Former Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. Mizengo Pinda, has taken part in a tree-planting exercise in Dodoma, where 1,000 trees were planted as part of an environmental conservation initiative.

The event took place on 6 February 2026 in the Ndejengwa area of Dodoma City and was organised jointly by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), the Office of the Dodoma Regional Commissioner (RC), and the environmental organisation Habari Conservation.

Hon. Pinda commended the organisers for their collaboration and called for the initiative to be expanded into a broader tree-planting programme, with a particular focus on engaging the youth. He said such efforts could enable youth groups to organise formally and access tree-planting contracts through the government’s National e-Procurement System of Tanzania (NeST).

Speaking at the event, Hon. Pinda urged authorities to involve the youth at community level and to ensure consistent monitoring of progress. He said environmental conservation should be treated as a continuous responsibility rather than being limited to ceremonial occasions.

The former prime minister also said he was willing to serve as a champion for a youth-focused tree-planting programme to be implemented by PPRA in collaboration with the Office of the Regional Commissioner and other stakeholders.

Dodoma Regional Commissioner, Hon. Rosemary Senyamule, said the tree-planting exercise aligned with the long-term environmental agenda of the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania. She noted that the initiative was first introduced in 2017 by President Samia Suluhu Hassan during her tenure as Vice President.

Hon. Senyamule described tree planting in the region as an ongoing effort and commended PPRA for awarding a one-year maintenance contract to a youth group responsible for caring for the newly planted trees. She added that Habari Conservation had been involved in tree-planting activities for many years and that PPRA’s engagement had strengthened the sustainability of the initiative.

PPRA Director General, Mr Dennis Simba, said the authority had prioritised environmental protection in line with the vision of the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan. He cited the adoption of the NeST system, which has significantly reduced paper use in public procurement.

Mr Simba said a study conducted last year showed that the digital procurement system had saved more than 600 million metric tonnes of paper, reduced road travel associated with tender submissions and lowered ink consumption.

He added that, following guidance from the Office of the Vice President, the NeST system had been registered under the National Carbon Trading Project, potentially enabling financial returns linked to environmental conservation efforts.

Mr Simba also said the youth tasked with maintaining the trees had been formally organised and registered through the NeST system. He encouraged the youth across the country to take advantage of the 30 per cent quota of public procurement opportunities reserved for special groups, including youth, women, older people and persons with disabilities.

"By supporting this project, and in promoting participation in public procurement through special groups, we will ensure that there are more than three special groups that will manage and take care of these trees. So that it does not become a one-day exercise, when we invite you at other times, you will find a forest here," said Mr. Simba.