Joseph Waziri

Joseph Waziri is a Partner and Head of the Tax Division at Breakthrough Attorneys, where he provides strategic tax advisory, regulatory insight, and leadership to corporates, multinationals, and institutions operating across Tanzania and the wider African region. He is widely regarded for his agile leadership style, combining deep technical expertise with a forward‑thinking and solutions‑oriented approach.

Areas of Expertise
Tax Advisory & Strategic Tax Planning
Tax Compliance & Litigation
Mining, Energy & Natural Resources
Banking & Financial Services
Telecommunications
Agriculture & Hospitality
Cross-Border Tax & Transfer Pricing
OECD Guidelines & Double Taxation Treaties

Noteworthy Achievements

With over fifteen years of experience, Joseph is a seasoned tax strategist with extensive expertise in tax advisory, tax compliance, tax litigation, and strategic tax planning. His professional practice spans key sectors including mining, energy, banking and financial services, telecommunications, agriculture, and hospitality, with advisory experience across East and Southern Africa.

Vodacom Tanzania PLC: Prior to joining Breakthrough Attorneys, Joseph served as Head of Tax at Vodacom Tanzania PLC. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in high‑level engagements with government authorities that led to the introduction of a VAT exemption on mobile device supplies—an intervention that significantly strengthened the telecommunications sector and accelerated internet penetration in Tanzania. He was also part of the team that successfully advocated for a reduction in the mobile money levy, a reform that materially contributed to the growth of financial inclusion in the country.

Tanzania Mobile Network Operators Association (TAMNOA): Joseph further served as the Tax Lead for the Tanzania Mobile Network Operators Association (TAMNOA), where he led industry‑wide tax engagements and contributed to shaping policy positions affecting the telecommunications sector.

PwC Tanzania and PwC South Africa: Internationally, Joseph has held senior roles at PwC Tanzania and PwC South Africa, advising executive leadership teams and boards on complex tax and financial matters. His experience includes advising some of the world’s largest multinational corporations across jurisdictions including Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, South Africa, and multiple countries in East and Southern Africa. His work has covered multinational restructurings, cross‑border transactions, double taxation treaty interpretation, OECD guidelines, and the interface between international tax standards and domestic tax legislation. He has also been actively involved in the preparation and review of submissions supporting tax litigation matters.

Policy & Public-Private Engagement: Beyond corporate tax advisory work, Joseph has played a significant role in public‑private policy engagement. He was a key contributor to the development and implementation of Tanzania’s Business Environment Vision 2025, an initiative launched under the Fourth President of the United Republic of Tanzania. For over a decade, he collaborated with the Parliamentary Committee for Budget and the Ministry of Finance Taskforce on Tax Reforms, representing the private sector and working closely with government stakeholders to improve the business and investment climate.

Beyond Legal Expertise
Joseph is a sought‑after keynote speaker and thought leader, having spoken at forums hosted by the Zanzibar National Chamber of Commerce, ACCA, and Laws of Tanzania 101. He has also served as a moderator at high‑level international forums, including the Oil and Gas Industry Panel at the Presidential Business Forum held in Pretoria, South Africa in March 2023, themed “Forging a New Deal Between South Africa and Tanzania Towards Higher Levels of Trade and Investment.”

Joseph Waziri also serves as a Board Member of Alliance General Insurance, Tanzania’s largest private insurance company, where he contributes to strategic leadership, governance, and oversight.