Privacy enshrined in Constitution: Yes, the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania guarantees the right to privacy under Article 16.

DPA legislation: Yes, in November 2022 the Parliament of Tanzania passed the Personal Information Protection Act 11, 2022, and on 1 May 2023 it came into effect. However, as only a Kiswahili version of the Act is currently available, we have been unable to provide an analysis of its provisions. 

In 2010, Tanzania also implemented the Electronic and Postal Communications Act (EPOCA). While it was being drafted, civil society expressed concern over provisions that they argued would threaten privacy— such as the establishment of the Central Equipment and Identification Register (CEIR) and a mandatory SIM registration requirement. SIM registration has allegedly led to widespread communication surveillance, location monitoring, and personal data processing for purposes unknown and uncommunicated to data subjects. Police and security agencies are alleged to store communication details using the CEIR.

Concern has also been raised about the lack of a requirement of judicial authorisation for interception of communications. In 2015, the President signed the Tanzanian Cybercrimes Act, which went into effect with minimal changes despite public criticism. The Act was unsuccessfully challenged in domestic courts on the grounds that several provisions allow law enforcement to search and seize computer systems, data, and information without a court order, eroding the constitutional right to privacy. The Act also permits the police to use invasive surveillance methods such as keylogging devices or software that records keystrokes in real time, without judicial authorisation or oversight.