New employees, promotions push up Home Affairs budget

Dar es Salaam. The Home Affairs ministry’s budget has risen by 32.6 percent to cater for a fresh round of recruitments and promotions.

Home Affairs minister Hamad Masauni on Wednesday asked Parliament to approve Sh1.711 trillion for the ministry’s recurrent and development expenditure in 2024/25.

This is a significant increase on the Sh1.29 trillion allocation passed for the current financial year.

Mr Masauni said at least 4,857 new employees will be hired by various institutions that are under the ministry in the next financial year.

He added that a total of 9,397 employees in the ministry were promoted in the first ten months of 2023/24.

Of the new employees, 114 will be stationed at the ministry’s headquarters in Dodoma, while 3,068 will join the Police Force.

The Prisons Department will recruit 613 members, while the Fire and Rescue Force will get 425 new employees. The Immigration Department and National Identification Authority (Nida) will hire 517 and 120 employees, respectively.

Mr Masauni told Parliament that more emphasis will be put on the use of information technology (IT) and artificial intelligence (AI) through a project that will cost $145.2 million.

Known as the Safer Cities Project, the plan seeks to enhance existing security systems in the country by using modern technologies to ensure the safety of people and their property.

“As part of the project, a total of 6,500 cameras equipped with AI technology are expected to be installed in industrial and commercial areas, public places, urban roads, hotels and community centres,” Mr Masauni said, adding that the project will be implemented in Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Arusha and Mwanza next financial year.

The project is expected to stimulate economic and social activities due to improved security in cities and towns across the country.

It will also aid in the implementation of the recommendations of the Criminal Justice Commission regarding the use of modern technology in the operations of security agencies under the Home Affairs ministry.

“This project will be implemented with a concessional loan of $145.2 million from the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE),” Mr Masauni said, adding that a commercial agreement between the Police Force’s economic wing and the contractor has been signed.

The project implementation will commence once the Financial Agreement between the governments of Tanzania and the UAE is signed.

Parliament’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security Committee said in response to the budget that the use of modern technology should be embraced by all institutions under the Home Affairs ministry with the aim of matching global standards and meeting the rapidly changing global technology landscape.

Committee chairman Vita Kawawa said in addition to efforts to increase employment in institutions under the in the past two years, the government should also ensure that it secures title deeds for all areas where various offices for security agencies will be located.

Mr Kawawa also urged the government to improve the transportation conditions for all the armed forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs so they can enhance the security of people and their property.

Meanwhile, expounding on the promotions of the 9,397 employees under the ministry, Mr Masauni thanked President Hassan for what he said were “historic promotions within the security agencies under the Ministry of Home Affairs”.

“Additionally, considering gender inclusivity, among those promoted were six female Deputy Commissioners of Police. Such a promotion is unprecedented in the history of our country,” he said.

Besides, he said from July 2023 to April 2024, the Ministry has employed a total of 8,542 staff members.

Out of the Sh1.711 trillion being sought for the ministry’s budget for 2024/25, Sh551.583 billion is for other costs while Sh870.429 billion is for salaries. Development projects will take up the remaining Sh289.698 billion.