Abstract:
The study focuses on the civic competence of one category of civil society organizations at the
grassroots, namely community-based organisations (CBOs). The mushrooming of CBOs in
Tanzania is a result of the economic and political pluralism which emerged in the country from the
mid 1980s and early 1990s. The theme of the study is premised on the assumption that CBOs are
informed and driven by the quest for democratic governance practice. Thus, it was expected that
CBOs would play a major role in influencing local governance processes. The thesis is based on a
study of twenty four CBOs in two districts in rural Tanzania. In addition, forty eight local
government officials who interact with the CBOs were consulted. Actions of CBOs meant to exert
a consequential influence were treated as the independent variable while grassroots structures of
governance and resulting responses to CBO influences were considered the dependent variable.
This was a field survey study. The research methodology used both qualitative and quantitative
methods and techniques of data collection. The sampling procedure was based on probabilistic
sampling undertaken within stratified sampling. On data-analysis procedures, qualitative data was
manipulated manually through content analysis, while quantitative data was analysed using the
SPSS program to produce descriptive statistics.
Our hypothesis that CBO competence in local governance processes is weak was confirmed by the
study. Research findings reveal that the political context is the most influential factor in CBO civic
competence; secondly, that civic competence is inevitably political, and is explained by political
context, thus making CBO impact in local governance processes more complex and problematic
in emerging democracies like Tanzania. It is recommended therefore that as Tanzanian government
policies and laws formally recognize CBOs as stakeholders in local governance processes, an
enabling environment should be created and institutionalised.