By The Citizen Reporter
The directives issued by President Samia Suluhu Hassan in Dodoma on Monday when opening the election meeting of the Association of Local Authorities of Tanzania (Alat) are welcome.
In her speech, the Head of State directed local authorities across the country to stamp out embezzlement of public funds that is now synonymous with the bodies.
The directives were aimed at emphasizing accountability, transparency, civic participation and consultation in project planning and implementation.
President Hassan sent out a clear message that she would not tolerate financial malpractice in local authorities.
In a way, she gave delegates to the meeting a key lesson on decentralisation. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) defines decentralisation as measures that transfer a range of powers, responsibilities and resources from central government to subnational governments, defined as legal entities elected by universal suffrage and having some degree of autonomy.
According to the OECD, decentralisation can strengthen citizen participation in government by bringing governments closer to citizens, and by making governments more accessible.
It means that local authorities must strive to ensure that ordinary citizens are empowered through provision of quality, timely and adequate social services.
This must be done with the involvement of the people through planning, innovation and active engagement.
So, when decentralisation is properly implemented, it motivates subordinates, enhances growth and diversification, brings about efficient communication, allows ease of expansion, leads to better supervision and control, opens doors for satisfaction of human needs, and eases the pressure on the central government.
It is time Alat leaders and stakeholders heeded the call by President Hassan, and ensure that there is efficiency in issuing SME loans and provision of social services. Accountability should be the norm rather than the exception in the day-to-day operations of local authorities.
MEN KEY TO FAMILY PLANNING
Reports that men in Kigoma Region have responded positively to calls for their active participation in family planning are heartening. This is pleasant news, bearing in mind that the use of various family planning methods has for many years been very low in the region.
Actually, this is a nationwide trend, which explains Tanzania’s rapid population growth. People are still having children they can hardly look after, with the situation being particularly alarming in rural areas, where it is not uncommon for women to give birth almost every year for several years. Some women bear children continuously until it is no longer possible to do so.
The main culprits in this sad state of affairs are not women, but men. Many women are intimidated by their spouses into not using any form of contraceptive. There are cases where women have been severely beaten, and even maimed by their partners for attending family planning clinics without their permission. This is what makes the Kigoma development remarkable.
Women may be the ones undergoing the rigours of pregnancy and childbirth, but men are key to couples having families they can look after. Men in Kigoma have shown that this is possible.
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