Abstract:
Accountability as a concept as per the Tanzania's central and Local Governments
Authorities (LGA's) literally means the LGAs measure of compliance to
government set guidelines and rules for financial, administrative and policy
implementation as opposed to the public demand for accessibility to information,
priority setting, peoples participation, public services and decision making. The
practical evidence of failing development projects and programmes, deepening
poverty, socio-economic inequalities and gender injustices present strong
challenges, especially for initiatives under 'traditional' government approaches,
resulting in demands for the rethinking of development. The current study mainly
aimed at determining whether LGA's were socially accountable to their residents'
thus contributing topoverty reduction. Specifically, the study aimed at assessing
the LGA's budgetary allocation and utilization to the sectors of agriculture, health,
education and infrastructure, which are important areas for poverty reduction.
In collaboration with localpeople and their organizations and community groups,
CSOs have been able to collect and analyze Council information deducting
inefficiencies, lack of capacities, financial mismanagement; fund misuse,
underutilization and under expenditures mostly on the development budget. These
are some of the key indicators of lack of social accountability of the councils to
the people they are supposed to serve. On the other hand, some Councils have
indicated their willingness to account to localpeoples' concerns while addressing
shortfalls and lack of capacity to implement what is expected of their dues.
