The roots of civil society in Tanzania can be traced to the pre-colonial period in Tanganyika in the 1920s. In 1922, for example, the Tanganyika Territory African Civil Servants Association was formed for securing the interests and welfare of indigenous civil servants. In addition, mutual cooperative movements and pastoralist movements were established to focus on land ownership and security. These movements eventually led to the formation of the associations that fought for the country’s independence in 1961. CSOs rose to further prominence in the 1980s after the government began to privatize and downsize the public sector under structural adjustment programs of the IMF and World Bank. These structural adjustment programs sought to strengthen CSOs’ ability to promote accountability and counter corruption.
Although the 1977 Constitution and the Constitution of Zanzibar of 1984 guarantee basic human rights and freedoms, the legal frameworks in Tanzania and Zanzibar are not favorable to civil society organizations (CSOs) and civic freedoms. Moreover, the laws provide the executive branch with overly broad discretionary powers; consequently, human rights defenders, journalists, politicians, bloggers, and critics are often subject to criminal charges. These trends have accelerated since 2016 and laws have been adopted speedily and with virtually no meaningful consultation with civil society, the public, and other relevant stakeholders.
Currently, the civil society sector is comprised of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), associations, trustees, trade unions, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, societies, and professional associations. In Tanzania, CSOs are classified into three entities: NGOs, Trustees, and Societies. These entities are further regulated by different government institutions, departments or ministries under the auspices of different laws.