THE Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs, Eliakim Maswi, has urged the Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) to continue investing in modern digital systems in order to reach more Tanzanians wherever they are.

He made the call during the national celebration of the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Day in Africa, held in Dodoma on August 10, 2025.

 “Despite the significant investments already made in technology, I urge RITA to invest even further to simplify access to more services for citizens,” said Maswi.

The theme of this year’s celebration is ‘Civil Registration is the Foundation of Digital Public Infrastructure and Legal Identity Systems in Africa’.

He emphasised that the modern world is driven by technology, and Tanzania cannot afford to be left behind.

Maswi noted that RITA’s digital registration of vital events offers great benefits, including the ability to integrate with other national systems such as the National Identification Authority (NIDA), health, and education.

According to Maswi, since the launch of the ‘Digital CRVS System’ in 2022, over 3 million records have been digitized, enhancing the safety and fast accessibility of vital information. 

He attributed these achievements to substantial investments in ICT infrastructure, training of public servants, and ongoing awareness campaigns through the media and social platforms.

 “Registration of vital events is a national heritage, a mark of dignity for every citizen and a driver of national development,” he said.

 “Without accurate data, we cannot effectively plan, implement development strategies, or assess the challenges we face,” he added.

He called upon local government authorities, the private sector, civil society organizations, and development partners to continue working with RITA to ensure that every life event, birth, marriage, divorce, death, or child adoption, is recorded in a modern, secure, and accurate manner.

Earlier, during the event, the Chief Executive Officer of RITA, Frank Kanyusi, explained that this year marks the eighth celebration since the initiative was launched in 2018.

Its main goal is to raise awareness and accelerate the registration of vital events such as births, marriages, divorces, deaths, and adoptions as soon as they occur.

 “As the institution responsible for overseeing and coordinating the registration of these events in the country, RITA has continued to implement various strategies and programs to speed up the registration process, with digital systems being the foundation of our efforts,” said Kanyusi.

He further explained that through the ‘eRITA’ system, citizens can now apply for services without physically visiting RITA offices. Instead, they can choose the nearest district office to collect the certificate of the service they applied for, in a timely manner.

The celebrations continued to emphasize the importance of ICT in building a robust registration system, one that is capable of delivering reliable, accurate, and timely services to every Tanzanian.