Tanzania orders motorcyclists to install GPS tracking devices in case of theft

DODOMA: THE Tanzanian government has advised motorcycle owners to install Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking devices on their motorcycles to facilitate tracking and recovery in the event of theft.

Responding to a question in Parliament in Dodoma on November 4, 2026, Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, Ayoub Mohammed Mahmoud, said the technology would help identify the location of stolen motorcycles and make it easier for security agencies to recover them and return them to their owners.

The question was raised by Mahonda MP Othman Suleiman, who sought to know the government’s plans to improve the safety of motorcycle taxi operators and their motorcycles amid increasing incidents of theft and robbery.

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In his response, the Deputy Minister said the government had designated specific administrative areas to strengthen security and curb such crimes, with measures implemented at the shehia level in Zanzibar and the ward level in Mainland Tanzania.

He added that through this framework, the government had introduced ward police officers and community policing initiatives to strengthen crime prevention and address security incidents.