Premier Pinda tasks RCs, DCs to uphold good governance

By Special Correspondent in Dodoma

Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda has directed all the Regional Commissioners and District Commissioners to ensure that they uphold the principles of good governance by among other things, device mechanisms to ensure that they work with the people and reflect on their own leadership.

Mr. Pinda said that after a sensitization seminar to the RCs and DCs from Africa Union’s governance assessment body-the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Tanzania chapter during the on-going seminars in Dodoma over the week end.

"APRM is assisting us to see what are the views of the people so that we can strengthen where we areperforming well and work upon areas the people have faulted us. As we are still pondering on the institutional framework of the APRM, I would like to advise you to establish your own assessment mechanisms in the regions and district to assess yoursefelf," said Mr. Pinda.

Speaking during the seminar the chairman of APRM Tanzania governing council, Prof. Hasa Mlawa said the regional leaders have a significant role to play in the strengthening of good governance principles because they are close to the people.

“APRM has provided you with feedback of what the people say in terms of governance issues they want you to strengthen and the challenges to be worked upon; we now look forward to seeing you becoming the champions of resolved all the challenges,” said Prof. Mlawa.

Highlighting the findings of APRM report on various governance issues, the APRM Tanzania Executive Secretary, Rehema Twalib said in the democracy area the main issues was the constitution and that due to a number of issues, stakeholders did recommend for an enactment of the new constitution.

“In the economic governance area, we have seen that the economy at national level is growing but poverty eradication is slow. So the recommendations here are that the government should now put in place special programs and policies to effect the trickle down of the benefits of the national economic growth,” she said.

She also highlighted that the report has identified significant development in the healthy, education and other sectors but the main problem remains that of quality and equal access to all. She cited that women are still not fully involved in the development agenda.

“APRM is like a mirror that helps us to see ourselves where we are and what we have achieved in terms of ensuring democratic leadership and good governance and economic development in our countries.

“It is against this truth that we are more than ready to implement your recommendations when the right time comes,” said the President. The Review team left Dar es Salaam on 23 March after three weeks of consultations with both state and non-state actors in Tanzania.

Tanzania which joined the process in 2004 is currently among 30 out of 54 African countries participating in the APRM process which is repeated every after four years The major areas of the APRM research are democracy and political governance; economic management; corporate governance and socio-economic development.