By Business Insider Reporter, Dodoma
The Tanzanian Parliament today approved the Government’s Budget for the 2025/26 financial year by a resounding majority – and with no dissenting votes.
In a sitting at the National Assembly in Dodoma on 24 June 2025, 373 of the 378 members present voted in favour of the budget, representing 98.7% of those casting ballots.
Five MPs chose to abstain, and notably, there were zero votes against the proposals.
This outcome follows a lengthy debate on the measures outlined by Finance Minister Mwigulu Nchemba a week earlier, in which he pledged increased spending on infrastructure, education and health care alongside measures to stimulate private-sector growth. The Budget features a projected TSh 56.49 trillion in public expenditure, with TSh 17.49 trillion earmarked for development projects and the remainder covering recurrent costs such as salaries, allowances and debt service.
Opposition abstains rather than objects
While no MP voted “no,” several members of the main opposition party, CHADEMA, and its ally ACT-Wazalendo, deliberately refrained from voting.
By abstaining, they signaled neither outright endorsement nor rejection of what they described in earlier debates as “a missed opportunity” to address rising living costs and youth unemployment.
“Abstention allowed us to highlight specific concerns without derailing a process that must, ultimately, deliver services to the public,” commented ACT-Wazalendo MP. A A CHADEMA MP who sought anonymity remarked: “We waited to see how our proposals for greater social safety nets would be incorporated; the abstention reflects our continued engagement.”
Former speaker’s return to the floor
Among the most notable “yes” votes was former Speaker, Job Ndugai, whose presence provoked applause from the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) benches.
Mr. Ndugai, who seldom speaks in parliamentary floor, returned to vote under the new rules that permit former speakers to participate in debates and votes.
His intervention underscored CCM’s unity behind the budget.
High-profile absentees
Two high-profile MPs – Josephat Gwajima of CCM in (Kawe) and Luhaga Mpina also of CCM (Kisesa) – were conspicuous by their absence.
Both have recently courted controversy: Mr Gwajima over his outspoken criticism of government handling of security incidents and Mr Mpina for public disagreements with ministerial policies that led to his temporary suspension from committee duties.
Context and significance
This is the fifth national budget to be presented under President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration. Government officials have stressed the importance of swift passage to enable timely implementation of key programmes, including rural electrification, expansion of water and sanitation infrastructure, and the completion of major road works.
In recent years, Tanzania’s budgets have sometimes seen heated opposition and walk-outs.
Today’s near-unanimous vote marks a more conciliatory tone, reflecting cross-party recognition of the pressing needs in areas such as health care funding, education reform and debt servicing.
Finance Minister Nchemba welcomed the result.
Speaker Tulia Ackson urged the government to ensure that the budget was executed as planned by the Parliament. The budget will take effect on 1 July 2025, setting the stage for Tanzania’s next phase of socio-economic development.
