Tanzania pays 47bn/- in pension refunds to sacked servants

DODOMA: THE Tanzanian government has confirmed that a total of 47.02 billion/- has been paid to 15,288 former public servants who were dismissed from service for forging academic certificates, following a directive by President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

According to a statement released on Monday by the Head of Communications in the President’s Office (Public Service Management and Good Governance), Ms Mary Mwakapenda, the funds were disbursed by the Public Service Social Security Fund (PSSSF) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), in compliance with the President’s order issued during the 2022 International Workers’ Day celebrations in Dodoma.

Ms Mwakapenda noted that the President directed that affected individuals be refunded a portion of their social security contributions—five percent for those under PSSSF and ten percent for those under NSSF.

“The implementation of this directive was officially communicated to all public institutions through a letter (Ref. CFC. 26/205/01“AT”/20) dated October 31, 2022, from the Permanent Secretary,” the statement read, adding that the process has been executed transparently and with integrity.

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The clarification comes in response to a news story published by Rada newspaper on April 14, 2025, which claimed that the President’s directive could not be implemented.

The government has dismissed the report as misleading and unfounded, accusing the publication of seeking to tarnish the image of the President’s Office and cause unwarranted public concern.

The Office also expressed disappointment that the newspaper named its legal officer in the article without seeking comment or clarification—an act described as a violation of journalistic ethics.

“The public is assured that the government continues to uphold and implement directives from the Head of State in full, with a commitment to justice and accountability,” reads the statement in part.