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TOPIC
2: GOVERNMENT OF TANZANIA
Meaning
of Government
The government is asystem or organizational machinery for
organizing people. In other words, government is a group of people within a
community who have power and authority to perform administrative functions.
These includeplanning, making decisions and even the implementation of policies.
Government can be created through elections, by force or through hereditary
means. The government manages relations between people and their institutions
or organizations
TYPES
OF GOVERNMENTS
The criteria used to categorize governments isbased on
how a given government has acquired its position, the means of formation of the
government and the power distribution among the three organs of the state. The
most appropriate way of categorizing governments is based on how government
leaders get into power. This refers toapeaceful election process or violent
processes used to acquire government power.
Based on these criteria, there are only two major types
of government; democratic governments and non- democratic governments
1. Democratic Government
A Democratic Government is a form of government whose
political power is determined by popular vote. This type of government takes
into consideration the consent of people in decision making, which means it
acquires legitimacy from the people through free and fair elections. A good
example of a democratic government is the presidential system of government in
USA. On the other hand, in a Parliamentary system of government, which is
sometimes known as Westminster modal system, there is a separation of power
between the head of government (who is selected from the elected members of parliament) and the head of state.
A good example of this government is the government of the United Kingdom. In that type of government, the head of government is the prime minister who is an elected member of parliament, while in the presidential system the head of state and government is the elected president. The president can form the cabinet by appointing ministers outside the legislature. United republic of Tanzania uses both the presidential and parliamentary system of government. In Tanzania, the president is the head of state, head of government and commander in chief who comes into power through the general election.
A good example of this government is the government of the United Kingdom. In that type of government, the head of government is the prime minister who is an elected member of parliament, while in the presidential system the head of state and government is the elected president. The president can form the cabinet by appointing ministers outside the legislature. United republic of Tanzania uses both the presidential and parliamentary system of government. In Tanzania, the president is the head of state, head of government and commander in chief who comes into power through the general election.
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| President Barrack Obama, USA |
2. Non-Democratic Government
A non-democratic government is the form of government
which normally does not come into power by popular election. It is the
government which gets into power without majority will and people’s legitimacy.
In most cases a non-democratic government results from military coup due to the
interest of some leaders. They tend to manipulate election process by imposing
dictatorship styles. In this kind of government, only one person or a small
group of people take control of the government. These are people who normally
have great influence due to economic or social influence.
A good example of a non-democratic government is the
dictatorship governments like that of Adolf Hitler of Germany and Mussolini of
Italy. Other examples are those of Democtratic Republic of Congo (DRC) formerly
Zaire under Mobutu Seseseko and Uganda under Idd Amin Dada. The basic feature
of all non-democratic government is the absence of democratic principles.
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| President Idi Amini, Uganda |
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
Dominant Forms of Government in the World are:
1. Republican Government
This is a form of government in which a country is
governed by a president and other politicians who are elected by the people. In
this form of government more power is concentrated to a single person; the
president. A good example of this government is that of the United Republic of
Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Africa.
2. Union Government
This form of government is usually formed when two or
more nations are joined together. Each nation surrenders its power and
sovereignty to aunitary government. For example, the United Republic of
Tanzania was formed when Tanganyika united with Zanzibar. The United Kingdom is
the union of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
3. Monarchical Government
(Monarchy)
This is a system of government whereby a king or queen
rules the country. A king or queen comes into power by inheritance. Examples of
monarchies are found in Swaziland, Morocco, the United Kingdom and Netherlands.
There are two types of monarchies.These are:
1. Absolute monarchy. In this type of monarchy, a
king or queen is the head of state and government. He or she forms the
government and exercises power without being bound by rules. Swaziland is an
example of a country which has an absolute monarchy.
2. Constitutional monarchy. In this form of
monarchy the king or queen is only the head of state. The prime minister is the
head of government. The prime minister is elected by citizens in a general
election. After being elected, he or she forms a government. Some of the countries
with constitutional monarchies include Sweden, Japan, Jordan, The United
Kingdom (UK) and Netherlands.
4. Federation
In this form of government, power is divided and shared
between a national government and state governments. Member states have control
over their own affairs but a central government controls national affairs.
Examples of federal governments are: the Russian Federation, Nigeria and the
USA.
5. Dictatorship
A dictatorship is a form of government whereby the leadership
rests in the hands of an individual or a group of persons who come into power
mainly through force. Dictators have unlimited authority over the people.
6. Communist Government
It is a form of government in a communist country, in
which the government owns the major means of production including land. The
government provides people with free health care, education and social welfare.
A Communist government always results from socialist revolutions. A good
example of communist government is North Korea and China.
7. Transitional Government
This is the form of government which is created
temporarily by the people within a country while waiting for general government
or permanent government. This happens when there is sudden change of government
or leadership due to political instability in the country. However this form of
government is not a formal system.
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| Queen Elizabeth II, United Kingdom |
Importance of Government
The followings are the importance of Government:
1. It provides citizens with social services like health
care, education and safe water
2. The government constructs and maintains infrastructure
like roads, school buildings and hospitals.
3. Maintenance of peace and order in the country is also the
role of the government. The government provides security for citizens and their
property through the police and the army
4. Governments initiate and maintain relationships with
other countries. The government leaders visit different countries and send
ambassadors to those states. Other countries are also invited to do the same in
Tanzania. Our country is a member of different international organizations
including the United Nations, African Union and the Commonwealth.
5. The government collects revenue for the development of
the country. Citizens pay taxes to the government which, in turn, provides
social services using the money collected.
6. It guides the country by preparing and implementing
good policies.
7. Individual rights of citizens are protected by the
government.
THE CONSTITUTION
The constitution is the system of laws and basic
principles that a country or an organization is governed by. The national
constitution is the basic law of a country. This means that all other laws must
conform to the provisions of the constitution. The constitution provides the
framework of the country and creates the principle organs of the state as well
as their powers and limitations.
Types
of Constitution
There are two main types of constitution: namely written
constitution and unwritten constitution.
1. The written constitution is the one in which basic principles
are written down in a form of legal document. Many countries have adopted this
type of constitution. For example, Tanzania, Kenya and USA. It acts as standard
of reference to which government activities reflects upon. Also it minimizes
chance of misinterpretation.
2. Unwritten constitution is the one in which basic principles
are not written in a single document, but they rely on various documents and
other points of reference. A good example is Britain, where its constitution is
based on statutes, customary and precedents and convectional practices.
Explain how the constitution is made, its importance, its
relationship to the government of Tanzania, how it is safeguarded
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| Constitution, Tanzania |
STRUCTURE OF OUR CONSTITUTION
The constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of
1977 is divided into ten chapters. Each chapter is divided into several parts.
1. CHAPTER ONE
This chapter has the following three parts:
1. The United Republic and the people. This part
talks about the:
a) Proclamation of the United Republic of Tanzania.
b) Territory of the United Republic of Tanzania, which
consists of the whole area of Tanzania mainland, Zanzibar, and territorial
waters.
c) Declaration of a multi-party state. Tanzania is a
democratic and socialist state which follows multi-party democracy.
d) Exercising of state authority. All Tanzania state
authorities exercise their power under the control of six organs, which are:
i. The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania.
ii. The Revolution Government of Zanzibar.
iii. The Judiciary of the United Republic of Tanzania.
iv. The Judiciary of Zanzibar.
v. The Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania.
vi. The House of Representatives of Zanzibar.
vii. The franchise: This is the formal permission given
to Tanzanian citizens aged eighteen and above to vote in any public election
held in Tanzania.
2. Fundamental objectives and directive principles of
state policy. This part describes:
a) The interpretation of the government: According to the
Constitution, the government includes the government of the United Republic of
Tanzania, the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, local government
authorities and any person who exercises power or authority on behalf of the
government.
b) The application of the provisions of this part of the
Constitution: According to the constitution, this part is not enforceable by
any court.
c) The government and the people: The government derives
its power and authority from the people through the Constitution.
d) The pursuit of Ujamaa and self-reliance: Tanzania is a
state that follows Ujamaa and selfreliance.
e) The right to work, to educational and other pursuits:
The Constitution recognizes every person’s right to work, to education and
social welfare in times of sickness, disability or old age.
3. Basic rights and duties of citizens. This part
explains:
a) The equality of human beings: The Constitution
recognizes that all persons are born free and equal and that every person is
entitled to recognition and respect.
b) Equality before the law: All people are equal and should
be treated equally before the law.
c) The right to life: All people have the right to live
and be protected by the society.
d) The right to freedom of conscience: Every person has
freedom to live as a free person.
e) The right to privacy and personal security: Every
person has the right toprivacy, respect and protection of himself, his family
and his properties.
f) Duties to the society: Among other duties the citizens
are supposed to participate in work, abide by laws, safeguard public property
and defend the nation.
g) General provisions on:
(i) Fundamental rights and duties: The Constitution
guarantees fundamental human rights for all persons in Tanzania.
(ii) Limitations of basic rights, freedoms and duties:
The Constitution limits individual rights and freedoms for the interest of
other persons or the public.
h) The extraordinary powers of the state authority about:
(i) Derogation from rights and freedoms: The Constitution gives parliament the mandate to enact laws that will enable measures to be taken during a state of emergency or against persons who can endanger the security of the nation.
(ii) Power to proclaim a state of emergency: The
President has the power to proclaim a state of emergency when there is danger
or war in the country.
2. CHAPTER TWO
This chapter has three parts which deal with the
executive arm of the United Republic of Tanzania.
1. The President: This
part describes how the President is elected, the qualifications for election as
President, the provisions for being re-elected and duties and powers of the President
of the United Republic of Tanzania. It also describes the Government of
Tanzania.
2. The Vice-President: This is
the principal assistant to the President. This part describes the
qualifications and duties of the Vice-President.
3. The Prime Minister, the
Cabinet and the government
a) The Prime Minister is appointed by the President but
the National Assembly must approve him or her through a majority vote.
b) Cabinet is made up of the Vice-President, the President
of Zanzibar, the Prime Minister and all cabinet ministers. The ministers are
appointed by the President after consulting the Prime Minister. There are also
deputy ministers who are appointed by the President. This part also points out
the length of the ministers’ and deputy ministers’ terms of office.
In addition, this part includes the Attorney-General, who
is appointed by the President. The Attorney- General is the advisory of the
government of Tanzania on legal matters. The secretary to the Cabinet and
regional commissioners are also mentioned, and their duties explained.
3. CHAPTER THREE
This chapter describes the parliament. The parliament is
made up of the President and the National Assembly. This chapter has three
parts:
1. Establishment of the National Assembly, its authorities,
powers and its lifetime.
2. Members, constituencies and election of members. This part explains who the
members of the National Assembly are and how they are
elected or appointed.
3. Procedures, powers and privileges of Parliament. This part
also describes the functions of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker and the
procedures for electing them.
4. CHAPTER FOUR
This chapter has the following three parts:
1. The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar and the
President of Zanzibar: In this part the Constitution describes the head of the
Zanzibar Government, his
2. Authority and how he is elected.
3. The Zanzibar Revolutionary Council: This part describes
the members of the council, who are the President of Zanzibar as chairman, the
Chief Minister, all ministers of the Zanzibar Government and other members
appointed by the chairman.
4. The House of Representatives of Zanzibar: Zanzibar’s
House of Representatives
comprises two parts. These are:
a) The Head of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar
who is also the President of Zanzibar.
b) Members of the House elected or appointed according to
the Zanzibar Constitution.
These members are called Representatives. -
This part also explains the authority of the
Representatives. Among their functions are.
a. To question any ministry concerning public affairs in
Zanzibar.
b. To debate the performance of any ministry of Zanzibar.
c. To authorize any plan intended to be implemented in
Zanzibar.
5. CHAPTER FIVE
This chapter deals with the judiciary. The judiciary
refers to the country’s courts and court officials. Chapter five has seven
parts which are:
a. The High Court of the United Republic.
b. The appointment of judiciary personnel by the Judiciary
Service Commission.
c. The High Court of
Zanzibar.
d. The Court of
Appeal of the United Republic.
e. Process of the
courts.
f. The special
Constitutional Court.
6. CHAPTER SIX
This chapter has two
parts:
1. The Permanent
Commission of Enquiry: The members of this commission are appointed by the
President.
2. The Public
Leaders’ Ethics Secretariat, whose main task is to investigate the conduct of public
leaders,
7. CHAPTER SEVEN
Chapter seven deals
with the finances of the United Republic in the areas of contribution and allocation
of revenue. It also discusses the consolidated fund and the conditions for
withdrawal of the money, the expenditure and other matters concerning union
funds.
8. CHAPTER EIGHT
This chapter deals
with the establishment and functions of local government authorities such as municipal
councils and county councils.
9. CHAPTER NINE
It contains
provisions on the armed forces and also describes the powers of the
commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The armed forces are made up of the
army, the navy and the air force.
10. CHAPTER TEN
This chapter has
miscellaneous (various) provisions. The areas dealt with include:
1. Resignation of
personnel from various offices.
2. Procedure of
succession in government offices.
3. Interpretation of
terms in the Constitution.
3. Title,
commencement and application of the Constitution.
4. Union matters.
MAKING THE CONSTITUTION
The Tanzanian
Constitution has not always been as it is contently. It has undergone several
major changes since the first one was written in 1961.
The following are the Versions of the
Constitution that Tanzania has had:
1. The Independence
Constitution of 1961. Tanganyika got her independence from Britain in 1961.
The British wrote a Constitution for Tanganyika which was used when Mwalimu J.
K. Nyerere was the Prime Minister. This constitution is known as the
Independence Constitution of 1961
2. The Republican
Constitution of 1962. In 1962, the government of Tanganyika published a
white paper proposing to make the country a republic. The National Assembly
discussed the paper and adopted it. The National Assembly then passed an Act of
Parliament to give it a legal right to be a Constituent Assembly. This
Constituent Assembly discussed and adopted a new Constitution and Mwalimu J.K.
Nyerere was elected the first president of the Republic of Tanganyika. This
Constitution is known as the Republic Constitution of 1962.
3. The Interim
Constitution of the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar of 1964.
After the union of
Tanganyika and Zanzibar there was a need to change the Constitution. So the President
of Tanzania issued an interim constitutional decree which modified the
Constitution of the Republic of Tanganyika. The new Constitution was the
Interim Constitution of the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar of 1964.
4. The Interim Constitution
of Tanzania of 1965. In 1965, the Parliament of the United Republic of
Tanzania enacted an Act of Parliament to make the Interim Constitution of
Tanzania. This constitution declared Tanzania a single party state. Tanganyika African
National Union (TANU) of Tanzania mainland and Afro-Shiraz Party (ASP) of
Zanzibar were the only political parties recognized by the Constitution. This
Constitution was the starting point in uniting TANU and ASP so that Tanzania
could become a real-one party state. This Constitution is known as the Interim
Constitution of Tanzania of 1965.
5. The
Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977. In 1977, TANU and
ASP united to form Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). This union created the need for a
new Constitution. The then president of Tanzania Mwalimu J.K. Nyerere appointed
a ConstitutionalCommission of twenty people to oversee the making of a new
constitution. Each side of the union was represented by ten members. President
Nyerere appointed the representatives of the Constituent Assembly to consider
the proposal of the Constitutional Commission to enact the constitution.
The members of the Constituent
Assembly were 45 from Zanzibar and 156 from Tanzania mainland. They discussed
and agreed on the constitutional proposals made by the Constitutional
Commission, then, the current constitution was
adopted. This constitution is known as the Constitution of the United Republic
of Tanzania of 1977.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
Constitutional amendment is the process of improving or
changing the laws in the constitution for the aim of improving the laws in the
constitution. The 1977 Constitution has many amendments. These amendments were
made to cater for the changing needs of the society. The major amendments are:
1. The introduction of a Bill of Rights in the Constitution
in 1984.
2. An amendment to introduce the multi-party system in
Tanzania in 1992.
3. In 1995, another amendment introduced the Vice-President
as the President’s running mate in the elections. It also made the president of
Zanzibar a member of the Union Cabinet.
The Changes
Made are;
1. It changed the mode of electing the President.
Previously, the President was elected by majority vote. This amendment allowed
the President to be elected by the highest votes.
2. It increased the number of seats allocated to women in
Parliament to thirty percent.
3. The independence of the judiciary and its powers on legal matters were established.
4. It established the Human Rights and Good Governance
Commission.
Importance
of a National Constitution
The Constitution is very important to the country for the
following reasons.
1. The Constitution protects the rights of individuals.
2. It ensures that the government is fair and just to its
citizens.
3. The Constitution establishes the main organs of the state.
These are the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature.
4. It describes the form of government that is used in the
country.
5. The Constitution gives guidance on how disputes between
the organs of the state are to be resolved.
6. It defines the limits of the power of leaders.
7. It shows how leaders are to be chosen.
Relationship
between the Constitution and the Government of Tanzania
Generally, the relationship between the Constitution and
the government is that the Constitution guides the government on all matters of
leadership.
1. The Constitution defines the form of government to be
used in our country.
2. It is the Constitution that establishes the organs of the
state and outlines their powers.
3. The government has to be based on principles of
democracy, human rights, social
justice and observance of sovereignty of the state as the
Constitution prescribes.
4 The leaders of Tanzania at all levels are elected as per the
Constitution. Those who are elected lead according to the Constitution’s
guidelines.
5. The Constitution states the terms of the leaders in the
offices.
6. The elected leaders take an oath to defend the
Constitution.
Ways of Protecting the Constitution
Since the Constitution is the law of the land, it must be
protected by every member of the society. There are different ways of
protecting the Constitution of our country. The following are some of them:
1. The existing Constitution was made by a body which
dissolved after finishing its task. This makes the Constitution supreme since
there is no one above it.
2. All laws of the country are derived from the
Constitution and no one can make laws which contradict the Constitution.
3. The courts of law protect the Constitution by ensuring
that all people are allowed to enjoy their rights.
4. The government and non-governmental organizations
educate the society so that they can understand and protect their
constitutional rights.
5. Mass media educate people about their rights so that
when these rights are abused, they can demand them at the courts of law.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
In order for the government to run its functions
effectively, it needs to involve people in their respective areas. Village
governments, wards, divisions, district, urban and region constitute the local
authorities (government). So local government represents people in their
grass-root level. Without effective local governments, no democracy can be
natured. Local governments are total governments and are important, working
hand in hand with the central government.
Local Governments are the
governments which are formed at the grass - root level in order to assist the
central government in matters of administration and other important activities.
These governments have powers over, districts, cities and municipals or urban
areas. They are created to perform administrative activities at the local
levels. The members of these authorities are elected by the residents of these
areas. The local government authorities were established in 1982.
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| Local Government |
Reasons for the Establishment of Local Government
1. To give more power to the people in the localities.
This enables people to participate in government work, plan the development of
their areas and maintain peace and order in their areas.
2. To widen the system of democratic leadership. In their
localities, people are able to elect and be elected. This ensures peace and
harmony and therefore fulfills the local people’s social, economic and cultural
aspirations.
STRUCTURE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
There are two categories of local government authorities,
these are: rural authorities, which are also known as district councils, and
urban authorities.
The district councils range from the village level
to the district level.
The urban authorities are responsible for the
administration and development of township, municipalities and cities.
1. DISTRICT AUTHORITIES
1. THE VILLAGE GOVERNMENT
This is the smallest unit of a local government. The
following is the structure of the village government.It’s formed by 250 house
hold. Any area with the number of people mentioned above qualified to be
village government. Also the minister who is responsible for local government
may declare two units of the same to form a single village, depending on the
size and nature of the units which they wanted to unite. Village government
works through its major organs which are village assembly and village council.
a) The Village Assembly
It is composed of the entire adult population living in
the village. The head of the assembly is the village chairperson who is elected
by the village assembly. The following are some of the functions of the village
assembly:
1. Adopting by-laws of the village.
2. Electing the village chairperson.
3 Electing the village council.
b) The Village Committees
There are different committees in the village, including
planning, finance, economic affairs, social services, security, forest
production and water resources. The committees perform different roles in the
village according to their specialized categories.
c) The Village Council
Members of the village council are twenty-five in
number;they are elected by the village assembly. Their head is the village
chairperson. The village council is the executive arm of the village assembly. It
performs the day-to-day governance activities of the village under the
supervision of the Village Executive Officer (VEO) who is appointed by the
district council.
The following are some of the Functions of the Village Council:
1. Planning and coordinating village activities.
2. Giving assistance and advising the villagers on
developmental matters like agriculture and industry.
3. Encouraging village residents to undertake and
participate in communal enterprises.
4. Proposing by-laws for the village.
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| Village Meeting |
2. THE WARD GOVERNMENT
The ward government is composed of the following:
a) The Ward Development Council
This is the highest organ in the ward. It is comprised
of:
1. The chairperson, who is the ward councilor. The ward
councilor is elected by the people who live in that ward. He or she runs the
office for a period of five years, and may be re-elected. The councilor
represents the ward in the district development council.
2. Chairpersons of all village councils within the ward.
3. The members of the district council who live in the
ward.
4. Civic groups involved in the promotion of development
in the ward, for example, non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Some of the Roles and Functions of the Ward Development Council
include:
1. Developing general plans for the ward.
2. Managing disasters and other environment-related
activities within the ward.
3. Reviewing the proposals for the village councils’ projects
and passing them on for further approval at the district level.
b) Ward Executive Officer
The ward executive officer supervises all developmental
activities in the ward. He or she is appointed and employed by the district
council.
c) Ward Departments
There are different departments in the ward, including:
1. Department of social welfare.
2. Department of health.
3. Department of education.
4. Department of agriculture and livestock.
5. Department of finance.
3. THE DISTRICT COUNCILS
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| Ward Meeting |
3. THE DISTRICT COUNCILS
The district council is composed of:
1. Elected members from each ward in a district.
2. Members of parliament from constituencies within the
district.
3. Three members appointed by the Minister for Local
Government Authorities.
4. One member representing the village councils.
4. One member representing the village councils.
The District
Executive Director (DED). He/she is appointed by the President. He or
she is the secretary to the district council.
The District Council
has the following Committees:
1. District
Development committees.
2. Finance,
administration and planning committee.
3. Economic,
construction and environment committee.
4. Education, health
and water committee.
5. Ethics committee.
The Roles and Functions of District Councils
1. Supervising the
implementation of all plans for economic, commercial, industrial and social development
in the district.
2. Approving by-laws
made by the village councils.
3. Coordinating
plans, projects and programmers for the villages in the district.
4. Providing
environmental protection and management in the district.
5. Promoting the
social welfare and economic well-being of residents.
6. Passing by-laws
applicable in the district.
7. Submitting by-laws
to the regional officer for comments and re-submitting the by laws to the
Minister for Local Government Authorities for approval.
2. URBAN AUTHORITIES
Urban authorities
include town councils, municipal councils and city councils.
1. TOWN COUNCILS
Examples of town
councils in Tanzania are Bukoba, Lindi and Songea. A town council is composed
of:
1. Members elected
from the wards within the town.
2. Members of
Parliament who represent the constituencies within the town.
3. Three members
appointed by the Minister for Local Government Authorities.
Each town council has
a town director who is the chief executive.
2. MUNICIPAL
COUNCILS
These are found in
towns with a population of over 80,000 residents. Tanzanian municipal councils include
Dodoma, Morogoro, Kinondoni, Ilala and Temeke.
A Municipal Council
is Composed of:
1. Members elected
from the ward within the municipality.
2. Members of
Parliament who represent the constituencies within the municipality.
3. Three members
appointed by the Minister for Local Government Authorities.
Officials in Municipalities
are:
1. The mayor, who is
the head of the municipal council and is assisted by the deputy
mayor.The two are
elected from among councilors.
2. A municipal
executive director.He or she is a secretary to the municipal council.
3. The chairperson
and vice-chairperson of the municipality.
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| Urban or Town |
Tanzania currently
has five cities, namely Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Arusha, Tanga and Mbeya. The
city council is composed of:
1. Councilors, one
from each ward in the city.
2. Members
representing constituencies in the city.
3. Members of
Parliament representing constituencies within the city.
4. Six members
appointed by the Minister for Local Government Authorities from among the city
residents.
Officials in the city
council are:
1. The mayor. He or
she is the head of the city council and is assisted by the deputy mayor. A
mayor is elected from among the councilors and stays in office for five years. They
may be re-elected.
2. The city director.
He or she is the chief executive, and is appointed by the President. He or she
is also a secretary to the city council. Urban authorities have committees.
The following are
some of them.
a) Economic affairs,
health and education.
b) Urban planning and
environment.
c) Finance and
administration.
The Roles of Urban Authorities include:
1. Facilitating the
maintenance of peace, order and good governance.
2. Promoting social
welfare and the economic well-being of the local community.
3. Furthering social and economic development of their areas.
4. Taking necessary
measures to suppress crime and protect public and private properties.
5. Regulating and
improving agriculture, trade, commerce and industry.
6. Enhancing the health, education, social
well-being and recreational life of the people.
7. Eradicating
poverty.
The General Functions of Urban Authorities
1. Taking and
requiring the taking of measures for conservation of natural resources, prevention
of soil erosion and prohibition of improper cultivation.
2. Inspecting all
foodstuffs and liquids intended for human consumption and seizing and destroying
the foodstuffs or liquids which are unfit for human consumption.
3. Keeping the
environment clean.
4. Taking measures
aimed at preventing injury to public health.
Functions of Local Government
The establishment of
local government at the district and urban areas aimed at performing various functions
to the people in their specific localities. Local government can perform those
functions as directives from the central government. According to the Tanzania
constitution, the following are the functions of local governments:
1. It performs the
functions of local government within its area
2. It ensures enforcement
of law and public safety
3. It consolidates
democracy within its areas
4. It solves the
problems facing the local people within a particular area
The functions of
local government are divided into two main groups which are: Mandatory
functions and permissive functions.
1. Mandatory Functions are those functions performed by local governments
as directives from the central government. These functions are assigned by the
large country frame work, and are performed according to the national laws, which
include:
a) The maintenance of
law and order
b) Promotion of
social and economic welfare, and wellbeing of all people within the area
c) To collect and
make proper utilization of revenue
d) To make by-laws
for the materials and local policies
e) To make
advancement of social and economic development in accordance with material policy
and plans.
f) To make
consideration, regulation and coordination of projects and plans
2. Permissive Functions are those functions which the local government
may perform depending on the nature of the area, the need and availability of
resources, particularly the fiscal resources. These may include:
a) Building,
equipping and letting of shops and houses
b)
Establishment.maintenance, operating and control of damage and sewage works
c) Building and
maintaining health centers and primary schools
d) Charging fees for
services and licences
Among the aims of
establishing the local government is to bring about social and economic development
in each specific area by involving people from grass-root. To fulfill this,
each one ought to participate in performing various responsibilities, such as
working in the community in support of particular cause; paying required taxes.
Licences and other duties; attending political and community meetings and
monitoring and criticizing local government activities that might against the
law such as corruption and embezzlement of public fund.
Why the Local Government has an Important
Effect on One's Life
The functions of
local government have positive effects on people’s lives. These effects are:
1. Peace, order and
harmony prevail in their localities.
2. Production is
conducted without any interference. The peaceful environment allows people to participate
effectively in economic activities.
3. There is freedom of expression and freedom of
participation in decision-making on matters affecting the society.
4. Local governments encourage democratic participation.
Councilors are elected after every five years. The residents of each area are
free to participate fully in electing their councilors. Thus, people elect the
leaders that they want and remove incompetent leaders through elections.
5. People benefit from what they contribute to the local
government. Residents pay taxes and in turn get services such as education,
garbage collection and health facilities.
6. People are kept informed about the policies of their
local government authorities. As a result, better decisions are made in the
local areas.Sources of local government revenue
Sources of Local Government Revenue
Revenue is also called income. The following are the main
sources of revenue for local government authorities.
1. Rent
Examples of rent are:
a. House rent from council houses.
b. Rent from market stalls.
c. Land rent and service charges.
2. Licenses
A licence is a permit from an authority to carry out an
activity, own or use something. A person can apply for a licence for things
such as:
a. Auctioning
b. Retail trading
c. Fishing
d. Driving
e. Entertainment
3. Duties
Duties are fees paid for certain goods and services.
Examples include:
a. Customs duties, paid on goods brought into the
country.
b. Stamp duty, paid for some legal documents.
c. Excise duties, paid for some goods made, sold or used
within the country.
4. Contributions
Residents living in an area contribute to their local
authority through:
a. Fees under by-laws.
b. Court fines.
c. Paying for the use of community centers.
d. Holding fund raisers for community projects.
5. Grants and loans
These are funds given by the central government and various
local and international agencies to the local government authorities.
How the
Local Government spend its Revenue
Expenditure is the act of spending or using money.
The local government authorities spend money in the
following ways:
1. Salaries, wages and allowances paid to the local
authority officials and employees.
2. Operational costs, for instance telephone, water and
electricity bills.
3. Maintenance of assets, e.g. painting council houses
and updating computer software.
4. Paying consolidated fund services, constitutional
offices and debts.
5. Development expenditure for instance road construction
and maintenance, building schools and clinics.
Control
of Local Governments
Local government falls are under the Prime Minister’s
office where there is a ministry responsible for local government and regional
administration.
The Regional Commissioner is the assistant proper officer
for the district councils, town councils and village councils established
within his or her district.
The Minister for Local Government Authorities and the
Regional Commissioners are empowered to approve the annual budgets of their
respective authorities. In the district, town, municipal and city councils,
there are directors. These directors are accountable for the councils’ funds.
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
The central government is the government which deals with
matters concerning the whole nation. This kind of authority is called central
government because all the power over the country are centered on them. To
exercise its power the central government has different organs which perform different
duties. Ministries and directorates are examples of supporting tools of the
central government.
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| Central Government |
The Structure of the Central Government
According to the constitution of the United Republic of
Tanzania, the central government of Tanzania is made up of the executive,
the parliament and the judiciary. These organs have been
separated so as to:
1. Work cooperatively and facilitate the principle of
checks and balance within the state;
2. Eliminate corruption,
3. Eerve the people;
4. Enhance efficiency and smooth operation of the government;
5. Promote transparency and accountability;
6. Facilitate division of labour and make coordination
and administration easily.
Functions
of the Central Government
The function of the central government can be viewed
through the joint work of the three organs of the state which are executive,
legislature and judiciary.
Difference
between Local and Central Government
Local government can be differentiated from local government
as follows:
1. The authority of local government is exercised at the villages,
wards, district, town, cities and municipal level while central government has
authority to control the whole country.
2. Central government makes by laws for the aim of controlling
a small unit while central government makes laws which govern the whole
country.
3. In local government there is greater chance for citizens
to participate directly in decision making due to the small population compared
to the large area the central government covers. Direct participation by every
person is not possible in the central government.
4. Local governments are made up of village councils,
district councils, town councils, municipal and city councils while the central
government is made of the president, vice president, cabinet and the prime
minister.
5. The administration in the central government is simple to
operate its activities faster because of the size while central government
involves a large area and administration is difficult.
6. Local governments are servants of central government;
since the central government provides orders to the local government, as the
local governments acts as subordinate of the central government.
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| Tanzania Parliament |
Sources
of Central Government Revenue
There are several sources of income in the country. Among
these are:
1. Direct tax- The main form of income tax is direct tax, which is paid by all governmental and private sector employees. It includes monthly payments, interest on investments and profit from other governmental business.
2. Indirect tax- This includes import and export duties
which are known as custom duties. Are good example of indirect tax is the value
added tax (vat) which was introduced in Tanzania in 1998.
3. Domestic loan borrowing: An example of domestic loan
borrowing is the sale of government bonds and treasury bills to the public. The
government also borrows money from external sources such as foreign governments
and institutions, like IMF, World Back and African Development Bank (ADB).
4. Grants: These are
external sources of the central government revenue. They are nonpayable funds.
They are just provided to poor countries as a free assistance.
5. Charges from
provision of the government services: The governments obtain revenue by
charging users of the social public services provided to them like water, electricity
and medical treatments. The government has established the policy of cost sharing
in order to ensure that revenue is realized.
6. Licenses: These
are documents which validate property ownership or someone’s competences. For
that case, a person who wants to conduct any business must pay for it. Also
licenses, such as, driving licenses validate drivers competences. Driving
licenses are normally after every three years.
7. Profit from
estates and public co-operations: The government fully owns some estates or
co-operations while in others, the government the majority shares. As the result
of these, the government receives large shares of the profit made. For example
the government gets profit from TANESCO, NMB, Sisal and Tea estates, just to
mention a few.
8. There are other
sources such as industries, tourism sectors, agriculture sectors and others
which bring foreign currency to the nation.
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| President John Pombe Magufuli [C], Vice President Samia Suluhu [L], Hassan and Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa [R]. |
Central Government Expenditure
The revenue collected
by the central government is used in different ways in order to enhance development
of the society.
1. It is used in
promoting social services such as Education and Health services. For example,
the government uses a lot of money in building schools and hospitals in different
parts of the country.
2. The government
uses its fund in the process of improving transport systems such as construction
of roads. These process make the government pat companies which are involved in
the construction and the materials needed in the construction process.
3. Other funds are
used to help disadvantaged groups such as orphans, widows, refugees, the
disabled and the aged.
4. The government
uses its fund to buy different needs, such as, stationery materials like pens,
pencils and exercise books for people and students in schools.
5. Also the
government uses its income to pay internal and external debts.
6. The government
uses its revenue to pay workers salaries and other charges like leaves, on
transit and housing.
7. In agricultural
sector, farmers are provided subsides to help them improve its farming activities.Political
parties which have parliamentary seats in the national assembly and counselors
in local councils are also given subsides.
THE UNION BETWEEN TANGANYIKA AND ZANZIBAR
Tanganyika and
Zanzibar united in 26th April, 1964. This led to the formation of The United
Republic of Tanzania. The article of the union was ratified by the Act of 1964
of the parliament of Tanzania, called the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar Act
of 1964.
 |
President
of Tanganyika Hon. Mwl.Julius K. Nyerere left exchanging Union documents with
Zanzibar President Hon.Abeid A. Karume, April 1964
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The Reasons for the Union of Tanganyika and
Zanzibar
1. People of
Tanganyika and Zanzibar experience similar culture and historical experience.
2. They had similar
culture aspects such as Kiswahili language, dancing and building styles.
3. They were involved
in similar economic activities, For example trade before and after colonialism.
Both African states suffered and experienced similar problems of colonial domination.
4. Security and
defense to protect these two countries from being invaded by external enemies.
The nature and location these two countries could create conducive environmental
for enemies to destruct peace and security.
5. To consolidate
cooperation and integration of people who lives in these two countries.
6. To avoid expansion
of capitalism into Zanzibar. This is because capitalism was a threat to these
two socialist countries, and the two were forced to join.
7. The spirit of
Africanism was another threat for the union. The proponents of the union were
influenced by Pan- Africanism. One among of the important goals of Pan
Africanism was unity for all Africans. In the name of fulfilling this goal, it
led to the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
Importance of the Union between Tanganyika
and Zanzibar
1. To facilitate free
movement of people from one part of the Union to another, especially after
removing the carrying of passport. This increases the contact of the people
between the two parts hence consolidating their brotherhood. To enhance
cooperation in economic activities. People from any part of the union can
conduct trading activities freely. The union expands the market for the goods
produced in the region.
2. To distribute the
wealth due to existing natural resources: Each part has been benefiting from
natural resources existing in any part of the nation. For example,
hydro-electric power produced in the mainland benefit both sides of the nation.
3. Identity of
African countries’ unity possibility. The union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar is good
example that can be considered uniting Africa. It shows success in fulfilling
the dreams and desire of black people. The Union has succeeding in creating
strong Army and other state instruments which have responsibility to maintaine
peace, defense and
security.
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| Mwalimu Julius Nyerere mixes the soils of Tanganyika and Zanzibar in a pot to symbolise the Union the two independent countries decided to form on April 26, 1964. |
Union Matters in the Government of United
Republic of Tanzania
After the formation
of the Union, there were matters referred to as union matters. These matters are
twenty two as shown below.
1. The constitution
and the government of the united republic of Tanzania
2. Foreign affairs
and international cooperation (external affairs)
3. Defense and
security
4. Police force
5. Power to declare a
state of emergency
6. Citizenship
7. Immigration
8. External trade and
borrowing
9. Public services
for united republic
10. Income tax,
Customs and excise duties
11. Harbours, air
craft, posts and telegrams
12. Financial
matters, legal tenders and currency
13. Industrial
licenses
14. Higher education
15. Mineral
resources, including petroleum and natural gas
16. National
examination council and all matters relating to the council
17. Aviation and air
transport
18. Research
19. Meteorological
matters
20. Statistics
21. Court of appeal
of the United Republic
22. Registration of
political parties and other matters relating to political parties.
Non-Union Matters
These are matters
looked after by specific government apart from the union government. These include
all matters which are not mentioned above. Among of the non-union matters are:
1. Local government
matters
2. Road maintenance
and travel
3. Agriculture,
livestock, fisheries and other means of livelihood
4. Trade and small
scale industries
5. Prison
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| President Julius Nyerere and his Zanzibar counterpart Abeid Amani Karume wave to the people from an open car during celebrations of the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. |
Challenges of the Union
Although the union
between Tanganyika and Zanzibar has existed for long, there are some challenges
facing the union. For example,
1. Commodities bought
in Zanzibar are taxed in Tanzania main land. This is because custom duties in
Zanzibar are considered to be less compared to that of mainland.
2. Some politicians
demand for the presence of three governments - Tanganyika, Zanzibar and the
Union government while others want to remain with only one government of The
United Republic of Tanzania.
Strategies for Improving the Union's
Stability
In order to
strengthen the union, different strategies should be employed for the welfare
of the entire nation in Tanzania. The following are some of the strategies
which would enhance the unity between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
1. We should
consolidate cooperation in cultural affairs such as sports and games by introducing
the union cup. There should be encouragement in trade between the people of Tanzania main land and Zanzibar
2. Free movement of people within the member countries must
be ensured. This will make people to feel that they are together in the same country
and consider themselves as relatives.
3. The presence of a ministry in the president’s office to
deal with the union should maintain fairness and justice. Leaders of the both
sides of the union should frequently and seriously meet and discuss different
issues regarding the central government.
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| Julius Nyerere and Abeid Karume inspecting the parade |
Function of President
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