One day after the seizure of a consignment of smuggled cooking oil that had been brought into the city of Dar es Salaam from the Zanzibar Islands through Kunduchi Port without following customs procedures, the Commissioner General of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Mr. Yusuph Juma Mwenda, met and held discussions with cooking oil traders and owners of cooking oil factories in Zanzibar.

Speaking at the meeting held at the TRA Zanzibar offices on December 17, 2025, Commissioner General Mwenda said there has been a surge in the smuggling of cooking oil, which has been undermining fair market competition, endangering consumers’ health, and threatening the sustainability of local industries.

He said the Government’s objective is to protect the health of Tanzanians, safeguard local industries, and ensure fair competition in the market—conditions that will enable everyone to conduct their businesses freely, make profits, and pay taxes voluntarily.

He added that TRA is looking into the best ways to create a conducive environment for cooking oil traders and factory owners so that their contribution to the national economy can be realized.

“Our top leaders, including H.E. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan and the President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, H.E. Dr. Ali Hassan Mwinyi, highly value the businesses you are engaged in, and their desire is to see you operate in a favorable business environment and contribute to the national economy,” said Mr. Mwenda.

Commissioner General Mwenda formed a joint committee comprising experts from TRA, cooking oil traders, and factory owners, who will sit together to discuss the best ways to facilitate the operation of the cooking oil business in the country.

On their part, some of the traders who attended the meeting, including Mr. Hassan Said Ngozi and Abdurahman Alimohamed, thanked Commissioner General Mwenda for establishing the committee, which will come up with solutions for the cooking oil business and eliminate the smuggling of cooking oil an effort that will also increase government revenue.