Tanzania: Plans Afoot for Benefit of Local Traders, Bunge Told

The government has outlined strategies for ensuring that goods produced by local businesspeople are protected through proper policies and a comprehensive legal framework.

This was said by the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industries, Engineer Stella Manyanya, when

responding to a question from Special Seats lawmaker Catherine Magige (CCM).

The legislator wanted to know the government's plan to protect locally produced goods by local businesspeople in a bid to transform the country into an industrial economy.

Responding, Eng. Manyanya outlined various strategies in place, including creating an enabling environment for local businesspeople to have products that can compete in the market.

Another strategy was the Blueprint Regulatory Reforms to Improve the Business Environment in the country.

The blueprint provides the government's main framework for enabling a holistic review of the Business Enabling Environment (BEE) in order to improve the business climate in Tanzania.

It presents key challenges affecting the business environment in Tanzania along with a set of recommendations for reform to put in place a more business friendly environment.

It covers sector specific regulatory issues in sectors such as agriculture and agroprocessing, construction, creative industry, health sector, Immigration and labour, mining, mineral processing, social security and labour, tourism, transport and Logistics as well as utilities -water and energy.

According to Eng Manyanya, the government was taxing products entering the country by 10per cent in raw materials and 25per cent for products that are ready for use.

She added that the major objective was to increase the price cap in order to protect local industries against foreign products sourced from outside member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).