Kigoma. The Bank of Tanzania (BoT) has dismissed claims that it is responsible for delays in payments processed by various institutions, councils and individuals across the country.
The clarification follows complaints from members of the public who said they had experienced delays in receiving payments, with some institutions reportedly attributing the problem to the central bank’s payment systems.
Speaking during a two-day seminar for journalists held from February 26–27 in the Kigoma Region, BoT Assistant Manager for Economics and Statistics at the Dodoma branch, Mr Shamy Chamicha, said the central bank has never delayed or disrupted payment systems.
“There have been challenges in some institutions where people complete assignments but their payments are delayed. When questioned, they are told the central bank’s systems are the problem, which is not true,” he said.
Mr Chamicha urged service providers to be transparent with their clients instead of shifting blame to the central bank.
He emphasised that BoT remains committed to ensuring smooth and efficient payment systems while continuously improving service delivery.
“Our focus is to continue educating the public so that they are not inconvenienced, and at the same time to strengthen our systems to make them even more efficient,” he said.
BoT Assistant Manager for Public Relations, Ms Noves Moses, who spoke on behalf of the bank’s Communications Manager, Ms Victoria Msina, said the bank has received calls from members of the public seeking confirmation on whether its systems were experiencing challenges.
“When we receive such complaints, we are surprised because there is no such issue at the Bank of Tanzania. Our systems are functioning properly. We urge the public not to be misled under the guise of BoT,” she said.
Some residents of Kigoma Ujiji Municipal Council said they had encountered payment delays from certain institutions, affecting their personal plans.
Ms Mariam Ibrahim said she once attended a meeting where participants received their allowances more than two weeks after the scheduled date, with organisers citing the central bank’s systems as the cause.
“We waited for more than two weeks without payment. When we asked, we were told the central bank had not opened the system,” she said.
Mr Juma Mloka shared a similar experience, saying a contractor delayed his payment for a month while claiming that notification had already been sent to the central bank.
“They tell us the central bank has strict payment systems. We accept it because we don’t know whether it is true or not, but it inconveniences us,” he said.
