Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service (TISS)

Idara ya Usalama wa Taifa (Swahili)
Agency overview
Preceding agencies	Special Branch (SB) Idara ya Usalama wa Taifa(Tanzania) [sw]
Headquarters	Dodoma Tanzania
Motto	Pax, Stabilitas et Prosperitas.
Employees	Classified
Annual budget	Classified
Agency executive	Suleiman Abubakar Mombo, Director General Deputy Director General (Mainland Tanzania) Deputy Director General (Tanzania Zanzibar)
Child Agency	Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau
Key document	The Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service Act, 1996[1]

TheTanzania Intelligence and Security Service (TISS) is the national civilian intelligence and security agency ofTanzania. It had its origins inSpecial Branch (SB), a department of the national police that was created in 1952 under theBritish administration.

The Agency works closely with other National and International intelligence and security agencies in the promotion and maintenance of clandestine and covert operations, counterintelligence, counter-revolutionary, counterterrorism, executive protection (especially the President of the United Republic of Tanzania and visiting foreign leaders), intelligence gathering and assessment both domestic and international, internal security, national's central intelligence affair for coordinating intelligence activities, peacekeeping, political warfare, preserve Tanzania's external security interests, support irregular warfare operations, and threat assessment to national security.^[2]

Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service (TISS) traces its originstom the British Colonial Period, where Special Branch (SB) was created as a department of the Tanganyika Police Force.The department worked operated independently from the then Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The idea of its formation took root in the year 1947 as advised by the British Intelligence (MI5) which was responsible for espionage activities in the UK and its colonies. MI5 wanted its establishment of the department in Tanganyika just like Britain’s other colonies like Kenya, Uganda, Rhodesia etc, and while as freedom movement In Tanganyika intensified underTanganyika African National Union (TANU) nowChama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) led to a fast development of Special Branch that by the year 1958 it had 4 Zonal Offices in 4 Provinces out of the total 8 Provinces.

It is from the year 1958 even more Police Officers were enrolled in the department and received special training to sharpen their skills related to espionage.The first security guard of the Late PresidentJulius Kambarage Nyerere,Peter Bwimbo [sw], served in as a Special Branch Officer in the Lake Victoria Zone from the year 1953 - 1958.At the time the main role of Special Branch was to spy on the activities ofTanganyika African National Union (TANU) leaders including Mwl.Julius Kambarage Nyerere,Oscar Kambona,Rashid Kawawa,Asanterabi Zephaniah Nsilo Swai and many more to Freedom Movement leaders to determine their political direction.

In August 1961 was created a special force for the protection of leaders including the then Prime MinistersJulius Kambarage Nyerere. After Tanganyika Independence on December the same year, just like other sensitive departments, Special Branch (SB) was still under the British Colonial Control and most of its leaders we still British.The only Tanganyikan with a relatively high position wasEmilio Charles Mzena who by then was the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).The then Africanization Movement that was led by TANU that wanted Africana to be given Power in leadership led toEmilio Charles Mzena being appointed as the first Director General of Special Branch (SB) on June 1962.Emilio Charles Mzena,Peter Bwimbo [sw] andLawrence Gama were among African-origin Special Branch Members that got their training in Several British institutions in the 1950’s.

Was officially established in 9th September 1963 by the Minister of Defense and foreign affairsOscar Kambona and the Minister of Internal affairsJob Marecela Lusinde.It was therefore removed under the Police forces and Ministry of internal affairs to a fully fledged department under the Ministry of Defense and later under President’s office.A new Intelligence Unit was formed under the Leadership ofWynn Jones Mbwambo, Director of Security and Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he was later detained in the year 1967 for conspiracy on inspiring defense forces to takeover the country few months afterOscar Kambona fled the country.Some other major changes afterIdara ya Usalama wa Taifa(Tanzania) [sw] was the removal of 133 officers that served in Special Branch (SB) back to the police department only few (28) high ranking officials remained. The 28 were joined by TANU youths who were trained in public service and who before that were in a TANU department responsible for Intelligence.

On March 10, 1998 the Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service Act was commenced and became law.

1.Habatika24 - Ofisi ya Usalama Wa Taifa

2. The Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service (Amendment) Act, 2023https://oagmis.agctz.go.tz/portal/acts/245

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