Africa-Press – Tanzania. MINISTER for Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Dr Juma Zuberi Homera, has called on Boards of Trustees overseeing non-governmental organisations, religious institutions, sports associations, and other community-serving institutions to avoid misappropriation of assets and unnecessary conflicts.
He urged trustees to manage resources with integrity, accountability, and in strict compliance with the law. Dr Homera made the remarks recently during the official opening of a capacity-building meeting organised by the Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) for trustees and government officials from Katavi, Kigoma, Tabora, Mbeya, Rukwa, and Songwe regions in Katavi.
He said that trustees are legally obligated to perform their duties under the Trustees’ Incorporation Act, Cap. 318. He warned that the government will take legal action against anyone who violates the law, misappropriates institutional assets, engages in embezzlement, or unlawfully extends their tenure.
“There are still challenges where some Boards of Trustees misuse institutional assets for personal gain, engage in financial mismanagement, unlawfully appropriate property, or remain in office beyond their constitutional mandate, causing conflicts and breaches of peace,” Dr Homera said.
He commended RITA’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Frank Kanyusi for the measures being undertaken to address these challenges.
“Several long-standing disputes have been submitted to my ministry and other authorities. Trustees must understand that appropriate legal and administrative actions will be taken against anyone who violates the law or perpetuates conflicts,” he added.
Dr Homera urged Boards of Trustees to submit performance reports to RITA through the digital system and review and update their constitutions to align with current institutional expectations. He also directed RITA to expedite amendments to relevant laws and continue improving the ‘eRITA’ digital system.
He also told them to roll out mobile clinics nationwide to bring services closer to stakeholders, intensify public awareness campaigns on the legal responsibilities of trustees and evaluate stakeholder meetings to identify emerging challenges and address them in future engagements.
Mr Kanyusi said that as of February 10th this year, a total of 5,211 Boards of Trustees had been registered nationwide, including 2,876 social institutions, 2,161 religious institutions, 19 political parties, 24 sports associations, and 150 family trusts.
He reminded trustees that they are entrusted with managing institutional assets for the benefit of members or beneficiaries in accordance with their constitutions. The meeting, held under the theme “Accountability of Boards of Trustees in Safeguarding Institutional Assets and Promoting Community Development,” also highlighted regional achievements.
A total of 646 boards were registered across the six participating regions, with Songwe leading at 327 boards, followed by Mbeya (174), Tabora (65), Kigoma (56), Rukwa (20), and Katavi (7). Mr Kanyusi acknowledged ongoing challenges, including inadequate asset management, limited understanding of legal requirements, leadership conflicts, poor submission of reports, and under-utilisation of the digital management system.
He added that RITA is advancing amendments to the Administrator General (Powers and Functions) Act, Cap. 27, and the Trustees’ Incorporation Act, Cap. 318, while also improving ICT systems for registration and supervision, expected to be completed by April 2026. On civil registration, RITA reported success with the 48- hour birth and death certificate issuance initiative launched on December 12, 2025.
Between the launch and February 9, 2026, the Agency received 276,598 applications, of which 255,873 met requirements and were issued certificates within 48 hours, achieving 100 per cent of qualified applications. Dr Homera urged citizens to use the ‘eRITA’ system for timely access to services and accurate vital statistics.
The meeting is part of RITA’s broader strategy to strengthen governance, transparency and accountability in the management of institutional assets, ensuring they serve the interests of members, beneficiaries and the nation.
