Date of publication:
01/08/2026
United Republic of Tanzania (the)
Do domestic laws and policies provide administrative or judicial remedies for forcibly displaced and stateless persons whose housing, land and property rights are denied or violated, including restitution and/or compensation for housing, land and/or prop
Assessment by population
Analysis
In Tanzania, domestic laws and policies do not explicitly provide forcibly displaced or stateless persons with effective administrative or judicial remedies in cases where property rights are denied. The legal framework—anchored primarily in the Refugees Act of 1998 and the National Refugee Policy—focuses on the control and regulation of refugee populations rather than on the protection or enforcement of their socio-economic rights, including access to land and property.
There are no specific provisions within refugee legislation or broader property laws that outline legal recourse for non-citizens, particularly those without formal legal status, to challenge property-related decisions or seek restitution. As a result, displaced individuals who experience discrimination, eviction, or denial of property access have limited avenues for redress through Tanzania’s judicial or administrative systems. Moreover, access to legal aid or representation for refugees and stateless persons in property disputes is minimal, further compounding the barriers to justice.
In practice, any remedies available tend to be informal or mediated through humanitarian actors rather than state institutions, leaving affected individuals without durable or enforceable solutions. This legal gap reflects a broader lack of integration of displaced populations into national systems that safeguard property rights and resolve related disputes.
Related provisions of domestic law or policy
Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania
- Year: 1977
- Type: Domestic law
- Rights Category: Asylum, Education, Freedom of movement, Health, Housing, land & property, Liberty & security of person, Nationality & facilitated naturalization, Social protection, Work & Workplace rights, Family life, Documentation
- Link to external source: https://www.parliament.go.tz/uploads/documents/publications/en/1475140028-The%20Constitution.pdf
Legal provision
Article 30.3 - Limitations upon and Enforcement and Preservation of Basic Rights, Freedoms and Duties
Where any person alleges that any provision of this Part of this Chapter or any law involving a basic right or duty has been, is being or is likely to be contravened in relation to him in any part of the United Republic, he may, without prejudice to any other action with respect to the same matter that is lawfully available, apply to the High Court for redress.
Basic Rights and Duties Enforcement Act
- Year: 1995
- Type: Domestic law
- Rights Category: Asylum, Education, Freedom of movement, Health, Housing, land & property, Liberty & security of person, Nationality & facilitated naturalization, Social protection, Work & Workplace rights, Family life, Documentation
- Link to external source: https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/86534/TZA86534.pdf
Legal provision
Section 4 - Right to apply to High Court for redress
Where any person alleges that any of the provisions of Articles 12 to 29 of the Constitution has been, is being or is likely to be contravened in relation to him, he may, without prejudice to any other action with respect to the same matter that is lawfully available, apply to the High Court for redress.