The Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Elijah Mwandumbya, has commended the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) for continuing to improve the business and investment environment in the country, and has urged the Authority to keep fulfilling this important responsibility.

He made these remarks on 21 November 2025 on behalf of the Minister of Finance, Hon. Ambassador Khamis Mussa Omar (MP), during the 18th graduation ceremony of the Institute of Tax Administration (ITA) held in Dar es Salaam.

During the ceremony, Mwandumbya said that TRA has been playing a major role in running the country by contributing significantly to domestic revenue, while the Institute of Tax Administration serves as a training ground for TRA staff, enabling them to become more competent.

He said that TRA has greatly contributed to the stability of business in the country, a stability that is also brought about by peace and security. He added that peace is not merely a political matter it is an economic one with a direct impact on the lives of citizens.

He also supported the statement made by the TRA Commissioner General, Mr. Yusuph Juma Mwenda, regarding the need to increase tax revenues by sealing loopholes for tax evasion and expanding the tax base, while ensuring that compliant taxpayers enjoy a friendly environment.

In his speech, Commissioner General Mwenda referred to the speech by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, during the inauguration of the National Assembly, where she emphasized her desire for Tanzania to become economically self-reliant. He noted that self-reliance does not mean increasing tax rates, but rather closing gaps that allow tax evasion so the country can generate more revenue for national development.

“Let it be understood that a country becoming economically self-reliant does not involve increasing tax rates. What we are doing is intensifying efforts to close tax loopholes and expand the tax base by registering new taxpayers,” said CG Mwenda.

He added that he believes the graduates of the Institute of Tax Administration will serve as ambassadors for promoting voluntary tax compliance, which will improve the business environment in the country an environment that heavily depends on peace and stability.

Earlier, the Chairman of the TRA Board of Directors, Mr. Uledi Mussa Abbas, urged the graduates to encourage the community to continue paying taxes voluntarily, stating that tax payment is an act of patriotism.

He said he wishes for the Institute of Tax Administration to become a regional center of excellence in Taxation and Customs for Central Africa, due to the high quality of training offered by the institution.

In that graduation ceremony involving 561 graduates, some of the top-performing graduates were awarded certificates and given prizes, while lecturers who conducted various research projects were also awarded certificates and prizes.