PM Calls for PCCB Involvement in Budget Process to Plug Corruption Loopholes

By Shua Ndereka, OKULY BLOG - Morogoro


Prime Minister Dr Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba has directed the President’s Office – Public Service Management and Good Governance to ensure the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) is fully involved in the national budget preparation process, in a move aimed at sealing loopholes prone to corruption.

Speaking on behalf of President Samia Suluhu Hassan during the opening of the Annual General Meeting of PCCB Leaders, held on January 26, 2026 at the Cate Convention Centre in Morogoro Municipality, Dr Nchemba said the involvement of PCCB was critical in preventing misuse of public funds, particularly in sensitive and high-risk areas.

He said plugging corruption loopholes would stop a few individuals from unfairly benefiting from public resources, allowing all Tanzanians to equally benefit from the national cake.

The Prime Minister noted that corruption creates inequality in the public service, where some officials benefit unethically while others struggle to make ends meet despite performing their duties with integrity.

“There are public servants who are not involved in any corrupt dealings yet struggle to survive until the end of the month, while others grow rapidly through unethical means. These are issues we should not shy away from addressing,” said Dr Nchemba.

He urged PCCB to take swift action in sealing corruption loopholes, particularly against officials who illegally accumulate wealth, in order to improve the delivery of social services such as availability of medicines in hospitals, road infrastructure development and access to higher education loans for students from disadvantaged families.

Dr Nchemba further stressed that corruption undermines human dignity and weakens the provision of public services. He called on government institutions to strengthen oversight in public procurement, project implementation and contract management, noting that more than 75 per cent of the government budget is spent in these areas.

The Prime Minister also assured PCCB of the government’s readiness to introduce legal and administrative reforms should any challenges affecting the Bureau’s operations be identified, urging PCCB leaders to submit their proposals without hesitation.

In another development, Dr Nchemba commended PCCB for recovering more than 60.2bn/-, which has been returned to the government and used to improve social services including procurement of medicines, expansion of rural electrification, access to clean and safe water, as well as supporting fee-free education and higher education loans.

Earlier, PCCB Director General Mr Crispin Chalamila, presenting the Bureau’s performance report for the period between July and December 2025, said PCCB monitored 619 development projects worth 553.45bn/-, successfully preventing the loss of 173.5m/- due to corruption.

He added that out of 489 cases handled in courts, the prosecution secured a 68.8 per cent conviction rate in concluded cases.

“We are optimistic that the conviction rate will further improve by June 2026,” said Mr Chalamila.

The 2025 PCCB Annual General Meeting has brought together 234 leaders from the Bureau’s headquarters, regions, districts and special units across the country, and is expected to conclude on January 29, 2026.