Bold claim: Tanzania must join forces across government, civil society, and international partners to finally curb human trafficking. That’s the core message from a senior official who stresses that as technology evolves, traffickers continually adapt and find new ways to sustain their illegal networks.
In Dar es Salaam, Celestine Makoba of the Secretariat on Combating Human Trafficking urged closer coordination among government bodies, non-governmental organizations, and stakeholders. He spoke at a two-day training organized by the Tanzania Relief Initiative (TRI) in partnership with the Tanzania Network against Human Trafficking (TANAHUT) and supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The event took place on December 3, 2025, and highlighted that without a unified and shared approach, eliminating trafficking in the country will remain out of reach.
The training was attended by lawyers and advocates, among others. Mr. Makoba outlined several government efforts against trafficking, including legal reforms—with the most recent amendment enacted last year. He explained that a key change is that imprisonment serves as the primary punishment for proven offenders, with fines acting as an additional penalty.
He also noted that in 2015, regulations were introduced to guide the identification of victims and to equip responders with tools to reconnect them with their families. These regulations establish clear protections for survivors, who may serve as witnesses in prosecutions. An action plan is prepared every three years; the current plan for 2025–2028 is ready for launch, following the completion of the previous cycle.
Mr. Makoba stressed the pervasive nature of the problem: trafficking touches every region, and no country is free from it. The extent of impact varies, but the threat remains universal.
Advocate Edwin Mugambila, Executive Director of Tanzania Relief Initiatives (TRI), explained that the training seeks to build capacity, share experiences, and help participants identify new criminal methods. The program also aims to learn from other countries, assess past failures, and identify strategies to dismantle trafficking networks that prey on young people aged 12 to 28.
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Advocate Mugambila added that Tanzania functions as a source, transit, and destination country for trafficking. He named Morogoro, Dar es Salaam, Kagera, Geita, Mara, Mbeya, Songwe, and Zanzibar as the most affected regions, with Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar serving as major hubs for the crime.
He highlighted that rural communities—where education and access to accurate information are limited—are particularly vulnerable. Families living in poverty are at higher risk, as traffickers lure them with enticing promises that lead to exploitation.
Other stark statistics underscore the gravity: more than 90 percent of detected victims are domestic trafficking cases, and women and children constitute over 70 percent of victims. Yet, Mugambila pointed to a troubling gap in prosecution: many cases never reach court, or prosecutors charge suspects with minor offenses instead of addressing the core crime.
During the presentations, attention will be paid to why children and women are disproportionately affected and to the demand-and-supply dynamics that sustain trafficking. The speakers will also critique gaps in stakeholders’ responsibilities and propose concrete enhancements to enforcement and victim support.
What’s your take on these reform measures? Do they address the root causes effectively, or are there blind spots still needing attention? Share thoughts in the comments.
