The Wattle Bark Industry Act

©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.605
CHAPTER 158
THE WATTLE BARK INDUSTRY ACT
[PRINCIPAL LEGISLATION]
Arrangement of Sections
Section Title
1. Short title.
2. Interpretation.
3. Declaration of wattle bark industry development areas.
4. Control over processing.
5. Licences to operate existing factories.
6. Licences to establish factories.
7. Renewal of licences.
8. Duration of licences.
9. Revocation of licences.
10. Licences not transferable without consent.
11. Appeals.
12. Power of Director to inspect factories.
13. Offences and penalties.
14. Power to make rules.
15. Saving.

ransferable without consent.
11. Appeals.
12. Power of Director to inspect factories.
13. Offences and penalties.
14. Power to make rules.
15. Saving.

©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.606
CHAPTER 158
THE WATTLE BARK INDUSTRY ACT
An Act to provide the improvement and development of the wattle bark
industry. [20th February, 1959]
[GN No. 69 of 1959]
Ord. No. 38 of 1957
[R.L. Cap. 392]
1. This Act may be cited as the Wattle Bark Industry Act. 2. In this Act unless the context otherwise requires-
“Director” means the Director of Agriculture;
“factory” means any premises for the processing of wattle
bark either wholly or partially by mechanical means;
“Minister” means the Minister responsible for natural
resources;
“processing” means the chopping, grinding and compressing
of dry wattle bark, or the aqueous extraction of tannin
and other matter from wattle bark, but does not include
the drying of wattle bark;
“wattle bark” means the bark of trees of the species of Acacia
mollissima, Acacia decurrens or Acacia pycnantha;
“wattle bark industry development area” means any part
of the country declared to be a wattle bark industry
development area by the Minister under the provisions
of section 3. 3.

pment area” means any part
of the country declared to be a wattle bark industry
development area by the Minister under the provisions
of section 3. 3.

The Minister may, by notice in the Gazette, declare any part
of the country to be a wattle bark industry development area. Short title
Interpretation
Declaration
of wattle
bark industry
development
areas

ny part
of the country to be a wattle bark industry development area. Short title
Interpretation
Declaration
of wattle
bark industry
development
areas

©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.607
THE WATTLE BARK INDUSTRY ACT [CAP. 158 R.E. 2023]
4. The wattle bark shall not be processed in any way in any
factory within a wattle bark industry development area unless
that factory is licensed under the provisions of this Act:
Provided that, where any factory exists within a wattle
bark industry development area at the date when that area is
so declared, nothing herein contained shall render unlawful
the processing of wattle bark in that factory during the three
months following the declaration of that area. 5.–(1) Where any factory exists within a wattle bark industry
development area at the date when that area is so declared the
owner thereof shall within three months of that date apply in
the prescribed manner to the Director for a licence under this
Act. (2) On receipt of an application under this section, the
Director shall grant a licence to the applicant subject, however,
to such conditions, if any, as he may think fit to impose.

n under this section, the
Director shall grant a licence to the applicant subject, however,
to such conditions, if any, as he may think fit to impose.

(3) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing
provision, the conditions subject to which a licence may be
granted may include a condition that the holder shall process
the bark of such species of trees only as may be specified in the
licence. 6.–(1) A person desirous of establishing a factory within wattle
bark industry development area shall apply in the prescribed
manner to the Director of a licence under this Act. (2) On the receipt of an application for a licence to establish
a factory within a wattle bark industry development area,
the Director shall, as soon as practicable, give notice of such
application to the holders of all subsisting licences in respect
of factories within that area and shall defer deciding the
application for such period, not being less than twenty-one
days, as may be specified in the notice. (3) A notice given under this section shall contain the
name and postal address of the applicant, the place where he
proposes to establish a factory and the species of trees the bark
of which he proposed to process. Control over
processing
Licences to
operate existing
factories
Licences to
establish factories

cies of trees the bark
of which he proposed to process. Control over
processing
Licences to
operate existing
factories
Licences to
establish factories

©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.THE WATTLE BARK INDUSTRY ACT [CAP. 158 R.E. 2023]
608
(4) A person to whom notice is given under this section
may give the Director notice in writing that he objects to the
grant of a licence and shall in such notice set out the grounds
of his objection. (5) A copy of every such notice of objection shall be sent by
registered post by the Director to the applicant. (6) The Director shall consider all, if any, notices of objection
given to him under this section and shall, if so required by the
objector or the applicant, give to the objector and the applicant
an opportunity of being heard and may thereafter-
(a) grant a licence, subject to such conditions, if any, as he
may think fit to impose; or
(b) refuse to grant a licence.

ng heard and may thereafter-
(a) grant a licence, subject to such conditions, if any, as he
may think fit to impose; or
(b) refuse to grant a licence.

(7) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing
provision, the conditions subject to which a licence may be
granted may include-
(a) a condition that the holder shall erect a factory of such
capacity at such place and within such time as may be
specified in the licence; and
(b) a condition that the holder shall process the bark of
such species of trees only as may be specified in the
licence. (8) In deciding whether to grant or refuse a licence, the
Director shall take into consideration-
(a) the interests of producers of wattle bark in the area;
(b) the number and capacity of the factories for which
licences have already been granted either within or
without the wattle bark industry development area;
(c) the financial resources of the applicant;
(d) whether within the period of five years immediately
preceding the application, the applicant has been
convicted of an offence against this Act or the Business
Licensing Act; and
(e) whether a previous licence held by the applicant has
been revoked under the provisions of this Act. Cap. 101

ct or the Business
Licensing Act; and
(e) whether a previous licence held by the applicant has
been revoked under the provisions of this Act. Cap. 101

©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.609
THE WATTLE BARK INDUSTRY ACT [CAP. 158 R.E. 2023]
7.–(1) The holder of a licence granted under this Act may,
at anytime before the expiration of such licence, apply to the
Director for a renewal of the licence. (2) On receipt of an application under subsection (1), the
Director may renew the licence upon such conditions as he
may think fit, either additional to or in substitution for those
contained in the licence or any previous renewal thereof. (3) The Director may refuse to renew a licence if-
(a) the applicant has failed, after notice, to comply with
the conditions contained in the licence or any previous
renewal thereof; or
(b) the applicant has, within the period of five years
immediately preceding the application for renewal,
been convicted of an offence under this Act or the
Business Licensing Act. 8. Licences granted under this Act shall, subject to the
provisions of section 9, be valid for a period of five years from
the date of the grant and renewals granted shall be for the like
period. 9.

t to the
provisions of section 9, be valid for a period of five years from
the date of the grant and renewals granted shall be for the like
period. 9.

The Director may revoke a licence granted under this Act
where-
(a) the holder fails to comply with any of the conditions
contained in the licence or in any renewal thereof; or
(b) the holder is convicted of an offence under this Act or
the Business Licensing Act:
Provided that, a licence shall not be revoked for the breach
of any condition of the licence or any renewal thereof which is
capable of being remedied, unless there has been reserved on
the holder a notice requiring him to remedy such defect and
he has failed to do so within such time as may be specified in
the notice. 10.–(1) A licence granted under this Act shall not be transferred
without the previous consent in writing of the Director. Renewal of
licences
Cap. 101
Duration of
licences
Revocation of
licences
Cap. 101
Licences not
transferable
without consent

n writing of the Director. Renewal of
licences
Cap. 101
Duration of
licences
Revocation of
licences
Cap. 101
Licences not
transferable
without consent

©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.THE WATTLE BARK INDUSTRY ACT [CAP. 158 R.E. 2023]
610
(2) The Director may refuse consent to a proposed transfer
of a licence if-
(a) the holder of the licence has failed to comply with the
conditions contained in the licence or any renewal
thereof;
(b) in the opinion of the Director, the financial resources of
the proposed transferee are inadequate for the proper
operation of a factory;
(c) the proposed transferee has, within the period of
five years immediately preceding the application for
consent, been convicted of an offence under this Act or
the Business Licensing Act;
(d) the previous licence held by the proposed transferee
has been revoked under the provisions of this Act. (3) Any instrument to which the consent of the Director has
not been given which purports to transfer a licence granted
under this Act shall be void. 11.

Any instrument to which the consent of the Director has
not been given which purports to transfer a licence granted
under this Act shall be void. 11.

A person aggrieved by the refusal of the Director to grant
or renew a licence, or by the imposition of any conditions in a
licence, or by the revocation of a licence, may appeal in writing
to the Minister whose decision shall be final and not subject to
any review. 12. The Director or any person authorised by him may, at
any reasonable hour of the day, enter any factory in respect
of which application has been made for the grant of a licence
or in respect of which a licence has been granted and make
such inspection and inquiry as may be necessary for deciding
whether a licence should be granted for that factory or for
ascertaining whether the conditions contained in the licence
have been or are being complied with. 13.–(1) A person who is the owner or manager of a factory
in a wattle bark industry development area in which any bark
is processed in any way, unless the factory is licensed under
this Act, commits an offence under this Act and on conviction
Cap. 101
Appeals
Power of Director
to inspect
factories
Offences and
penalties

sed under
this Act, commits an offence under this Act and on conviction
Cap. 101
Appeals
Power of Director
to inspect
factories
Offences and
penalties

©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.611
THE WATTLE BARK INDUSTRY ACT [CAP. 158 R.E. 2023]
shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five thousand shillings
or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to
both. (2) A person who knowingly gives false information relating
to any material particular to the Director or who fails or refuses
to give information in response to any lawful inquiry or who
hinders or obstructs the Director or any person authorised by
him from exercising any power conferred by this Act, commits
an offence under this Act and on conviction shall be liable to a
fine not exceeding two thousand shillings or to imprisonment
for a term not exceeding three months or to both. 14. The Minister may make rules prescribing anything which
may be prescribed under this Act and for the better carrying
into effect of the provisions of this Act and, without prejudice
to the generality of the foregoing, such rules may provide for
the forms to be used and the fees to be paid in respect of any
matter required or permitted to be one under this Act. 15.

, such rules may provide for
the forms to be used and the fees to be paid in respect of any
matter required or permitted to be one under this Act. 15.

Nothing in this Act shall be construed as repealing any
provision of or as revoking any order, notice or rule made
under the provisions of the Produce Export Act or the Business
Licensing Act. Power to make
rules
Saving
Cap. 137
Cap. 101

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