PPP forum in Mwanza: Aligning reform with the promise of vision 2050

TANZANIA has entered a new chapter. The official launch of Tanzania vision 2050 by President Samia Suluhu Hassan on July 17 at the Jakaya Kikwete Convention Centre in Dodoma has set a bold and inspirational tone for the country’s long-term transformation, anchored in inclusivity, resilience, prosperity and self-reliance.

Now, only days later, the city of Mwanza is preparing to host a strategic event: the second national policy forum on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), organized by the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) through its REDET programme and the Public-Private Partnership Centre.

This dialogue follows the inaugural PPP forum held earlier this year at UDSM’s Mlimani campus in Dar es Salaam, and signals a growing momentum to decentralize and deepen the national conversation on reform.

From vision to mechanism: the central role of PPPs

At the Vision 2050 launch, President Samia called on every Tanzanian, from policymakers to ordinary citizens, to engage in delivering the promise of the Vision.

“We have reflected independently, written independently, planned independently and we shall implement it independently,” she said.

Yet this patriotic independence comes with pragmatic clarity: the government alone cannot deliver such sweeping ambition.

With 18 transformative targets, including a $1 trillion economy, zero maternal deaths, universal access to quality public services and 70 percent digital literacy, strategic partnerships with the private sector become not optional, but essential.

The Mwanza forum, driven by Mr. David Kafulila, Executive Director of the PPP Centre, reflects this logic. Kafulila’s policy instincts are sharp: meaningful reform is not engineered from closed rooms but cultivated through structured national dialogue.

By convening stakeholders in Mwanza, from local government authorities and civil society to private investors, diplomats and academics, Kafulila is demonstrating that PPP reform cannot remain centralized. It must be participatory and visible across all levels of governance.

This forum builds on the gains of the Dar es Salaam dialogue and comes at a critical moment. The National Planning Commission is finalizing the Long-Term Perspective Plan (LTPP) and FYDP IV, the primary instruments to implement Vision 2050. It is vital that PPPs are not sidelined but clearly embedded into these frameworks as scalable solutions to infrastructure, innovation and service delivery challenges.

A panel worth listening to

The calibre of the speakers in Mwanza underscores the forum’s significance. They include Prof. Rwekaza Mukandala, former Vice Chancellor of UDSM and a long-time public intellectual on governance and development, Prof. Anna Tibaijuka, former Minister and UN-HABITAT chief, Dr. Jasinta Msamula, from Mzumbe University, Dr. Delphine Kessy, a governance and decentralization expert, Dr. Ponsian Ntui and Ms. Phina Jerome, a youth and civic engagement advocate.

Their contributions will not be abstract. They will help shape how PPPs are understood and applied, from local councils to national institutions. Kafulila himself is expected to deliver the keynote address, focusing on how Tanzania can leverage PPPs to bridge its infrastructure and service gaps while reinforcing public accountability.

The state must now lead with openness

In Dodoma, President Samia gave marching orders: ministries must align policies with Vision 2050; legal frameworks must be reviewed; the Planning Commission must establish indicators for institutional performance and the Ministry of Information must spearhead public awareness.

These instructions gain traction in Mwanza. This forum must be a starting point for policy clarity, capacitybuilding and legal reforms that enable PPPs to thrive, not just in capital-intensive sectors, but in everyday governance, schools, health centres, markets, transport and digital access.

A defining national moment

What we are witnessing from Dodoma to Mwanza is a rare moment of strategic alignment. A national vision has been declared. Policy tools are being reimagined. Public dialogue is taking centre stage.

The PPP forum is not simply an event, it is part of a nationwide shift in how Tanzania governs its development. In President Samia’s call for collective implementation, and in Kafulila’s push for open, inclusive reform, we see a shared commitment to move from planning to performance.

If Vision 2050 is the roadmap, then PPPs are the vehicles, and the time to start driving is now.

• Dr. Bravious Kahyoza is an Economist and PPP Expert