Tanzania’s cooperatives body moves to restore trust as integrity concerns rock cooperative sector

Dodoma. Mounting concerns over ethics, accountability, and integrity within Tanzania’s cooperative societies have prompted the Tanzania Cooperative Development Commission (TCDC) to convene a high-level stakeholders meeting aimed at confronting long-standing governance failures and restoring public trust in the sector.

The meeting, scheduled for Friday, April 24, 2026, in Dodoma, will bring together a broad range of actors across the cooperative ecosystem, with the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Daniel Chongolo, expected to officiate.

At the heart of the discussions will be persistent integrity challenges that have, for years, placed cooperative societies under scrutiny, with several leaders accused and, in some cases, prosecuted for mismanaging funds intended to benefit members.

During a media briefing on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, TCDC Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Benson Ndiege, said the gathering is not merely routine but a deliberate intervention to address systemic weaknesses in accountability and ethical conduct that have undermined the sector’s credibility.

He noted that while cooperatives remain a critical pillar of economic empowerment for citizens, repeated cases of financial mismanagement, weak oversight, and delayed justice processes have eroded confidence among members and stakeholders.

In some instances, cases involving misuse of cooperative funds have taken too long to conclude, largely due to gaps in coordination among institutions within the justice system.

It is this disconnect, particularly across the justice delivery chain that TCDC now seeks to address by bringing together key institutions, including law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, anti-corruption bodies, and other oversight entities.

The goal is to establish a shared understanding and a coordinated response to integrity breaches within cooperative societies.

“This meeting is about building a united front,” Dr Ndiege said, emphasising that safeguarding members’ interests and rebuilding trust requires collective responsibility.

“We must ensure cooperative societies operate on strong principles of accountability, fairness, and good governance if they are to remain engines of socio-economic development,” he added.

As part of the initiative, TCDC will also launch a nationwide campaign themed “Protect Cooperatives, Choose Integrity,” designed to reinforce ethical standards and accountability mechanisms across the sector.

The campaign is expected to serve as both an awareness drive and a framework for reform, encouraging transparency in leadership and active participation by members in holding their institutions accountable.

Participants at the meeting will include cooperative members, leaders and managers, government officials, politicians, civil society organisations, auditors, service providers, and media representatives.

Their role will extend beyond dialogue, as they are expected to contribute ideas and recommendations that will shape the implementation of the integrity campaign and broader reforms.

Dr Ndiege stressed that the success of the initiative will depend on inclusivity and honest engagement among stakeholders, noting that the challenges facing the cooperative sector cannot be resolved in isolation.

Instead, he said, they require coordinated action, stronger institutional linkages, and a renewed commitment to ethical leadership.