3. In this Act, unless the context requires otherwise- “active service” means the actual service given by a person or category of persons, whether direct or indirect, when that person or category of persons is under the temporary or permanent employment of the Service and which service is given in the course of performing the duties of or similar to those of an intelligence officer; “classified information” means information of particular security classification or of a sensitive nature and value that its unauthorised publication or disclosure thereof would lead to a security risk being posed to the State and would prejudice national security; 691 ©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG. THE TANZANIA INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY SERVICE ACT [CAP. 406 R.E. 2023] Cap. 61 “Council” means the National Security Council established under section 4 of the National Security Council Act; “counter-intelligence” means information gathered and activities conducted to impede or neutralise the intentions and activities of foreign powers, counter subversion, sabotage, espionage or any hostile activity aimed at or against the people, institutions, installations, processes or resources of the United Republic; “Deputy Director General” means an officer of the Service appointed as the Deputy Director General of the Service under section 8; “desert” means willful and unjustified abandonment of the officer’s duties and obligations without permission of the Service with intention of not returning to the Service either permanently or temporarily; “Director General” means the Director General of the Service appointed under section 7; “employee” in relation to the Service, means a person employed as an employee of the Service, and includes a person employed before the enactment of this Act; Cap. 47 “espionage” means an offence as defined by the National Security Act; “foreign state” means any state other than United Republic; “immediate family” means the spouse and children of the VVIPs described under section 5(1)(e); “intelligence” means information which has been collated, evaluated and analysed and which is relevant to a government’s formulation or implementation of policy in relation to any internal or external threat or potential threat to national security as well as opportunities relevant to the protection and promotion of national security and national interests; “intercept” in relation to any communication not otherwise lawfully obtainable by the person making the interception, includes hear, listen to, record, monitor, or acquire the 692 ©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG. THE TANZANIA INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY SERVICE ACT [CAP. 406 R.E. 2023] communication, or acquire its substance, meaning or purport, and “interception” has a corresponding meaning; “Minister” means the Minister responsible for Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service in terms of section 6; “necessary service” includes: (a) any service relating to installation, transmission, supply or distribution of electricity or telecommunication; (b) any fire service; (c) any sewerage, rubbish disposal or other sanitation service; (d) any health, hospital or ambulance service; (e) any service relating to the supply or distribution of water, gas or petroleum; or (f) any road, railway, bridge, underground tunnel, car park, ferry, pontoon, pipeline for the supply of water or fuel, airfield, harbour or dock; “officer of the Service” means a person employed by the Service whether on temporary or permanent terms and includes the Directors; “place” includes any conveyance; “premises” means any place or location, and includes land, building, building works, instrument, equipment or means of transport; Cap. 47 “sabotage” means an offence under the National Security Act; “security” means the protection of the United Republic from any acts including acts of terrorism, espionage, sabotage and subversion, whether or not it is directed from or intended to be committed within the United Republic; “security assessment” means an appraisal of the loyalty to United Republic and, so far as it relates thereto, the reliability of an individual; “security clearance” means an authorisation entitling a person to have access to classified information of a determined sensitivity or classification; 693 ©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG. THE TANZANIA INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY SERVICE ACT [CAP. 406 R.E. 2023] “security intelligence” means information other than counter intelligence which relates to or may be relevant to the assessment of any internal or external threat or potential threat to national security and includes measures and strategies aimed at impeding or neutralising such threat or potential threat; “security vetting” means a systematic procedure used to examine and appraise a person to determine his or her suitability, loyalty and eligibility based on security the and competencies continued monitoring of that person; considerations, including “sensitive information” includes any information- (a) which is likely to disclose the identification of, or provide details of, sources of information, other assistance or operational methods available to the Service; (b) which relates to particular operations which have been, are being or are proposed to be undertaken by the Service in pursuance of any of its functions; or (c) which has been provided by the Service of a foreign government where that Service or government does not consent to the disclosure of the information; “the service” means the Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service established under section 4; “subversion” means encouraging- (a) the overthrow by unlawful means of the Government of the United Republic or of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar; (b) the undermining by unlawful means of the authority of the State in the United Republic; “terrorism” has the meaning ascribed to it under the Cap. 19 Prevention of Terrorism Act; “threats to the security of the United Republic” means- (a) espionage, sabotage or other activities which are against the United Republic or are detrimental to the integrity, sovereignty or other interests of the United 694 ©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG. THE TANZANIA INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY SERVICE ACT [CAP. 406 R.E. 2023] Republic or are activities directed toward or in support of espionage or sabotage; (b) foreign influenced activities within or relating to the United Republic that are detrimental to the interests of the United Republic or are clandestine or deceptive or involve a threat to any person; (c) activities within or relating to the United Republic directed toward or in support of the threat or use of acts of serious violence against persons or property for the purpose of achieving a political objective within the United Republic or a foreign state; and (d) activities directed toward undermining by covert unlawful acts, or directed toward or intended ultimately to lead to the destruction or overthrow by violence of the constitutionally established system of Government in the United Republic, but does not include lawful advocacy, protest or dissent, unless carried on in conjunction with any of the activities referred to in paragraphs (a) to (d). “vettable post” means a post in any Government ministry, department, agency, a state office or public office or position in either level of the Government requiring the holder of position to have, in the performance of his or her official duties, access to sensitive or classified information or any other position as may be required under any other written law; “vital installation” means establishment or necessary service, which if damaged or sabotaged, affects the economy, safety and security of the United Republic; “VVIP” means a very, very important person with very high position in the Government as prescribed under section 5(1)(e); 695 ©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG. THE TANZANIA INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY SERVICE ACT [CAP. 406 R.E. 2023] Establishment of TISS Act No. 2 of 2023 s. 4 Functions of TISS Acts Nos. 8 of 2010 s. 18 2 of 2023 s. 5 PART II THE TANZANIA INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY SERVICE