Keeping pigs in urban areas

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I own a one-acre farm within the municipality which I use for rearing pigs. I have been confronted by officers of the Municipal Council who are questioning me if I have a permit from the Municipal Council which allows me to keep pigs within the municipality. May I know if there is any legal requirement to seek or obtain a permission from the Municipal Council to keep pigs in one’s own land which I have legitimately purchased?
GH, Tabora

Farming in urban areas including rearing of pigs, cows, sheep, goats, camels, horses, poultry, rabbits and pets is regulated by the law. The two main regulations which govern urban farming are the Urban Planning (Urban Farming) Regulations, 2018 (GN No 90 of 2018) as amended by the Urban Planning (Urban Farming) (Amendment) Regulations, 2019 (GN No 51 of 2019) and the Public Health (Waste and Human Remains Management) Regulations, 2017 (GN No 169 of 2017). Keeping livestock in urban areas, including rearing pigs as you do, requires obtaining a prior written permission from the urban authority. The urban authority can only grant urban farming permits if the area in which the urban farming activity is intended to be carried out has been zoned for urban farming. Even where the area is zoned for urban farming, the urban authority has the discretion to refuse the grant of urban farming permit if the urban farming for which the permit is sought is likely to pose health hazard, cause environment pollution, create nuisance or endanger public health. Rearing of pigs in urban areas without a written permit of the urban authority is an offence punishable by fine not exceeding TZS 300,000.

An urban farmer granted urban farming permit has the obligation under the Public Health (Waste and Human Remains Management) Regulations, 2017 (GN No.169 of 2017) to ensure the manure produced by the animals does not cause nuisance or health hazard to the public. An urban farmer who fails to keep manure produced by the animals in a way that prevents nuisance or health hazard to the public commits an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding TZS 200,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months.

Hence, if you are rearing pigs within the Municipality without a permission of the Municipal Council, you are committing a crime and if the manure produced by the pigs you are keeping is not well kept, you are committing another crime of environmental pollution.