Tanzania Plans New Law to Regulate Building Sector

Tanzania’s Minister of Works, Hon. Abdallah Ulega, stood before Parliament on Monday, May 5, 2025, with a firm message of reform and responsibility.

As he presented the Ministry’s Budget Estimates for the 2025/2026 financial year, the minister spoke not only of figures and projects but of lives lost and the urgent need to safeguard the public.

At the heart of his address was the announcement of a new National Building Law, set to be drafted under the guidance of the Sixth Phase Government. The proposed legislation, Ulega explained, aims to bring order and accountability to the country’s construction sector, a response to deep-rooted issues in oversight, coordination, and enforcement.

Also Read:Pope mobile to Become Mobile Clinic for Gaza Children

The initiative follows the tragic collapse of a four-storey building in Kariakoo, Dar es Salaam, on November 16, 2024 — an incident that claimed lives, left others injured, and shocked the nation. In a solemn tone, Ulega acknowledged the pain caused by the disaster. “I take this opportunity to express my heartfelt condolences to all those affected by this tragedy, and I pray that the souls of the deceased rest in peace,” he said, visibly moved.

The law, he noted, comes as a directive from President Samia Suluhu Hassan, whose leadership he praised for steering the country through significant transformation. “Tanzanians are witnesses to the sweeping changes she has brought to all sectors,” he said. “Through her vision, major infrastructure projects have been implemented, sparking economic and social development that is improving the lives of individuals and the nation as a whole.”

For Ulega, this moment was more than just another budget presentation. It was a call to action — to build not just roads and buildings, but trust, safety, and a future where tragedies like Kariakoo never happen again.

“We are not only planning. We are acting,” he concluded. “This new law will ensure that the foundations of our buildings are as strong as the hopes of the people who live in them.”