The Regions and Districts (Establishment Procedure) Act

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CHAPTER 397
THE REGIONS AND DISTRICTS
(ESTABLISHMENT PROCEDURE) ACT
[PRINCIPAL LEGISLATION]
Arrangement of Sections
Section Title
1. Short title.
2. Application.
3. Applicable procedure in establishment of regions, districts, etc..
4. Notice of intention to establish regions, districts, etc..
5. Notice of intention to establish region, district, etc., to be published.
6. Regions, districts, etc, to be established by proclamation.
7. Proclamation to be laid before National Assembly.
8. Existing regions and districts to continue.

districts, etc, to be established by proclamation.
7. Proclamation to be laid before National Assembly.
8. Existing regions and districts to continue.

©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.388
1. This Act may be cited as the Regions and Districts
(Establishment Procedure) Act. 2. This Act shall apply to Tanzania Zanzibar as well as to
Mainland Tanzania. 3. The procedure laid down in this Act shall apply in all cases
where the President-
(a) on his own volition; or
(b) upon the recommendation of-
(i) the President of Zanzibar, in relation to areas in
Tanzania Zanzibar;
(ii) the Prime Minister, in relation to areas in Tanzania
Mainland; and
(iii) any district or regional authority through the
Prime Minister, in relation to Mainland Tanzania
and the President of Zanzibar, in relation to
Zanzibar,
intends to divide any area of the United Republic into a region
or a district or to vary their boundaries. 4.–(1) The President shall give or cause to be given a notice of
intention to divide any area into a region or a district or to vary
the boundaries of regions or districts. Short title
Application
Applicable
procedure in
establishment of
regions, districts,
etc. Notice of
intention to
establish regions,
districts, etc.

s. Short title
Application
Applicable
procedure in
establishment of
regions, districts,
etc. Notice of
intention to
establish regions,
districts, etc.

CHAPTER 397
THE REGIONS AND DISTRICTS
(ESTABLISHMENT PROCEDURE) ACT
An Act to provide for the procedure to divide the United Republic into
administrative Regions and Districts and for connected purposes. [5th August, 1994]
[DPG]
Act No. 12 of 1994

cedure to divide the United Republic into
administrative Regions and Districts and for connected purposes. [5th August, 1994]
[DPG]
Act No. 12 of 1994

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THE REGIONS AND DISTRICTS (ESTABLISHMENT PROCEDURE) ACT [CAP. 397 R.E. 2023]
(2) The notice given under subsection (1) of this section shall
indicate the general direction of the boundaries, reasons for the
proposed division or variation and such other matters as the
President may deem necessary and shall call upon all interested
or affected authorities and persons to lodge with him in writing
any objections or other representations in such manner and
within such period as may be prescribed in the notice. (3) Where any objection or other representation has been
lodged pursuant to subsection (2) of this section, the President
shall cause to be delivered to the authority or persons lodging
the objection or representation an acknowledgement of receipt
of the objection or representation. 5. A notice of intention given under section 4 of this Act shall be
published in the Gazette, and in at least one national newspaper
and if available, in one newspaper circulating in the area to be
affected by the proposed division or variation of boundary.

st one national newspaper
and if available, in one newspaper circulating in the area to be
affected by the proposed division or variation of boundary.

6.–(1) Where the President upon the expiration of a notice given
under section 4 to which no objection or other representation
has been lodged, has considered any objections or other
representations made, he may, by proclamation published in
the Gazette, establish the proposed region or district or vary
the boundaries of such region or district. (2) The proclamation made under subsection (1) shall set
out the name and the boundaries of the region or district so
established or the particulars of the boundaries of the region
or district so varied. 7. As soon as possible after a proclamation has been made under
section 6 the President shall cause a copy of the proclamation
together with a copy of the notice given under section 4 of this
Act to be laid before the National Assembly. 8.

hall cause a copy of the proclamation
together with a copy of the notice given under section 4 of this
Act to be laid before the National Assembly. 8.

Notwithstanding the provisions of any law to the contrary,
every proclamation of a pegion or pistrict made under Article
2(2) of the Constitution of the United Republic prior to this
Notice of
intention to
establish region,
district, etc., to be
published
Regions,
districts, etc, to
be established by
proclamation
Proclamation
to be laid
before National
Assembly
Existing regions
and districts to
continue
Cap. 2

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THE REGIONS AND DISTRICTS (ESTABLISHMENT PROCEDURE) ACT [CAP. 397 R.E. 2023]
Act, shall with effect from the date of coming into operation
of this Act, be deemed to be a proclamation of regions and
districts made under this Act, and shall continue in force until
it is amended, revoked or replaced by a proclamation made in
accordance with this Act.