that benefits the government, investors, miners and surrounding communities.
The proposed review would cover the entire mining value chain, from mineral discovery and exploration licensing to extraction, processing, environmental rehabilitation, marketing and taxation.
“Minerals are life and wealth,” Mr Kapalata said, arguing that the sector deserved institutional arrangements capable of responding to changing geological, technological, economic and environmental conditions.
One of his key proposals is to reorganise the Mining Commission into two major departments: mineral resources and reserves, and mineral development.
The first would focus on identifying, assessing, protecting and managing mineral resources, while the second would concentrate on developing the sector commercially, coordinating investment and improving the economic value generated from mining.
Mr Kapalata also proposed establishing mining officers’ offices at district and ward levels, linked to existing regional structures, to bring administration closer to miners and communities.
He said decentralised services could improve the coordination of licences, taxes and fees while helping authorities identify operational challenges and resolve disputes more efficiently.
The proposal would extend mining administration towards the local-government level, similar to arrangements in sectors such as agriculture and livestock. Its effectiveness, however, would depend on staffing, funding and clear divisions of responsibility between national and local offices.
Mr Kapalata also called for changes to exploration licensing, proposing a maximum exploration area of 100 square kilometres and an initial licence period of 10 years.
He said investors needed sufficient time to conduct geological surveys and feasibility studies before deciding whether a deposit could be developed commercially.
Longer exploration periods, he argued, could encourage more participation in mineral exploration and expand the number of operators contributing taxes and fees.
The proposals would require technical and legal assessment to determine how they could affect exploration investment, licence management and the protection of mineral resources.
He further called for a clearer legal framework governing the relationship between land ownership and mineral rights, saying disputes between landowners and mining licence holders needed fair and legally sound solutions.
Another proposal is the establishment of a statutory geological board to strengthen professional standards and improve the reliability of geological information used by investors and financial institutions.
Mr Kapalata said credible geological assessments could help banks evaluate mining projects and widen access to financing for eligible mineral rights holders.
He also proposed introducing mining education at primary and secondary school levels to improve public understanding of the sector and encourage the development of future professionals.
The MP said stronger institutional and regulatory systems were necessary to ensure Tanzania benefits from its mineral wealth while addressing the challenges associated with extraction, environmental management and community relations.
He commended Energy and Minerals Committee chairperson Subira Khamis Mgalu, her deputy Simon Songe Lusengekile and Minerals Minister Anthony Peter Mavunde for their work in the sector.
Responding to questions and contributions from committee members, Mr Mavunde praised Mr Kapalata’s recommendations and said the ministry had received them for consideration.
He said the proposals would be examined as part of efforts to improve the ministry’s performance and strengthen benefits for the country and mining stakeholders.
The debate comes as Tanzania prepares to implement Development Vision 2050, which places long-term economic transformation and human development at the centre of national planning.
Whether the proposed reforms deliver greater returns will depend on the government’s assessment of their costs, legal implications and practical implementation, as well as the sector’s ability to turn mineral resources into jobs, investment and sustainable public revenue.