LRCT reviews laws for Vision 2050
DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA has begun reviewing laws governing land, investment, energy and e-commerce as part of efforts to align the country’s legal framework with the National Development Vision 2050 and create a more predictable environment for businesses and investors.
The Law Reform Commission of Tanzania (LRCT) said the reforms aim to modernise the country’s legal system to respond to economic transformation, technological advances and changing societal needs while supporting the government’s ambition of attaining a high-income economy by 2050.
LRCT Executive Secretary, Mr George Mandepo said the Commission has already launched legal reviews in key strategic sectors, including land, natural resources, trade, investment and energy, while research on e-commerce has also commenced following directives from the Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs.
“We have already started work on strategic sectors, including land, natural resources, trade, investment and energy, while research on e-commerce is also underway,” Mr Mandepo said.
He said the Commission is collecting views from stakeholders and members of the public before conducting research and returning the findings for validation to ensure proposed reforms accurately reflect public concerns.
“We first receive stakeholders’ views, analyse them through research and then return for validation to ensure the issues raised have been properly captured,” he said.
Mr Mandepo said the rapid growth of online business has created new opportunities that require an updated legal framework to protect both traders and consumers while promoting innovation.
“A person in Songea can now sell produce through live online platforms and deal directly with buyers instead of relying on middlemen. That shows why our legal systems need to evolve with these changes,” he said.
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The Commission said reforms in the energy sector are also expected to support wider access to services while enabling the country to benefit more effectively from technological developments. Mr Mandepo added that following the approval of the new National Land Policy, the Commission has intensified preparations to review laws governing land administration and natural resources to improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.
The Commission’s mandate includes advising the Government and Parliament on enacting and amending laws through research-based recommendations. Members of the public have been encouraged to contribute to the ongoing review through stakeholder consultations and the Commission’s official website.
The reforms are expected to strengthen transparency in the administration of justice, improve the ease of doing business and create a more stable legal environment for domestic and foreign investment, key pillars in implementing the National Development Vision 2050.
