He made the pledge here at the just-ended three-day forum that involved religious leaders, taxpayers, non-state actors, donor agencies as well as experts from Tanzania and outside.

 

Said he: “We have changed our mode of operations…that is why we have engaged many stakeholders in the process of preparing our anti-corruption strategy.”

 

According to Mwaseba, the main idea is to have a broader perspective on the envisaged anti-corruption strategy.

“This stakeholders’ workshop testifies TRA’s change of operational approach. We aspire to adopt inclusive and participatory strategies in all stages of developing the new TRA anti-corruption strategy,” he added.

 

The Arusha Regional Commissioner, Daud Felix Ntibenda, described TRA’s latest approach in developing its anti-corruption strategy as exemplary. He said it can help to come with an effective and efficient anti-corruption strategy and action plan.

 

Following the adoption of the new strategy-development approach, dubbed ‘difficult table’ graft corruption within the tax body’ circles would yield positive and greater results, noted Arusha RC. 

 

He therefore urged TRA to continue engaging on a regular basis external stakeholders in preparing and implementing the anti-corruption strategies.

“The just started team-work should continue…it should continue for a good course, because corruption is a critical national problem that requires joint efforts and collaboration, everybody should be involved,” asserted Ntibenda.

 

A consultant from the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC), Robert Tylor, who was commissioned to provide technical expertise in drafting TRA anti-corruption strategy and action plan, said external stakeholders provided potential and constructive inputs during the workshop for the new blueprint.

 

Said Tylor:  “We expect further engagement of more stakeholders. As the strategy-drafting continues stakeholders’ concerns and views will be incorporated in the draft, and results will be shared.”

 

Stella Cosmas, TRA’s Director of Internal Affairs, which organised the forum, said engagement of the broader community in developing the new anti-corruption strategy was an on-going process. She explained: “After this workshop, IPAC consultants will prepare the first draft of the strategy and communicate to us (TRA) and other stakeholders…everybody will be free to give comments on it.”

 

Cosmas, who doubles as the head of staff integrity and ethics, said: “Strategy development is in three phases and this is just the first one. In the second phase, we will conduct similar workshops for smaller-

stakeholders in selected regions, collect their views and inputs. IPAC experts will then incorporate them in the first draft and share them with stakeholders.”

 

Finally, IPAC consultants would prepare the final draft strategy and present it to TRA. Then it will invite stakeholders for discussion and comments in shaping up the final strategy.

 

“Expectations are high that, we will have an effective and implementable TRA anti-corruption strategy and plan which has incorporated views of all stakeholders, something that would make its enforcement easy,” commented Rev George Fupe, Assistant Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), Eastern and Coastal Diocese.