We ought not tolerate unethical public servants

 In February last year the Health ministry   suspended four   directors   for alleged misuse of   1.5 billion/.According to the ministry the suspended directors include procurement director,   zonal service and customers' director,   financial and planning director   and the supply director.  

 The officials were allegedly to had  breached public procurement procedures by awarding a contract for repair and maintenance of vehicles  to garages that were neither registered nor qualified for the work.

We should not    tolerate unethical public servants in both the central and local governments.We should as well caution  public servants across the government against engaging themselves in corruption and embezzlement of public funds because their days were numbered.

At this juncture we ought to briefly define functions and  responsibilities of  our local governments in the country. Local governments refer  collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state. The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or (where appropriate) federal government. "Local government" only acts within powers delegated to it by legislation or directives of the higher level of government.  

Common names for local government entities include state, province, region, department, county, prefecture, district, city, township, town, borough, parish, municipality, shire and village.

For administrative purposes, Tanzania is divided into 31 regions. More than 99 districts have been created to further increase local authority. These districts are also now referred to as local government authorities. Currently there are more than 114 councils operating in  more  than 99 districts. 

The mainland Tanzania has a long history of functioning local government, starting with the Native Authorities Ordinance in 1926. The reintroduction of the local government occurred in the beginning of the 1980s   when the rural councils and rural authorities were re-established. Following the liberalisation of the political field, was a major public sector reform, which included a Local government Reform Programme (LGRP). The LGRP covered four areas: political decentralisation, financial decentralisation, administrative decentralisation and changed central-local relations, with the mainland government having over-riding powers within the framework of the Constitution.

  Local governments aims to promote democratic, accountable and autonomous local government authorities, with wide discretionary powers and a strong financial base.  

All local government authorities are mandated to play three main functions including maintenance of law, order and good governance; promotion of economic and social welfare of the people in their jurisdiction;   ensuring effective and equitable delivery of qualitative and quantitative services to the people within their areas of jurisdiction;

In addition to the basic functions, all local governments are charged with   other functions and duties, as follows: Formulation, coordination and supervision of the implementation of all plans for economic, industrial and social development in their areas of jurisdiction; monitoring and controlling the performance of duties and functions of the council and its staff; ensuring the collection and proper utilisation of the revenues of the council; making by-laws applicable throughout their areas of jurisdiction, and considering and improving by-laws made by village councils within their areas of jurisdiction; ensuring, regulating and coordinating development plans, projects and programmes of villages and township authorities within their areas of jurisdiction; regulating and monitoring the collection and utilization of revenue of village councils and township authorities.