MZUMBE UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND

MANAGEMENT
(SOPAM)
NAME : LEORNAD L. NYAKI
REG : 1403073/T.12
COURSE: BLGM II
SUBJECT: PRINCIPLES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
CODE : PUB 229
TASK: INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT.
DUE DATE: 12TH MAY 2014

QUESTION: In not more than five (5) pages discuss with

example any five (5) features of an effective Local
Government.
Local Government is the executive organ created and charged with power and
responsibility to administer local area on behalf of the central government. Or Local
government is the part of the government operating at local level/ deals with local matters of a
particular area.

Local Government is a machinery of government which manages and administers the local
affairs of people at important local levels

In Tanzania according to Local government Act No 7/1982 define local government as an

institution established by law to execute specific functions within the specified area of
jurisdiction; they can be villages, ward, district, town, municipality or city council.

The history of Local Government in Tanzania can be traced back starting from the pre-colonial
period where there were local chiefs and sub-chiefs examples in chagga tribe they were called
Mangi, in Hehe tribe they were called Mtwa, also during colonial era under Germany control
were they abolished chiefdoms and established District Commissioners (DCs) and under the
British colonial control District Commissioners (DCs) was retained they also establish Provincial
Commissioners (PCs) therefore both DCs and PCs goes together, also after the independence
Local Government were established and there were 17 councils in 1961 and rises up to 68 in
1972 and thereafter the sector undertake different reforms example LGRP I(1998-2008) and
LGRP II(2008-2013)

Local government is enshrined to the United Republic of Tanzania constitution article 145 & 146
and it act within the defined area of jurisdiction.

Local Government are found all over the world but Globally they are of two variances which is
Local Government in unitary states where by there is a single central authority example in China
and Tanzania, secondly Local Government in federal states where by there are several sources of
authority example U.S.A and Brazil the local government answers to the state Government.

Despite those variances of Local Government in the global context the effective Local
Governments have their features such as follows:

Their strong focus is on services to the people; Local Government all over the world have
been established to make sure that the councils uses the available scarce resources in meeting the
interests or expectations of the people/local citizens of a particular country therefore since this
level of Government is very close to the people/have direct link with the people it insures that its
operations, decisions and the resources they have are responsible in facilitating in helping people
to meet their daily affairs.

Focus on the citizens’ participations and representatives, local government pursue their
functions of providing services to people by promoting participation. In Tanzania Local
government authorities participations of people is done in making decisions by involving elected
representatives (councilors elected in all wards) this councilors who are elected by their citizens
they play a role of representing them in the whole processes and operations of Local Government
authorities such as making policy decisions, resources allocation and proposing the budget
according to priorities required by the majority. Since the local government operates on behalf of
Central Government the elected councilors also have the role of representing the ideas of their
local citizen in the central Government.

Is a Legal person, Local Government is a legal person since it has its own legal entity that
means it possesses some laws that enable them to sue or to get sued against or by an ordinary
citizen, provincial or central government if it will fail to demonstrate the expected social,
economic services as well as proper financial and material discipline moreover local
Governments can be considered as a legal person in a manner that it have a freedom to borrow
money from different institutions such as Banks not only that but also have power to collect its
own revenues through taxation.

Have autonomy; Local Government are also have their abilities which includes the ability to
make decisions(binding decisions) such as By-Laws which have a legal power on the people,
They also have an ability to make Policy decisions but within the legal stipulated mandates
though their autonomy does not mean that it exceed that of Central Government. For instance the
autonomy of Local Government in Africa is somehow limited since their authorities depended
much on the Central Government this is to say that the authorities of Local Government in
African countries is very much monitored or supervised by the Central Government for example
in administration as well as regulations, they are also given power to make by-laws but Central
Government supervise them to make sure that the legislations made by Local authorities are
proper that they are beneficial to the people and are within the mandate of the council.

Locality/and a specific legal frame-work; Local Government operate in a well and defined
Geographical area, local government does not exist if there are no well and defined boundaries.
Local Government is required to exist/ have its relevance for a particular Geographical area for
example in Tanzania local government authorities are divided into two types which are Rural
Local authorities and Urban Local Authorities in which Rural authority includes Village,
Township and District Authorities; Urban local Authorities includes Town, Municipal and City
councils of which both Rural and Urban Authorities operates in particular geographical area
which have well and defined boundaries while in United Kingdom (UK) there is country council
as well as District council only but each one has its geographical area of operation as well as its
functions example country council mostly provides Public Services, District council covers small
areas and deals with local services.

Therefore those are the five features of Local Government which describes this level of
government such as provision of services to its local citizens such us public services and local
services like schools, health care, transportation, housing, leisure facilities, recycling and trash
collections, focus on citizen participation and representatives through elected members
(councilors), is a legal person which have some power to sue or to get sued against if it failed to
comply with the standards available, have autonomy and also operates in a legal frame work.

TABLE OF CONTECT

 Introduction.
 Meaning of Local Government.
 A little history of Local Government in Tanzania
 Main body.
 Features of effective Local Government.
 Conclusion.
 References.
REFFERENCES

 Humes, S & Martin, E (1961). The structure of Local Government throughout the World.
The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff
 Max, A J. (1991). The development of Local Government in Tanzania. Dar es Salaam
Educational Publishers and distributors Ltd.
 The Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977 as amended from time to
time
 Warioba, M (1999). Management of Local Government in Tanzania. Mzumbe: Research
information and publication Development.