Dodoma.Tanzania has rescued dozens of human trafficking victims from several countries in the Gulf and Asia as the government intensifies efforts to dismantle cross-border trafficking networks.
The Minister for Home Affairs, Petrobas Katambi, said authorities rescued and assisted 160 victims of human trafficking between July 2025 and April 2026, including victims repatriated from countries such as Oman, Malaysia, India, Bahrain, Egypt, Syria and the United Arab Emirates.
Mr Katambi revealed the figures in Parliament on Monday, May 25, while presenting the Ministry of Home Affairs’ budget estimates for the 2026/27 financial year.
According to the minister, the rescued victims included 60 children, 96 women and four men.
He said 126 victims were rescued within Tanzania, while 34 others were brought back from foreign countries following coordinated anti-trafficking operations.
The minister also told Parliament that 57 suspects had been arrested during the period under review.
Of those, 45 suspects had already been arraigned before courts in several regions, including Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Morogoro, Mwanza, Ruvuma, Simiyu, Singida and Songwe, while investigations into 12 other suspects were continuing.
As part of broader efforts to strengthen the criminal justice response, the ministry has continued offering specialised anti-human trafficking training to justice sector stakeholders.
Mr Katambi said the training focused on identifying victims, providing support services, conducting investigations and improving prosecution of trafficking-related offences.
Between July 2025 and April 2026, a total of 314 stakeholders were trained in Dar es Salaam, Kigoma, Kagera, Mwanza and Singida regions.
The government has also expanded public awareness campaigns through social media, radio and television programmes, seminars and public meetings, reaching 19,076 people.
In efforts to improve reporting mechanisms, the ministry has established a Counter Trafficking in Persons Call Centre through which members of the public can report incidents and obtain information through the toll-free number 195.
“We urge citizens to continue reporting incidents and obtaining education on human trafficking through number 195,” Mr Katambi said.
The ministry has also established a zonal office in Dar es Salaam to coordinate anti-trafficking activities in Dar es Salaam, Lindi, Morogoro, Mtwara, Coast and Tanga regions.
Meanwhile, the government has received Sh72.47 million for the development of an electronic system for receiving, managing and storing human trafficking information, known as TIPMIS. The system is currently 50 percent complete and is expected to be finalised by June 2026.
Another Sh250.45 million has been allocated for the construction of a safe house in Dodoma Region to provide temporary shelter for victims and witnesses of trafficking crimes. The project has reached 60 percent completion and is expected to be completed by September 2026.
For the 2026/27 financial year, the ministry has earmarked Sh2.76 billion to construct another safe house in Dar es Salaam, prepare a national anti-trafficking strategy and continue operations targeting trafficking syndicates.
The funds will also support victim rescue and reintegration programmes, stakeholder training, public education and stronger national, regional and international cooperation in combating human trafficking.
