Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Ministry of Home Affairs unveiled in the National Assembly yesterday a 2.06tri/- budget for the 2025/2026 financial year, up from 1.71tri/- in 2024/25 to advance national security, modernise its services and enhance the well-being of all Tanzanians.
The Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Innocent Bashungwa said the budget increase underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing national security, improving crucial infrastructure, advancing digital services and strengthening identification processes.
He outlined key priorities for the upcoming financial year, including the continued safeguarding of citizens and their property — a core responsibility that underpins national stability and drives economic growth.
The ministry plans to implementing directives from President Samia Suluhu Hassan concerning the Criminal Justice Commission, signalling a dedication to justice system reforms, he said.
A significant portion of the budget will be directed towards improving and constructing office infrastructure and housing for officers, inspectors and police constables.
This vital investment aims to enhance working conditions and living standards for law enforcement personnel, recognising their crucial role in upholding peace and order.
In an era of increasing digital reliance, the ministry is also prioritising strengthening and improving online immigration services, streamlining processes and enhancing efficiency for both citizens and visitors.
Furthermore, a critical new initiative for 2025/26 is the commencement of the registration and identification of individuals under the age of 18, who will be issued with national identification numbers.
This forward-looking step by the National Identification Authority (NIDA) is expected to significantly bolster the national identity database and facilitate various public services for the younger population.
The minister said NIDA successfully registered and identified 844,994 individuals between July 2024 and April 2025, bringing the total registered population to over 25.8 million.
The number represents 81.9 per cent of the 31,582,976 people aged 18 and above, according to the country’s 2022 Population and Housing Census.
The ministry aims to register an additional six million people over the next three years. For 2025/26, 5.81bn/- has been allocated to register and identify 2,389,290 individuals aged 18 and above.
NIDA also reported generating and distributing 757,189 National Identification Numbers (NINs) in the same period, bringing the total NINs issued to 21,514,741, or 83.2 per cent of the registered population.
In the upcoming 2025/26 financial year, NIDA plans to spend 461.4m/- to process and resolve applications for 4,342,926 citizens, who have registered but have not yet received their NINs.
The authority has also extended its registration efforts to Tanzanian diaspora communities, registering and identifying 1,300 Tanzanians living abroad through the country’s embassies.
This initiative has been carried out in Comoros, the United States, Belgium, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.
Of those identified abroad, 852 had their National ID applications registered, and 707 were issued with NINs and National IDs.
Verification of information and citizenship for the remaining 145 Tanzanians is ongoing, with NINs and National IDs to be generated for eligible applications.
The minister urged Tanzanians living abroad to remain patriotic and resist any attempts to betray their country or community.
The minister also noted significant progress in decongesting prisons, with the number of inmates and remandees decreasing from 33,764 in 2020/21 to 27,088 by April 2025. This 20 per cent reduction addresses the challenge of overcrowding, as the legal capacity is 29,902.
The Prisons Service has also achieved 100 per cent clean energy utilisation for cooking across all 129 prisons, showcasing a commitment to environmental sustainability.
Minister Bashungwa revealed expansion of online court services to 66 prisons, with plans for full coverage by 2028/29, demonstrates the drive towards digital transformation within the justice system.
The use of alternative sentences, such as parole (230 beneficiaries) and Extra Mural Labour (1,415 beneficiaries) from July 2024 to April 2025, has contributed to reducing prison congestion and fostering positive behavioural changes.
In combating modern challenges, the ministry reported a 13.5 per cent decrease in cybercrime incidents, with 748 offences reported between July 2024 and April 2025, down from 865 in the previous period.
Road accidents decreased by 9.6 per cent, with 1,322 incidents reported compared to 1,463 in the previous period, while related fatalities dropped from 1,408 to 1,275. These improvements are attributed to intensified enforcement operations, online patrols and increased public awareness campaigns.
The budget also underscores strengthened international cooperation.
The government has removed Azerbaijan, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Senegal and Sri Lanka from the list of countries requiring referral visas — a move that has increased foreign visits for investment and technology development, thereby boosting non-tax revenue from immigration services.
The government has entered into Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with numerous countries, including South Africa, Algeria, Angola, Brazil, China, Cuba, India, Indonesia, Kenya, South Korea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Norway, Uganda, Turkey, Vietnam and Zambia.
These agreements aim to foster relations, ease travel for diplomatic and service passport holders and facilitate cooperation in combating illegal immigration, human smuggling and illicit financial networks.
Efforts to rescue victims of human trafficking have also shown a positive trend, with 156 victims rescued between July 2024 and April 2025, a decrease from 184 in the prior period. Of the rescued victims, 102 were children and 54 were adults.
The majority (119) were rescued within Tanzania, while 37 were rescued abroad, including in Malaysia, Thailand, China, Oman and Dubai.
Regarding refugee services, as of April 2025, Tanzania hosted 239,660 asylum seekers and refugees, primarily from Burundi (152,848) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (86,144).
The ministry also registered 2,975 new asylum seekers from various countries during the period.
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