It has become a laborious task for analysts to try to explain the meaning behind several of Tanzania’s government reshuffles due to the frequency of these changes.
Some of the reasons given by the President on these frequent changes include: addressing laxity within the government; axing those who were eying prematurely for the presidency; and tension between individuals in the government.
In some cases, the President insisted on the importance of confidentiality and understanding leadership boundaries. Some recent reshuffles were linked to the election preparations, but today the President said the latest changes which were announced on March 31, 2024, are just part of the normal government business.
The reshuffle saw Joyce Ndalichako being dropped from the cabinet with Deputy Minister Deogratius Ndenjembi promoted as the Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Youth, Employment & Persons with Disability).
Zainab Katimba became Deputy Minister in the President’s Office of Regional Administration and Local Government Authorities. Daniel Sillo became the Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Home Affairs in the place of Jumanne Sajini, who has been transferred to the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs.
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Ms. Maryprisca Mahundi was transferred from serving as Water Deputy Minister to Deputy Minister in the Ministry for Information, Communication, and Information Technology. Kundo Mathew from the ICT Ministry now serving as Deputy Minister for Water.
Several of the Permanent Secretaries alongside Regional Commissioners were also moved around. Many analysts who spoke to The Chanzo pointed out that the changes might be a sign of a system that is not functioning properly.
Government Efficiency
Some analysts have pointed out that frequent reshuffling does not guarantee efficiency and may ultimately undermine the effectiveness of the institutions served by the appointees.
“If you keep making changes every day, there will be no stability. Nobody will have confidence that they will have enough time to serve,” argued Hebron Mwakagenda, an experienced development expert who serves as the Executive Director of the Tanzania Coalition on Debt and Development (TCDD).
“The possibility of good performance will remain completely absent. They will just be fulfilling political demands,” he added. Mwakagenda admits that the coming election might be the biggest motive for the frequent reshuffling in the government.
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Another analyst, John Kitoka, who has served in various civil societies in the country, pointed out that the frequent changes in the government signal a deep flaw in the appointment system.
He said: “There is a lot of confusion in the government’s mechanism of appointment; it’s not working. If someone has been thoroughly vetted and appointed as a permanent secretary, how is it justifiable to change your mind after only two months?”
“This reshuffling does not increase the performance of the government because you have people who underwent sufficient vetting and were found suitable and capable for a specific sector but after a few months are getting transferred,” he added.
Kitoka aargued that the frequent reshuffles also take a toll on the families of individuals who are moved around, especially from one region or district to another, which can, in turn, hamper their efficiency in their jobs.
Citizens will be affected
While President Samia has explained on many occasions that some of the motivation behind the reshuffle is to enhance the government’s ability to serve people better, some analysts believe this might not ultimately be the result.
READ MORE: Samia Reveals Motivation Behind Recent Govt Shake-up: Putting It Closer to People As Elections Near
The former member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), Pamela Maasay believes these frequent changes end up eroding the institution’s memory leading to the failure of the government to serve people adequately.
“These frequent changes will have serious consequences for the citizens. Because they get leaders, but as soon as these people become familiar with the environment, they are getting removed,” she argued.
Ms.Maasay proposed two solutions for this issue although she admits sometimes changes have to be made because people are not performing. First, she proposes constitutional changes to make some of the posts that require an appointment to be elected position, saying this will increase accountability to the citizens.
Secondly, she proposes that some key positions, such as those in parastatals or Council Director roles, should be advertised for individuals to compete based on merit.
Jackline Kuwanda is a Dodoma-based The Chanzo correspondent. She’s available at Jackline@thechanzo.com.
One Response
When people go to the extent of demonstrating to call for a constitutional change, that is what they are watching. One person cannot be given all these powers and be expected to make all decisions correctly. There has been proposed a new procedure in the Wariobal constitution that would address these anomalies. The government of shivering to implement these for fear of losing power. As an old saying goes: You cannot have your cake after you have eaten it.
These appointments need to be done in a different arrangement and answerability be to authorities close to, but not necessarily in the state house. The role of the Judiciary and parliament is overshadowed by reshuffles of people who in fact should be brought to justice through the judiciary or the Parliament for laxity or inefficiency. To leave all this work to one office, or even one person of the president, is to expect a miracle.
In the coming election, people will decide whether this arrangement will continue or be left so that a different team of minds can lead the government.