Date of publication:

01/08/2026

United Republic of Tanzania (the)

Do domestic laws and policies provide forcibly displaced and stateless persons the right to freely choose their place of residence?

ANALYSIS

Assessment by population

Refugees
Asylum-seekers
Analysis

While the Refugee such instruments affirm Tanzania’s commitment to offering asylum and protection to refugees in line with international obligations, they also introduce certain legal and policy limitations on refugee rights, particularly with regard to freedom of movement. Unlike Tanzanian citizens, refugees in Tanzania do not enjoy the right to freely choose their place of residence. The Refugees Act of 1998 and the National Refugee Policy of 2003 require refugees to reside in designated areas, typically refugee camps such as Nyarugusu, Mtendeli, or Nduta in the Kigoma Region. These camps are managed by the government in cooperation with UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies.

The legal requirement to reside in these areas significantly restricts refugees' freedom of movement and residence, which is otherwise recognized as a fundamental right under international human rights law, including Article 26 of the 1951 Refugee Convention (to which Tanzania is a party). Refugees may only leave these designated areas with express permission—usually in the form of a movement permit—granted by the Ministry of Home Affairs or other authorized bodies. Unauthorized movement outside of the camps can lead to arrest, detention, or even repatriation, depending on the circumstances.

This encampment policy, while designed to maintain security and facilitate service delivery, effectively limits refugees’ access to livelihoods, education, healthcare, and integration opportunities available outside the camps. It also reinforces a dependency model of humanitarian aid and poses serious implications for the realization of rights related to work, education, housing, and family life.

    LAW & POLICY

    Related provisions of domestic law or policy

    The Refugee Act

    Legal provision

    Section 16 - Designated Area

    The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, declare any area or place in Tanzania to be a designated area for the purposes of accommodating asylum seekers or refugees.

    Section 17.1 - Requirement to Reside in a Designated Area

    The competent authority in consultation with the Minister or the Director may by order, require any asylum seeker or refugee or group or category of refugees to whom this section applies who is within his area to reside within a designated area whether or not such area is within the jurisdiction of competent authority.

    Section 18.4 - Control of designated area

    The Director or a settlement officer may inquire into any disciplinary offence and if he finds that an asylum seeker or a refugee has been guilty of such disciplinary offence may punish him by- (a)ordering his confinement in a settlement or camp lock-up for a period not exceeding three days; or (b)fining him a sum not exceeding five thousands shillings.

    Section 17.3 - Requirement to reside in a designated area

    Any asylum seeker or refugee to whom an order made under this section applies who- (a)fails to comply with such order; or (b)fails to move to or take up resident in a designated area in accordance with such order within reasonable time; or (c)having arrived at a designated area, in pursuance of such order, leaves or attempts to leave such area, except in pursuance of some other order or permit made under this section, shall be guilty of an offence against this Act.

    Section 17.5 - Requirement to reside in a designated area

    (a)No asylum seeker or refugee shall be allowed to leave a designated area as directed under this section unless he has sought and obtained a permit from Director or Settlement Officer as the case may be, and, subject to such terms and conditions as the Director or a Settlement Officer may prescribe in the permit. (b)No asylum seeker or refugee may be allowed to be out of a designated area for more than fourteen days unless the Director has allowed in the permit a longer period upon which an asylum seeker or a refugee may stay outside the designated area.

    Section 17.6 - Requirement to reside in a designated area

    Any asylum seeker or refugee to whom a permit or travel document has been issued under this section who fails to comply with the terms and conditions thereof shall be guilty of an offence against this Act.

    Section 17.2.Requirement to reside in a designated area

    The competent authority in consultation with the Minister, or the Director may require any asylum seeker or refugee or group or category of refugees to whom this section applies who is within a designated area within such competent authority's area to move to or reside in any other designated area whether within such competent authority's area or not.