Bakari Machumu

Not long ago, the CEO Roundtable of Tanzania (CEOrt) convened a conversation themed “Strengthening Public–Private Dialogue on Tax Administration”. At the centre of the dialogue was Mr Yusuph J. Mwenda, Commissioner General of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), engaging directly with private sector leaders to reflect on how we can build a tax ecosystem rooted in trust, understanding and shared responsibility.

A quick glance at the crowd gathered at the Jakaya Kikwete Convention Centre in Dodoma last week for the launch of Dira 2050 might have tempted one to believe that Tanzania had already arrived in the upper-middle-income bracket Let us park that thought for a moment. Three weeks ago, after a round of golf at the TPDF Lugalo Golf Course in Dar es Salaam, a casual conversation turned serious. A golfing colleague, who happens to be an investor from a neighbouring country, shared his frustrations.

By Bakari S. Machumu I’m still recovering from professional shock I experienced in Arusha last week. I always assess situations before and after training. If that’s not possible, I at least gauge the level of awareness and understanding against actual application. So, there I was on Thursday, February 27, conducting a training session for 22 online journalists from various media outlets based in Dar es Salaam and Arusha.