Dodoma. The government has clarified that the Sh730 billion estimated for Tanzania's preparedness against the anticipated El Niño weather impacts in the 2026/27 financial year is not new government spending, but a consolidation of resources already planned by public and private institutions.
The clarification follows questions surrounding the size of the allocation and concerns that the government had set aside an additional Sh730 billion specifically to address possible disasters associated with heavy rainfall.
Government Spokesperson Gerson Msigwa said the figure represented estimated resources required to implement preparedness and response activities identified by government institutions, private organisations, development partners and other stakeholders.
Speaking to journalists in Dodoma on Sunday, October 25, 2026, Mr Msigwa said the estimates had been compiled from existing institutional budgets rather than a new allocation from the national Treasury.
"The Sh730 billion is not a new budget allocated by the government specifically for El Niño. It is the total estimated resources required to implement various activities included in the national preparedness plan," he said.
He explained that ministries, departments, government institutions, regional and local authorities, private companies, international organisations and non-governmental organisations had submitted information on planned activities and their associated costs.
The Office of the Prime Minister coordinated the process and worked with sector experts to consolidate the information into a national emergency preparedness plan.
Mr Msigwa said public institutions would implement their respective activities using resources already approved in their 2026/27 financial year budgets.
He cited private sector involvement, explaining that businesses and farmers were also expected to use their own resources to protect their investments against potential weather-related damage.
He gave the example of sugar producer Said Salim Bakhresa, whose agricultural and industrial investments would require preventive measures to reduce potential losses from extreme weather.
The government said the plan was informed by forecasts from the Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA), which warned of the possibility of strong El Niño conditions capable of triggering heavy rainfall.
Potential impacts include flooding, landslides, disease outbreaks affecting humans and animals, damage to infrastructure and destruction of homes and other property.
Mr Msigwa said the anticipated weather conditions could have more severe consequences than previous El Niño episodes experienced in 2023/24, 2015/16 and 1997/98.
He said the scale of the forecast risks required early preparation rather than waiting for disasters to occur before mobilising resources.
The preparedness plan covers several sectors, including transport, health, education, energy, water supply, food security and communications.
Among the planned interventions are repairing vulnerable roads, bridges and drainage systems, protecting health facilities and schools, safeguarding electricity infrastructure and ensuring water supply systems can be restored quickly if damaged.
Other measures include purchasing and storing food reserves, acquiring rescue equipment, positioning humanitarian supplies in regional warehouses and preparing temporary shelters for people who may be forced to leave high-risk areas.
The plan also provides for public education on disaster prevention, preparedness, emergency response and recovery.
The clarification is important because the Sh730 billion figure could otherwise be interpreted as an entirely new public expenditure commitment, when it actually combines planned spending from different institutions and sectors.
However, the effectiveness of the plan will depend on whether institutions implement the identified activities on time, particularly in communities exposed to flooding and other weather-related risks.
Mr Msigwa urged citizens to follow early warning information issued by TMA and other relevant authorities and take precautions in accordance with official guidance.
He said the government's priority was to protect lives and property while ensuring that essential services continued even when disasters occurred.