The African Chiefs Act

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CHAPTER 252
THE AFRICAN CHIEFS ACT
[PRINCIPAL LEGISLATION]
Arrangement of Sections
Section Title
1. Short title.
2. Traditional and customary law functions of chiefs abolished.
3. Repeal and saving.

GISLATION]
Arrangement of Sections
Section Title
1. Short title.
2. Traditional and customary law functions of chiefs abolished.
3. Repeal and saving.

©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.170
1. This Act may be cited as the African Chiefs Act, and shall be
read as one with the African Chiefs Ordinance (Repeal) Act. 2.–(1) Any and every function, power or authority which,
immediately prior to the date of the repeal of the African
Chiefs Ordinance by the African Chiefs Ordinance (Repeal)
Act could be lawfully exercised or performed by a chief within
the meaning of that Ordinance by reason that it was-
(a) a traditional function, power or authority of such chief; or
(b) a function, power or authority conferred upon such
chief by customary law,
is hereby abolished, and to the extent to which any customary
law confers upon a chief any function, power or authority,
such law shall be invalid.

w,
is hereby abolished, and to the extent to which any customary
law confers upon a chief any function, power or authority,
such law shall be invalid.

(2) A person who exercised or performs or who attempts
to exercise or perform any function, power or authority which
has been abolished by subsection (1) commits an offence
and on conviction shall be liable to a fine not exceeding ten
thousand shillings and, in the case of a second or subsequent
offence, to a fine not exceeding twenty thousand shillings or
to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or
to both. Short title
R.L. Cap. 517
Traditional and
customary law
functions of
chiefs abolished
R.L. Cap. 331;
R.L. Cap. 517
CHAPTER 252
THE AFRICAN CHIEFS ACT
An Act to provide that no former Chief shall exercise any function under
customary law or otherwise. [26th December, 1969]
Act No. 53 of 1969

IEFS ACT
An Act to provide that no former Chief shall exercise any function under
customary law or otherwise. [26th December, 1969]
Act No. 53 of 1969

©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.171
THE AFRICAN CHIEFS ACT [CAP. 252 R.E.

nzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.171
THE AFRICAN CHIEFS ACT [CAP. 252 R.E.

2023]
3.–(1) [Repeals the African Chiefs Ordinance.]
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1), where
in any written law it is provided that any chief within the
meaning of the Ordinance hereby repealed shall, by virtue
of his office as such, be, or be appointed, a member of any
council, assembly, board or other body and, immediately prior
to the date of coming into operation of this Act, any person is,
pursuant to any such provision, a member of any such council,
assembly, board or other body, the Minister responsible for local
government may, by order, declare that such person shall not,
by reason only of the repeal of the Ordinance hereby repealed,
cease to be a member of such council, assembly, board or other
body but that such person shall, for such period as is specified
in the order or until the order is revoked, remain a member of
such council, assembly, board or other body as if the Ordinance
hereby repealed was still in operation, and where such order is
made such person shall, for the period specified in the order or
until the order is revoked, but subject to the provisions of the
written law by or under which he became a member of such
council, assembly, board or other body, remain a member of
that council, assembly, board or other body.

w by or under which he became a member of such
council, assembly, board or other body, remain a member of
that council, assembly, board or other body.

Repeal and saving
R.L Cap. 331

©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.