Tanzania Issues Regulations on Beneficial Ownership

Tanzania recently issued regulations relating to the beneficial ownership information disclosure requirements which were incorporated into the Companies Act. The Companies (Beneficial Ownership) Regulations, 2021 apply to both private and public companies (including listed public companies) incorporated in Tanzania with no exemptions. In addition, the Regulations do not put in place any quantifiable thresholds which would trigger beneficial owner filings. As such, any shareholding or voting control, no matter the percentage of shares held, or voting control enjoyed, whether in a public or private company, is reportable. Furthermore, beneficial ownership reporting is not limited only to a shareholding interest or voting control.

 

Requirements to have Zambian Shareholding in Insurance Companies

This legal alert has been necessitated by the enactment of the Insurance Act, number 38 of 2021 (New Insurance Act). The New Insurance Act repeals the current insurance Act, number 27 of 1997 (Repealed Insurance Act). From the onset, it is worth noting that the New Insurance Act will only commence on a date appointed by the Minister of Finance. The Minister has not yet appointed the date on which the New Insurance Act is set to come into operation.

Cost of Doing Business Set to Rise as Parliament Enacts Finance Act, 2021

The Finance Act, 2021 (the Act), which was assented into law by the President of Kenya on 29 June 2021, makes a raft of changes to Kenya’s tax regime including the Income Tax Act, the Value Added Tax Act, the Tax Procedures Act, the Miscellaneous Fees and Levies Act and the Excise Duty Act, among others.

 

Leadership and Change: The Law Firm of the Future

Often, leaders at law firms are determined based on their success as legal practitioners. However, what makes a successful legal practitioner might not necessarily be what makes a good leader, especially in terms of change and change management.

 

Key Changes Introduced by the Finance Act, 2021

The Finance Act, 2021, which was assented into law by the President of Kenya on 29 June 2021, makes a raft of changes to Kenya’s tax regime including the Income Tax Act, the Value Added Tax Act, the Tax Procedures Act, the Miscellaneous Fees and Levies Act and the Excise Duty Act, among others. Most amendments proposed under the Finance Bill, 2021 were approved by Parliament as set out, while others amendments we approved with modifications.

 

Land of Opportunity

Data from the Tanzania Investment Centre has shown that in the past few months from March to June, the country has secured 92 major investments worth USD 2.6 billion.

 

 

Various Developments at the Lands Registries

The Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning (Lands Ministry) has been spearheading various projects for slightly over a year including: the digitisation of records, geo-referencing of land parcel boundaries, conversion of titles, and national titling amongst other institutional reforms.