The Central Bank (BoT) has made an announcement regarding the increasing practice of pricing goods and services in US dollars for local residents. In a statement released on Tuesday, the lender of last resort urged the general public to comply with all directives issued by the BoT. The bank emphasized that essential services such as real estate, health, transport, logistics, and education should be priced using the local currency. The BoT emphasized that stern measures would be taken against individuals who continue to engage in such practices. Emmanuel Tutuba, the Governor of the BoT, stated on Tuesday that the bank has recently observed violations of the directives issued in August 2007 and December 2017, which prohibit domestic payments for goods and services using foreign currencies by Tanzanian nationals. However, the Central Bank clarified that tourists or non-resident customers are permitted to pay for various goods and services using foreign currency. "These services include accommodation, travel, airport and visa fees, transit trade, and cargo handling. Tourists and non-residents who pay in foreign currencies must provide identification documents such as passports and certificates of incorporation for companies to ensure accurate statistics and proper categorization," the statement explained. The Bank of Tanzania also stated that the exchange rate used for these payments should be prominently displayed and should not exceed the prevailing market exchange rate. Additionally, the Central Bank stressed that all Tanzanian citizens should exclusively use the Tanzanian Shilling and should not be compelled or obligated to make payments to fellow Tanzanian residents using foreign currency. "The Bank of Tanzania also wishes to remind the public that according to section 26 of the BOT Act 2006, the Tanzania Shilling is the only legal tender in the country. Therefore, any refusal to accept payment in Tanzanian Shillings constitutes a violation of the BOT law," the statement concluded.