Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania, Mussa Azzan Zungu, has ordered Members of Parliament who traveled to Morocco to support the national Under-17 team, Serengeti Boys, to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against them for leaving the country without approval from the Speaker’s Office.
Speaking in Parliament in Dodoma on June 4, 2026, Zungu said the lawmakers who joined the delegation to Morocco had not received the required authorization despite parliamentary rules governing foreign travel by MPs.
“Honourable Members, before we continue, a few days ago, there was the Under-17 final. Her Excellency, the President, provided an aircraft and support so that our team could achieve victory. Unfortunately, football can be painful, and we did not succeed,” Zungu told Parliament.
The Speaker said that while supporting the national team was commendable, parliamentary procedures could not be ignored.
“Some Members of Parliament joined this trip to Morocco. None of those Members has permission from the Speaker’s Office to travel outside the country. Therefore, I direct the Clerk that all Members who traveled without approval from the Speaker or the Speaker’s Office should be issued letters requiring them to explain why they violated parliamentary rules,” he said.
Zungu instructed the Clerk of the National Assembly to give the lawmakers four days to submit their responses.
“The Clerk should give them four days to provide their explanations, and if they fail to do so, action provided for under parliamentary rules should be taken against them,” he added.
The remarks came days after Tanzania’s Under-17 national team lost in the final of the Africa U-17 Cup of Nations in Rabat, Morocco. The match attracted significant attention in Tanzania, with President Samia Suluhu Hassan providing transportation and support for a delegation traveling to back the young players.
Reports indicate that several public officials and political figures traveled to Morocco for the final, among them Arusha MP Paul Makonda.
The Speaker did not publicly name the lawmakers involved during the parliamentary session, but his directive signals that Parliament intends to enforce its travel regulations regardless of the purpose of the trip.
Under parliamentary procedures, Members of Parliament are generally required to obtain official clearance before undertaking foreign travel while Parliament is in session or when the travel may affect their parliamentary duties.
The identities of the MPs expected to receive explanation letters have not yet been formally released by Parliament.
