The government has outlined measures to ensure Tanzania's economic growth translates into higher household incomes, more jobs and improved living standards, amid growing calls for ordinary citizens to feel the benefits of an expanding economy.
The measures include expanding access to credit for businesses, investing in economic and social infrastructure, subsidising agricultural inputs and creating a favourable environment for private sector investment.
Deputy Minister for Finance Mshamu Ali Munde said the government was working to strengthen citizens' participation in productive sectors so that economic expansion could generate more employment, business opportunities and household income.
He was responding on behalf of Finance Minister Khamis Mussa Omar to a question by Kigoma Urban MP Clayton Revocatus Chipando, who wanted to know what the government was doing to ensure economic growth was reflected in people's incomes.
Mr Munde said the economy grew by 5.9 per cent in 2025, compared with 5.6 per cent in 2024, and was projected to expand by 6.3 per cent in 2026.
"Following these efforts, the country's economic growth has continued to improve, reaching 5.9 per cent in 2025 compared with 5.6 per cent in 2024, and is projected to reach 6.3 per cent in 2026," he said.
However, he stressed that citizens' ability to participate in economic activities was key to translating the growth figures into improved incomes.
He cited agriculture, construction, manufacturing and mining as some of the sectors through which people could benefit from economic expansion, alongside access to public services such as education, healthcare and water.
The government's strategy also involves supporting agricultural production through subsidies for fertiliser and other farm inputs, while improving access to financing for businesses and encouraging private sector participation in investment and trade.
The responses also highlighted government efforts to strengthen regulation in the gambling industry and improve the management of unclaimed financial assets.
On gambling, Mr Munde said the Gaming Board of Tanzania (GBT) had suspended the issuance of new licences to foreign operators of slot-machine businesses, commonly known as madubwi, pending an assessment of their social and economic effects.
Responding to a question from Special Seats MP Husna Juma Sekiboko, he said the move was intended to strengthen supervision and address concerns surrounding the expansion of the activities.
The board also planned to work with the President's Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) to improve monitoring, particularly in rural areas, where effective supervision remains important.
Mr Munde said the board had started developing a technology-based system to monitor slot-machine operations as part of efforts to improve accountability in the industry.
He added that the government, working with security organs, the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) and local government authorities, had intensified operations against illegal gambling operators.
A total of 1,702 machines had been seized and destroyed over the past three years, he said.
The board was also conducting public education campaigns, particularly targeting young people, on the potential social and economic consequences of irresponsible gambling and the importance of responsible gaming.
In a separate response, the government said it was reviewing the legal framework governing unclaimed financial assets, with a view to improving their administration and protecting the interests of rightful owners.
Mr Munde was responding to Makete MP Festo Richard Sanga, who sought to know whether the government planned to establish a dedicated authority to manage unclaimed financial assets.
He said such assets were currently administered under different financial sector laws by institutions including the Bank of Tanzania (BoT), the Capital Markets and Securities Authority, the Tanzania Insurance Regulatory Authority and the Tanzania Cooperative Development Commission.
The Finance Ministry had prepared a concept paper proposing improvements to the legal framework, while further analysis and consultations with public and private sector stakeholders were ongoing.
The review is intended to strengthen the legal and institutional arrangements for managing financial assets that remain unclaimed by their rightful owners.
The government's responses point to three areas of policy focus: making economic growth more beneficial to households, tightening oversight of gambling activities and strengthening the protection of financial assets.
For ordinary citizens, the effectiveness of these measures will ultimately be reflected in whether economic expansion creates more reliable sources of income, opens up employment opportunities and improves access to essential services.