Anxiety pills caused unexpected thrills

I am a 29-year-old woman, married and living in Arusha. I have been struggling with anxiety, and my doctor prescribed me anti-anxiety medication. The medicine helped calm me down, but it also had an unexpected side effect, which increased my libido. When I mentioned this to my doctor, he suggested I should find ways to ‘balance things out’ with my husband since the medication has now improved my intimate life. Unfortunately, this situation has affected my marriage, as my husband can’t keep up with the side effects, causing serious marital problems. When I sought a second opinion, my new doctor told me that the previous doctor had, in fact, not given me anti-anxiety medication, which is why I was experiencing something else. Now I feel harmed and misled. My question is can I sue my doctor for medical malpractice for giving me the wrong medication?

HJ, Arusha 

This is a critical and sensitive issue. Prescribing any medication must be carefully tailored to a patient’s medical needs, profile, concurrent medications, and the intended therapeutic purpose. If a doctor prescribes medication that is not meant to treat the underlying disease or exceeds accepted medical guidelines and this directly causes harm, it may amount to medical negligence.

To succeed in a malpractice claim, you would need to establish four elements: first, a duty of care, that the doctor owed you a professional duty as your treating physician. Second, breach of duty, to the effect that the prescription deviated from accepted medical standards. Third, causation, to the effect that the medication directly caused you problems. Lastly, the damages you suffered are measurable harm, such as medical costs, pain, or reduced quality of life. Evidence such as medical records, the original prescription, expert testimony, and documentation of your current health issues would be essential. Without this, a claim may not succeed.

The next step is to consult a qualified medical negligence or personal injury lawyer. They can assess whether the prescription was indeed inappropriate, review your medical history, and advise on the strength of your case. Consult an expert lawyer for further guidance.

Transacting in foreign currency

I have been leasing apartments in Dar es Salaam for nearly fifteen years. Most of my tenants are expatriates working with embassies, NGOs, or multinational companies. For convenience, I have always quoted rent in US dollars, and tenants paid me directly in USD. This was sensible because their salaries are in foreign currency, and it protected me from fluctuations in the Tanzanian Shilling. However, my broker informed me that after March 2025, when the Foreign Exchange Use Regulations were published, quoting rent in USD is no longer permitted. I don’t want to break the law. Can landlords like me still lease properties in USD when dealing with expatriates, or must all rental agreements be strictly in Tanzanian Shillings? Please guide me.

NB, Dar es Salaam

This is a good question. The Finance Act of 2024 amended the Bank of Tanzania Act, Cap. 197 [R.E. 2023], by adding section 26(2), which makes it an offence for any person to transact in any currency other than the legal tender, which is the Tanzanian Shilling. Under the Foreign Exchange Use Regulations, GN. No. 198 of 2025 (Regulations), all transactions conducted within Tanzania must be quoted, advertised, and paid in Tanzanian Shillings (TZS). The Regulations define ‘transaction’ broadly to include quoting, advertising, publishing, pricing, paying, or receiving payment for goods and services. Leasing houses or apartments falls squarely within this definition.

Therefore, landlords cannot legally quote rent in USD or receive payment in USD for leases within Tanzania. The only exceptions are those listed in the Schedule to the Regulations, such as transactions involving embassies, international organisations, foreign currency loans, or duty‑free shops. Unless the lease is directly with an embassy or international organisation covered by the Schedule, rent must be quoted and paid in Tanzanian Shillings. Further, contracts entered into in foreign currency before the Regulations came into effect must be amended within one year to comply. Options you have are entering into short term leases and reenter jnto new leases with adjusted rent based on your rate of returns; or enter into a lease with a periodic rent review clause. Non‑compliance could expose landlords to legal consequences including fines.

Personal data protection in Zanzibar

We are an insurance services company headquartered in Zanzibar, with operations spanning both Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. We have heard of cases on personal data protection from mainland Tanzania and wonder whether there is similar law in Zanzibar. Kindly advise. 

MK, Zanzibar

The Personal Data Protection Act, Cap. 44 [R.E. 2023], applies to both Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. Section 2 of the Act explicitly states that it shall apply to Mainland Tanzania as well as Tanzania Zanzibar, except that in Tanzania Zanzibar, the Act does not apply to non-union matters. To determine what constitutes a non-union matter, reference must be made to the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977.

Article 4 of the Constitution distinguishes between Union Matters listed in the First Schedule and non-union matters, which are those not included in that list. The First Schedule outlines twenty-two Union Matters, including: Foreign Affairs; Defence and Security; Police; Emergency Powers; Citizenship; Immigration; External borrowing and trade; Posts and telecommunications; Income tax and customs duties; Banking and currency; Civil aviation; Higher education; Mineral oil and natural gas; Meteorology; Statistics; Registration of political parties, among others.