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The Myth of Administrative Decentralization in the Context of Centralized Human Resources Recruitment in Tanzania

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  • Mrutu Lukio Lawrence
  • Stella Kinemo

Abstract

Tanzania is implementing the decentralization by devolution policy (D by D) as a mechanism of facilitating quick development process through the involvement of people from grass root levels. One of the areas for decentralization is administrative decentralization whereby local government authorities are regarded as autonomous organs when it comes to management of human resources from hiring to firing. However, recently from 2009, the government decided to establish a new centralized recruitment system, which recruits and allocates human resources on behalf of local government authorities and other government institutions. Several reasons have been advocated in favour of these changes like to facilitate uniformity and lack of meritocracy by the local government authorities. Using secondary data, this paper attempts to show how the establishment of centralized recruitment in Tanzania has acted as a thorn towards the full attainment of administrative decentralization. The paper ends by concluding that centralized recruitment has not only weakened local authorities in implementing D by D policy but it has left a lacuna in the real meaning of D by D policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Mrutu Lukio Lawrence & Stella Kinemo, 2019. "The Myth of Administrative Decentralization in the Context of Centralized Human Resources Recruitment in Tanzania," Journal of Public Administration and Governance, Macrothink Institute, vol. 9(1), pages 209-218, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:mth:jpag88:v:9:y:2019:i:1:p:209-218
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Varsha Venugopal & Serdar Yilmaz, 2010. "Decentralization in Tanzania: An assessment of local government discretion and accountability," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 30(3), pages 215-231, August.
    2. Sajjad Ali Khan, 2013. "Decentralization and Poverty Reduction: A Theoretical Framework for Exploring the Linkages," International Review of Public Administration, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(2), pages 145-172, August.
    3. Ribot, Jesse C. & Agrawal, Arun & Larson, Anne M., 2006. "Recentralizing While Decentralizing: How National Governments Reappropriate Forest Resources," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(11), pages 1864-1886, November.
    4. Falleti, Tulia G., 2005. "A Sequential Theory of Decentralization: Latin American Cases in Comparative Perspective," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 99(3), pages 327-346, August.
    5. Lukio Lawrence Mrutu & Adam Othaman Ngowi, 2016. "How centralized recruitment influence employee’s turnover in Tanzania Local Government Authorities: Experience from Moshi Municipal Council," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 6(9), pages 334-343, September.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    decentralization; administrative decentralization; centralized recruitment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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