(Eastern Africa Law Review, 2018-12) Mzurikwao, Anthony
Consumer protection law is one of the mechanisms for
protection of consumers. It comprises of both principal and
subsidiary legislation aiming at protecting consumers’ rights
from being abused by producers. It is viewed as an
appropriate mechanism of protecting consumers due to its
coercive nature. However, the enactment and enforcement
of such law depend on willingness of a state to do so.
History shows that such willingness is influenced by political,
social and economic interests which the state has to
preserve. This article gives a brief historical account on how
political, social and economic conditions from medieval era
up to the present time has influenced legislative measures
taken by the state to protect consumers’ rights. This account
is crucial in grasping reasons why the consumer protection
law, be it in western developed countries or in the least
developed countries like Tanzania, is in the form it is today.