Dar es Salaam. Lawmakers have called for tighter fiscal discipline, stronger domestic revenue systems and structural reforms to improve implementation of the Sh62.3 trillion national budget.
During parliamentary budget debates yesterday, MPs said the government must close gaps in revenue collection, reduce reliance on external borrowing and improve efficiency in public spending.
A key proposal focused on creating a legal framework and dedicated authority to manage unclaimed financial assets, including dormant bank accounts, mobile money balances, unclaimed shares and bonds.
Makete MP Festo Sanga (CCM) said the absence of a structured system to track such funds is leading to lost revenue.
“There is no structured system to track and manage unclaimed financial assets such as dormant bank accounts, mobile money balances, shares and bonds,” he said.
He proposed establishing an institution similar to Kenya’s Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority to manage and either return the funds to rightful owners or channel them into development.
Lawmakers also urged faster progress towards a cashless economy, arguing that digital transactions would broaden the tax base and improve transparency.
Special Seats MP Zainab Isa said fragmented business registration and licensing systems are slowing entrepreneurship.
“Fragmented systems are slowing down entrepreneurship and discouraging young people from entering the formal economy,” she said, calling for integrated licensing systems to reduce delays and costs.
Bahi MP Kennedy Nollo (CCM) called for stronger domestic revenue mobilisation through wider use of electronic tax systems and improved compliance.
“We need stronger domestic revenue systems and wider use of electronic tax systems to reduce leakages,” he said.
He also proposed removing VAT on cooking gas to promote clean energy use and reduce household costs, and called for reforms in the electricity sector to address delays linked to infrastructure bottlenecks.
Special Seats MP Mariam Yahaya said Tanzania should improve the business environment and strengthen regional trade systems to enhance cross-border commerce.
She noted that limited regional presence of Tanzanian banks and weak coordination in East African trade were restricting business expansion.
“We still lack full utilisation of opportunities in East African integration due to inconsistencies in trade systems,” she said.
She urged stronger regional coordination to improve competitiveness and enable Tanzanian businesses to access wider markets.
Geita MP Joseph Musukuma (CCM) called for stricter control of government expenditure, saying unnecessary spending continues to strain the budget.
“Cutting unnecessary government spending such as excessive meetings and administrative costs would free resources for development priorities,” he said.
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