East Africa: Tanzanian Proposes Amendments to the Drugs Control and Enforcement Act

Dodoma — THE Tanzanian government has proposed amendments to the Drugs Control and Enforcement Act that would broaden the scope of offences related to the possession of seeds from prohibited plants and narcotic drugs, while strengthening the powers of law enforcement officers in implementing the law.

Presenting the Miscellaneous Laws (Amendments) Bill, 2026, in Parliament in Dodoma today, September 1, 2026, Attorney General Hamza Johari said the proposed amendments would make it an offence to be found in possession of seeds of any prohibited plant, regardless of the intended use of the seeds.

He said the measure is intended to broaden the offence of possessing and distributing seeds of prohibited plants, including plants that can be used in the production of narcotic drugs such as cannabis.

The Bill also proposes formally recognising narcotic drugs in both solid and liquid forms. The amendment is intended to cover quantities of narcotic drugs in liquid form, which were not previously expressly recognised under the law.

In addition, the government proposes to specify the offence of possessing narcotic drugs in violation of the conditions of a permit, while also clarifying acts that may facilitate the commission of the offence of conspiracy to commit a crime.

On enforcement, the Bill proposes expanding the category of officers authorised to issue search warrants to include an officer authorised by the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority.

According to Johari, the measure is intended to facilitate enforcement in situations where the Commissioner General or the Officer in Charge of a police station is unavailable.

The proposed amendments would also require the country of origin of narcotic drugs to be recorded in the property inventory documentation prepared during a seizure, where the country of origin is known.

The Bill further proposes separating the authority to make regulations between the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority and the Minister responsible for the relevant sector.

Johari said the proposed amendments are aimed at closing loopholes in the law, strengthening enforcement and improving the effectiveness of efforts to control narcotic drugs in the country.

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