MZUMBE UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

(SOPAM)

PRINCIPLES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

PUB 229

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMEN

KISAMO JACKSON 1401168/T.13

BLGM II

SUBMISSION DATE: 01/APRIL/2015

QUESTION
Briefly trace the historical background of Local Government in Tanzania
Local Government can be defined as a sub-national, semi- autonomous level government
discharging its functions in a specified area within a nation. By definition, Local Governments
are the level of government that are closest to the people and therefore responsible for serving
the political and material needs of people and communities at a specific local area. Such areas
could be a rural setting or an urban setting, a village, a town, a suburb in a city or a city,
depending on the size. Local Governments have both political and economic purposes.
Politically, Local Governments being the levels of governments closest to the people, are
suitably situated to provide a way for ordinary citizens to have a say in how their communities
are governed. Local Governments provide opportunities for democratic participation of citizens
in matters that affect them directly. They facilitate closer interaction between citizens and elected
representatives. Economically, Local Governments provide basic services that affect people in
their area of jurisdiction

Local authorities were established in Tanzania over 100 years ago. Periods to be covered
include the pre-colonial period, the colonial era, the period after independence up to 1972~ the
period between 1972 and 1984 and the period between 1984 and 1998. The ongoing Local
Government Reform Process dominates the period after 1998 .

The Pre-Colonial Period -1884 -1918

Before the colonial era and during the initial period of the colonial era, local communities were
organized around chiefs in chiefdoms. Councilor elders who were their close advisors
surrounded chiefs. In Kilimanjaro Region, for example, the Chagga chief was called MANGI,
the Hehe called him MTWA and the Nyamwezi called him MTEMI, In Kisukuma for example,
they were known as mabanza. Besides these advisors, the chiefs had lieutenants who were
known as sub-chiefs. Under the sub-chiefs, there were headmen. In geographical terms,
chiefdoms were more or less equivalent to the current administrative units known as divisions,
sub- chiefdoms were equivalent to the present day wards and headmen had a couple of villages
to control. There were no districts or regions except tribal boundaries.

These deliberated on important matters affecting their tribe’s security and welfare. An elders’
council would be convened for example to discuss a threat from another tribe, the outbreak of
serious disease, famine, environmental conservation, depredations of wild animals, etc. Usually
at such meetings there was a spokesman for the village or clan. Decisions reached at such
meetings were not questioned but upheld and carried out by every person within the jurisdiction
of the relevant elders’ council.

The Colonial Period

When the Germans colonized the country, they set in clear Provincial District and Chiefdom
boundaries. They abolished the chiefdoms and established the post of the District Commissioner

(DC). But when the British were mandated to administer Tanganyika (now Tanzania Mainland)
in 1918, they adopted a different approach. In the urban areas, they enacted the Township
Ordinance (Cap.101) in 1920. Subsequently, urban local governments were established. In the
rural areas the DC was retained. It was until 1926 that the foundation for an organized local
government system was laid down following the establishment of Native Authorities (NAs) by
enacting the Native Authorities Ordinance (Cap 72). With it, the chiefs were reinstated. In 1928
the colonial administration introduced provincial commissioners (PCs). Both the DCs and PCs
were trained and experienced administrators who were assisted by District Officers (DO).

After World War II, the colonial administration set in motion a profound change in local
governance. As a result the government passed the Municipalities Ordinance (Cap 105) in 1947
to replace cap 101. In the following year (1948), the Dar es Salaam Municipal Council was
established. A few years later (1953) Local Government Ordinance (cap 333) was enacted to
introduce the structure of local government

governance that lasted up to 1972. Both of these ordinances aimed at establishing self governing
and democratic Local Governments Authorities throughout the country. A major feature of the
local government authorities at that time was that they were not only closely related to the level
of funds available but also reflected the felt needs of their residents

The Period of Decentralization (1972- 1982)

In the end, local (particularly district) Authorities collapsed. District Authorities were abolished
on 30 June 1972 while urban Authorities were abolished on June 30 1973. At the time of their
abolition, there were 66 district councils and 15 urban councils in Tanzania. The period between
1972-1982 is generally known as the “Decentralization Period”. Here, the Government
experimented with taking power to the people by decentralizing Central Government. A system
of de concentration of the government system replaced the comprehensive Local Government
system which had existed for a decade. The new system was aimed at giving the people decision-
making powers on matters affecting their welfare and of local importance and to give them the
personnel and finances for their implementation. Regions and districts were to plan and
implement local development activities as well as administer their own local affairs with very
limited interference from the seat of Central Government, Dar es Salaam. “Participation” became
a catchword and a rallying slogan. Development councils were created in the districts and in
urban areas. The aims of this Decentralization Programmed were that: - Rural development
should be managed at district and regional levels; - Rural development should be co-ordinate
centrally; - The people should be involved in the development process; - Rural development
should be effectively planned and controlled Thus Local and Central Government
responsibilities were merged. This was meant to result into a strong Central Government

organization for coordinating and supervising rural development, which it was believed, would
increase people’s control of the development process in their own areas. Unfortunately the
powers aimed at the people were actually hijacked by the bureaucrats who tended to make
decisions on behalf of the people.
In 1977 TANU emerged with Afro Shiraz party (ASP) and joined to form the strong political
party called CHAMA CHA MAPINDUZI (CCM) which was also declared supreme. In
Tanzania after math of the war of Idd Amin (1978-79). The crisis, among other things, resulted
in the evaporation of even the few resources that has been tricking down to the local level.
Budgetary deficits led to increase borrowing that in turn resulted in steep inflation and preassure
on balance of payments.

Politically, CCM wanted to woo voters support during 1980 presidential and parliamentary
election. Thus the party promised in its election manifesto to receive the local government
authorities system. Hence ,the CCM directed the state to revert back to the local system
following a miserable failure to deliver public service. In fact some literature attribute the re-
establishment of urban council in 1978 t0 rapid decline in essentially services like roads,
dispensaries, markets and education.

Local Government Reform

The local government reform policy started since 1998and is described as a planned initiative
whose objectives was to improve the service to the public and the main strategy to do so through
decentralization (LGRP 1998) The aim was to transform local government organization into
organs which are autonomous, strong and effective, democratically governed, deriving
legitimacy from the service to the people, fostering participatory development, reflecting local
demand and condition and lastly conducting activities with transparency, and accountability
(1998 LGRP).

The main principles of the Reform were pointed out in the Government’s policy paper on Local
Government Reform published in October 1998. These are:

-Letting people participate in Government at the local level and elect their council

− Bringing public services under the control of the people through their local council

− Giving local councils powers (political devolution) over all local affairs
− Determining the appropriate and cost effective organizational structures for Local Government
Authorities

. − Improving financial and political accountability.

− Securing finances for better public services.

− Creating a new Local Government administration answerable to the local councils and to local
needs.

− De-linking local administrative leaders from their former ministries. − Creating new central-
local relations, based not on orders, but on legislation and negotiations

The local government reform programmed has led to the public/private partnership in the deliver
of public service and affirmative declaration in the local government policy of 1998; to increase
power to recruit and dismiss workers by the council; the introduction of local government capital
development grant (LGCDG); the use of local government information system (login)which is
claimed to enhance transparency; the introduction and use of opportunity and obstacles
development (O&OD) tool in the budget process (PMORALG 2007).

COCNLUSION

Since the Local Government Reforms started in 2000, there has been a commendable
improvement in the functioning of the LGAs. The quality of services rendered is satisfactory.
With time, autonomy to LGAs is more vivid, efficient performance by the staff is taking roots,
resulting in good discharge of their duties, transparency and accountability to the people and
enabling the people to participate in planning and execution of local authority duties and
responsibilities. The LGAs are still facing financial and human resources constraints. More
improvement is desired to enable the LGAs to deliver services efficiently, effectively and
responsively.
 REFERENCE

Warioba,D.M and Warioba,L.(2012);Local Government Reform in Tanzania ;Mzumbe :Mzumbe

University Publisher.

www.repoa.or.tz/documents/the impact of local government reform

www.pmoralg.go.tz
-