Tanzania's parliament yesterday passed a bill that will make it compulsory for mobile firms to be listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE).

The Citizen reports many members of parliament, before passing the bill, accused mobile phone companies of treating customers unfairly and denying the government billions of shillings in taxes.

Godwin Ngwilimi, legal and regulatory affairs head of Vodacom Tanzania Limited, said the new legislation takes the country back to the era of nationalisation when individuals were forced to sell their companies or shares to the government.

Minister for Communication, Science and Technology, Prof Peter Msola, said the Electronic and Postal Communication Bill 2009 is aimed at establishing a legal framework for providing regulations to electronic communication service providers.

Once the bill becomes a law, telecommunications firms will be required to offer shares to the public. They will also be required to list with the DSE within three years after the Act comes into force.