According to the budget speech presented on 1 June 2026, by the Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups during the review of the 2025/26 budget implementation and the presentation of revenue and expenditure estimates for the 2026/27 financial year, President Samia Suluhu Hassan approved an increase in the number of Members of Parliament representing Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Mainland Tanzania from two to three.
The move is intended to strengthen the participation of development stakeholders in nation-building, amplify citizens’ voices, and provide the NGO sector with a broader platform to contribute to national discussions and decision-making processes. According to the ministry, these representatives will help highlight the sector’s achievements, address challenges facing NGOs, and propose strategies to strengthen collaboration between the government and civil society organizations in order to improve service delivery and promote inclusive development. This brings the total number of MPs representing the NGO sector in the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania to four. Under the 2025 Presidential, Parliamentary and Councillors’ Election Regulations, Special Seats MPs are mandated to advocate for and represent the interests, concerns, and needs of the groups they serve, ensuring that policies, legislation, and development programs promote equality, inclusion, and broad-based development.
Meanwhile, ministry statistics show that between July 2025 and April 2026, a total of 1,066 NGOs were registered in Tanzania, including 49 international organizations, 973 national organizations, 23 regional organizations, and 21 district-level organizations. This represents a decline of 136 organizations compared to the same period between July 2024 and April 2025, when 1,202 NGOs were registered.