SoC04 Decentralization by Devolution

popah21 · 2024-06-11T10:44:09+00:00

Local government has pass a lot of phases toward having some power. Each phase has brought a lot of lessons that learner, policy maker, political bureaucrats and other local government practitioners need to learn. Therefore, the following are the lessons from the evolution of local government in Tanzania. Local government need more autonomy so as to be more effective. Local government legislation's such as Local government Authorities Act, Local government election Act and local government Finance Act both of 1982, give a partial mandate for local authorities to operate. The legislation empower the central government to intervene on various matters done by local government authorities, which actually this habit made local government authorities to become ineffective when they in the course on implementing a certain programmes or projects. For example, when it comes on the issue of budget and plan, the local government authorities they must seek the permission from the minister responsible for issues of finance, not only that but also local government has the mandate to provide social services like education to the local units but surprisingly this function is exercised by central authorities. Here the lesson is that a local government still need more autonomy on the practice and not in the paper work. On the paper we have decentralization by devolution by in actual sense it's impotent, so a local government authorities need much autonomy. Local government is a service facilitator than service provider, this is also a lesson learnt from the evolution of local government authorities in the country. Service facilitator mean that creating an environment on which central authorities come to use those prevailing environment to implement what they want to implement. In Tanzania actually local government authorities have minimal role on service provisions and some local government practitioners say that the role of providing social cares in local authorities such as electricity supply, health provisions, construction of education facilities and provisions of education is muchly vested to central government authorities and not to the local authorities. A good example is education provisions, local government has supposed to provide education to the local areas such as district, village and so whatever, but the education is provided by the central authorities because it is the one that hire as well as firing for the employee's, this is to say that if local government has the mandate to provide this service, should have the power to hire and fire the employee's but also on paying school fees, the local government authorities should have the power to levy and collect those school fees on all school found on the local authorities but not here in Tanzania, so on the evolution of local government authorities what is always learnt is that local government authorities is still act as an instrument for providing an environment for central government operation. On the evolution of local government in Tanzania also lesson learned is that effective local government authorities depend on the the nature and structure of political system as well as form of government that exist. In Tanzania unitary system is common, this means that Tanzania is a unitary state, which have only two tier structure which is local and central authorities, where by scholars they argue that on unitary system the fusion of authority is much more, the central government have all mandate to look on how local government operate and some issues relate to that, while to the Federal system where there is three tier system local authorities seems to be more autonomy, they can exercise a certain task without any seek or consultation to the central or federal government, for example countries like France, Kenya are some examples. The evolution of local government authorities in Tanzania happen when Tanzania is a unitary state, and still to date is a unitary state so the structure of local government always depend on what unitary state operate. The structure of local government authorities made it to be ineffective on the way it operate. Another lesson learned from the evolution of local government in Tanzania is that, the existing structure of local government authorities has a direct impact from the legacy of colonialism, and both colonies that colonies Tanganyika and Zanzibar has shape the way the contemporarily structure of local government is. Here consider much the British colonialism in Tanganyika. British rule Tanganyika through indirect rule system, so as to ensure legitimacy and avoidance of resistance in the region, for that case made her to establish a system of encompassing the natives on different sets of leadership to make sure her agenda succeed. British tend to establish rural and urban authorities to ensure legitimacy, and history tell that the British give Dar es salaam the municipality value on 1948, but also establish city council in areas such Tanga, so what actually learned is that the way modern structure is has a direct impact of the past history and that is colonialism in the region. Simply, when you look the way the regional commissioner work during colonialism it depict that they were the representative of Government, and to day the way regional commissioner work is the same but nowdays they are the representative of president. The evolution of local government authorities in Tanzania has been associated with a lot of reforms, for example strengthening democracy to the grassroot level. Before democracy specifically election was only visible at the central level, to the local level the democracy was impotent, but on the way to make sure that local government exercise it's duties in a proper way it may tend to the introduction of democracy and strengthening it to the local authorities, as to remember, Mwalimu abolished various indicators of democracy in local authorities to ensure progress for instance Mwalimu abolish local authorities in 1970's, not only that but also civil association was also demolished in 1970's, so you will see that there is a need to install democracy in the grassroot level and the evolution made it possible because, the evolution came with variety of amendment, for instance in 1982 local government election Act was established and passed, and some issues relate to that. Conclusively, local government in Tanzania is matter of concern, but thing to remember is that local government in Tanzania operations is too minimal in fact that it doesn't have adequate power to perform it's duties. Some issues can be deployed to ensure local government have adequate power one of them is constitution and legal framework to be reinstated, there is a need to encompasses all matters relate to local authorities including financial issues to the constitution, though there is pieces of legislation but this legislation is not adequate enough for operation of local government.

Thread starter popah21
Start date Jun 11, 2024

Tanzania Tuitakayo competition threads

popah21

JamiiForums uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.

Accept Learn more…

Back

Top Bottom

Forums

New posts

SoC04 Decentralization by Devolution

popah21

Member

Our Community

Regional Communities