Tanzania’s Increasing Aversion to Foreigners

Tanzania’s recent economic growth was driven partly by a surge in foreign investment that made it the top investment destination in East Africa. While this flow of capital has provided much-needed infrastructure development for the country, it also has resulted in an influx of foreign workers, especially from China. As a result, local Tanzanians have grown increasingly resentful of outsiders, especially in the job market. Rising dissatisfaction prompted the Tanzanian Parliament to pass a controversial new bill that will curb foreign employment. The Non-Citizens Employment Regulation Bill requires firms that employ foreign workers to develop “succession plans” for locals to eventually take up those positions. It also restructures Tanzania’s immigration system by giving only the Ministry of Labor the ability to issue work permits, allowing the department to restrict the industries that foreigners can work in. As a result, all non-citizens will be unable to work without approval from the central government.

Proponents of the bill argue that the law will bring employment back to capable Tanzanians. However, critics point out that the bill goes against the idea of greater economic integration in the East African Community, which is built on the principle of free movement of people. Another important issue is whether local Tanzanians are qualified enough to take up jobs currently held by foreigners. Regardless of how effective the bill will be, it highlights the increasing aversion to the presence of foreigners, especially Chinese, in the country.

China has emerged as the biggest foreign player in Tanzania, becoming the country’s largest trading partner in 2012. The partnership between the two nations has resulted in the creation of 150,000 jobs and major infrastructure such as roads, railways and ports. A major project contracted to a Chinese firm will result in the development of a new port northwest of Dar es Salaam that is set to become the largest port in Africa.

Despite these economic gains, there has been increasing skepticism over the impact of an increased Chinese presence. Several cases of contractors undercutting each other have been cited, resulting in cheap and low-quality infrastructure projects. Multiple incidents of Chinese smuggling out ivory from illegal poaching have prompted even greater security vigilance. This frustration has also carried over to the job market, where locals fear that Chinese workers are taking over their jobs.

This is not the first time that Tanzania has implemented anti-foreigner policies. In 2013 a highly criticized repatriation campaign resulted in the forced deportation of 7,000 illegal immigrants. Many were refugees and had spent nearly their entire lives in the country. Some reports detailed that the operation resulted in the destruction of homes and the separation of families.

Ironically enough, Tanzania’s earliest policies were strongly pro-immigration. Julius Neyere, the country’s first leader, responded to the high influx of Rwandan refugees by granting citizenship to everyone physically in the country upon independence. His belief that Africans in Africa should not be treated as refugees led to the nationalization of many immigrants.

Even though the bill has largely been rooted in a backlash against Chinese, the recent bill will not exclusively affect the Chinese population. There are even greater numbers of Zambians and Kenyans that are in the country for work. As a result, it could strain relations among Tanzania and its neighbours.

Given that a large amount of Tanzania’s growth has been derived out of foreign investment in its extractive sectors, there is the possibility that the law, which comes into effect in July, could scare off investors. Only time will tell whether this nationalism-driven bill will have the effects that lawmakers intend.