Historical Background

  Historical Background and Institutional Framework

 The Ethics Secretariat (ES) is an Independent Department under the President’s Office

entrusted with powers to administer the ethical conduct of Public Leaders. ES is established

under Article 132 of Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977. Its mandate is to

implement the Public Leadership Code of Ethics Act, No. 13 of 1995 as amended by the Act

No. 5 of 2001. The Act came into operation on July 01, 1995 and it applies to Tanzania

Zanzibar as well as to Mainland Tanzania in respect of public officers holding offices under the

Union Government.

 The Ethics Commissioner is appointed by the President and is the Head and Chief Executive

of the Ethics Secretariat.  The President also provides for the staffing of the Secretariat and for

the taking by them of the oath of secrecy in respect of matters handled by them. ES is

operating through its headquarters in Dar es Salaam and in Seven Zonal Offices as listed

below:-

  • Southern Highlands Zone, which caters for Mbeya, Iringa, Katavi, Njombe and Rukwa Regions
  • Southern Zone, which caters for Mtwara, Lindi and Ruvuma Regions
  • Central Zone, which caters for Dodoma and Singida Regions
  • Northern Zone, which caters for Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Manyara Regions
  • Western Zone, which caters for Tabora, Kigoma,Simiyu and Shinyanga Regions
  • Lake Zone, which caters for Mwanza, Mara, Geita and Kagera Regions.
  • Eastern Zone, which caters for Pwani, Tanga and Morogoro Regions