High interest in TRA jobs as 135,027 applicants compete for 1,596 vacancies

Dodoma. In an apparent gesture of the growing unemployment among educated Tanzanians and special interest in certain jobs, a total of 135,027 applicants have applied for 1,596 vacancies at the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA).

In simpler perspective, this means that on average, a total of 85 applicants are vying for any single advertised position at the taxman.

On 6 February 2025, TRA announced openings in various departments, including domestic revenue, customs and excise, human resource management and administration, research and planning, finance, internal auditing, internal affairs, and risk and compliance.

TRA Commissioner General Yusuph Mwenda revealed this on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, while reviewing the achievements of the fourth-phase government over the past four years and outlining the authority’s future direction.

Mwenda spoke of the high demand for TRA positions and assured the public of a fair recruitment process.

“The Director of Administration will provide guidelines next week on the recruitment process. We are committed to hiring the best minds to enhance efficiency, ensuring a fair and transparent selection process,” he said.

He said that TRA’s workforce has expanded significantly, from 4,749 employees in March 2021 to 6,989 in March 2025, marking a 47 percent increase.

In a bid to uphold integrity, TRA has taken disciplinary action against employees violating public service ethics. Over the past four years, 14 employees have been dismissed, six have had salary reductions, six have been demoted, 12 have faced both demotion and salary cuts, and 22 have received written warnings.

Mwenda also reported that between July 2024 and February 2025, TRA collected Sh21.20 trillion, surpassing its target of Sh20.42 trillion by 104per percent. This represents a 17per percent increase from the Sh18.06 trillion collected in the same period of the 2023/24 financial year.

During President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s four-year tenure, tax revenue has surged by 78 per percent, from Sh11.92 trillion to Sh21.20 trillion.

Additionally, tax refunds have seen a remarkable rise. Between July 2020 and February 2021, businesses received Sh92.372 billion in refunds, compared to Sh1.2 trillion disbursed between July 2024 and February 2025.

TRA has also invested in modernising its tax administration systems through ICT improvements, reinforcing efficiency and compliance in revenue collection.