Treasury registrar urges strong governance to improve performance of state firms
The Director of Administration and Human Resources at the Office of the Treasury Registrar (OTR), Chacha Marigiri, presented a paper titled “Governance in Public Investment Entities vis-à-vis the Functions and Powers of the Treasury Registrar” during a forum for chairpersons and chief executive officers held in Zanzibar on May 24, 2026 at the Golden Tulip Hotel.
Josephine Christopher is a senior business journalist for The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers
Mwananchi Communications Limitted
Dar es Salaam. The Office of the Treasury Registrar (OTR) has emphasised that the future performance of public institutions and state-owned enterprises hinges largely on strong governance systems, accountability and results-oriented leadership.
The remarks were made by the OTR Director of Administration and Human Resources, Mr Chacha Marigiri, on May 24, 2026, while presenting a paper titled “Governance in Public Investment Entities vis-à-vis the Functions and Powers of the Treasury Registrar” at a forum for chairpersons and chief executive officers held in Zanzibar.
Mr Marigiri noted that sustainable development cannot be achieved through investment alone, but requires robust management systems that safeguard public resources and ensure they are deployed productively for national development.
He said public entities remain central to driving economic growth, delivering essential services and advancing the national development agenda, and must therefore be managed under high standards of transparency, efficiency and accountability.
He further noted that government investments in public institutions, including entities in which the State holds minority shares, have reached 92.3 trillion shillings, underscoring the need to strengthen governance and investment management frameworks.
The investments span 308 public investment entities, covering commercial and non-commercial institutions, companies with minority government shareholding, as well as domestic and foreign investments.
Mr Marigiri said the role of the OTR goes beyond routine oversight, focusing on ensuring that institutions operate with financial discipline, efficiency and full alignment with national priorities.
He outlined the core functions of the OTR as monitoring performance, tracking government dividends and returns, advising on board appointments and evaluations, conducting performance assessments and guiding investment decisions.
He urged board chairpersons and chief executives to reinforce governance systems through the use of technology, strengthened risk management, ethical leadership and data-driven decision-making.
Citing international experience from countries such as Singapore, Norway, China and Malaysia, Mr Marigiri said the success of public investment depends more on the quality of governance than the scale of capital injected.
“No nation succeeds merely by owning public institutions. Success depends on how those institutions are managed with professionalism, accountability and long-term vision,” he said.
Mr Marigiri added that the OTR has developed a Long-Term Perspective Plan (2025/26–2049/50) aimed at positioning the office as a catalyst for economic growth through strategic public investments in transport, energy, finance, agriculture, industry, tourism and mining.
He said sustained success will depend on stronger collaboration between boards, chief executives, government and oversight bodies in building competitive institutions capable of delivering measurable results.
