Product liability law in Tanzania is very much in its infancy, with claims predominantly founded on tort, most notably on causes of action based on negligence. The jurisdiction has yet to adopt the principle of strict liability for product liability claims. Tanzania is not a developed consumer manufacturing-oriented economy, and, as a result, product liability law has not evolved as much as in other countries. In comparison to other disputes of a similar commercial nature, the scale of compensation relating to product liability claims is very much at the lower end. Product liability law has yet to be identified as an independent area of dispute requiring specific attention through the enactment of specific legislation or policy.
Tanzania currently has no specific legislation dealing with product liability governing manufacturers' duties to consumers. Courts in Tanzania mostly rely on precedent and principles of common law to guide them in making decisions. However, because the Court of Appeal of Tanzania has not yet had an opportunity to adjudicate on a product liability issue, there is no binding legal precedent concerning any product liability claim.
