Diaspora Special Status: A bridge, not a privilege

DAR ES SALAAM: AS Tanzania pursues the aspirations of Development Vision 2050, a question is gaining weight in policy circles: how can the country fully harness the knowledge, capital and connections of citizens and people of Tanzanian origin living abroad?

For Dr Joseph Masika OAM, a medical doctor, public health professional and Ambassador for Peace, the answer lies in turning the Government’s recognition of the diaspora into practical, enforceable rights.

Dr Masika notes that thousands of Tanzanians have gone abroad over the decades in search of education, employment and security for their families.

Many have built distinguished careers in medicine, engineering, education, business, technology and research. Some took up citizenship in their countries of residence.

They did so, he says, not because they abandoned Tanzania, but because citizenship brought professional mobility and stability for their children.

Yet Tanzania generally does not permit dual citizenship for adults, so those who voluntarily acquire another nationality may lose their Tanzanian citizenship under existing law.

“Living abroad should not mean leaving Tanzania behind,” he says, arguing that nationality is expressed not only through a passport but also through heritage, language, family ties, service and commitment to national development.

Policy conversation under President Samia

Dr Masika commends President Samia Suluhu Hassan for advancing diaspora engagement. He points to the revised Foreign Policy, which recognises diaspora participation as an instrument of economic and social development, and to the Government’s consideration of Special Status for Tanzanians who have acquired foreign citizenship. The initiative, he says, offers a chance to address a longstanding concern “through constructive dialogue rather than political confrontation”. He urges the Government to finalise and implement Special Status as soon as reasonably practicable, describing it as a potential legacy of inclusive leadership.

Economic weight of the diaspora

The economic case rests largely on remittances, which are increasingly seen as a driver of development and not merely private transfers between relatives. The Bank of Tanzania’s cross-border remittance diagnostic study puts formal inflows at about US$747 million in 2023, with the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada among the main sources. World Bank data show personal remittance receipts reaching about US$1.12 billion in 2024, equivalent to 1.42 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The Government reported that remittances in July– December 2024 reached about 2.12tri/-. Diaspora investment in UTT-AMIS collective investment schemes reportedly rose from 6.4bn/- in 2023 to 7.5bn/- in 2024. The money pays for school fees, medical treatment, housing, small businesses and community projects, while contributing foreign exchange and supporting investment. Dr Masika stresses, however, that remittances capture only part of the diaspora’s value. Tanzanians abroad also facilitate trade, introduce investors, promote tourism, transfer technology and build links between foreign institutions and their counterparts at home.

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A census to count the diaspora

Reliable data remain elusive. In a 2023 parliamentary response, the Government estimated the diaspora at about 1.5 million people. Dr Masika calls for a comprehensive, voluntary and confidential diaspora census to help policymakers understand migrants’ qualifications, investment interests and citizenship circumstances.

Tanzania among a shrinking few

Comparative research suggests Tanzania is increasingly an exception on the continent. Of Africa’s 54 countries, 51 (94.4 per cent) permitted dual citizenship fully or under specified conditions in a 2023 comparative dataset. Only three, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Eritrea, maintained comprehensive restrictions on adults. In the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a 2020 study found that 13 of 16 member states (81.25 per cent) allowed adult dual citizenship in at least some circumstances. Kenya’s constitution recognises dual citizenship, and the country received about US$4.9 billion in remittances in 2024, according to Central Bank of Kenya data. Rwanda also permits dual nationality and has actively courted its diaspora in national development. Dr Masika cautions against overstating the link. Remittances, he says, depend on migration patterns, incomes, financial systems and investment conditions. The lesson, in his view, is that progressive citizenship arrangements combined with sound economic policy can strengthen ties between a nation and its diaspora, without compromising sovereignty or security.

A phased approach

He proposes a carefully sequenced path. The first step would be to implement Special Status through the proposed Diaspora Tanzanite Card or a comparable legal instrument, giving eligible people of Tanzanian origin defined rights to long-term residence, entry, employment, investment, business ownership and appropriate access to property, subject to national laws. Special Status, he stresses, should not automatically confer voting rights, eligibility for political office or a Tanzanian passport, a distinction meant to address concerns over sovereignty, national security and constitutional obligations. He acknowledges that the proposed amendments on the Diaspora Tanzanite Card and associated land rights were withdrawn for further scrutiny in January 2025, and that the framework therefore cannot yet be treated as law. He urges the Government to publish a clear implementation timetable, consult diaspora communities and Parliament, and introduce a legally sound framework without unnecessary delay. The second phase, in 2030, would see an independent and inclusive national review of dual citizenship, examining constitutional implications, security, reciprocal obligations and the experience of other African countries.

From recognition to opportunity

Dr Masika argues that Special Status must be more than a symbolic identity card and should sit within a wider diaspora economic strategy. His suggestions include:

• Diaspora investment bonds and dedicated banking products

• Simplified investment registration and transparent property procedures

• Exchange programmes linking Tanzanian doctors, scientists, engineers and academics abroad with universities, hospitals and local governments at home

• A national diaspora investment platform spanning agriculture, renewable energy, manufacturing, tourism, technology, healthcare and education

• Lower remittance costs and stronger confidence in financial and regulatory institutions “Our ambition should extend beyond receiving remittances,” he says, calling instead for diaspora participation in creating jobs, building industries and transferring expertise. He emphasises that the proposal does not favour Tanzanians abroad over those at home.

He urges parliamentarians, legal experts, business leaders, diaspora representatives and government institutions to work together in a spirit of national unity. Special Status, he says, should be seen “as a bridge, not a privilege; an opportunity, not a threat”.

Heritage that endures Looking towards 2050, Dr Masika envisions a confident, outward-looking Tanzania connected to the global economy, in which a doctor in Australia, an engineer in Canada, a teacher in Britain or an entrepreneur in the United States can remain deeply committed to the motherland.

“A passport may change, but heritage, belonging and love for one’s country do not disappear,” he says. “Our diaspora is not a population we have lost. It is a global community we have yet to fully embrace.”

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