Abstract:
The effectiveness of the Annual Procurement Plan (APP) implementation within Tanzanian Local Government Authorities (LGAs) has raised growing concern. This study aimed to examine the determinants influencing effective APP implementation in Moshi Municipality, with a particular focus on top management support, legal framework, stakeholder engagement, and the moderating role of the e-procurement system. Data were collected from staff in the Procurement Management Unit, Tender Board, Finance Department, and User Departments, key actors responsible for procurement planning and execution, using a cross-sectional research design. Yamane's (1967) formula was applied to determine a sample size of 159 from a population of 265, with 136 respondents participating, yielding an 85.5% response rate. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were employed for questionnaire distribution, while interviews with senior management provided qualitative insights. Data were analysed using Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression in SPSS. Results from Multiple Linear Regression Analysis revealed statistically significant positive influences of top management support (p = 0.000), legal framework (p = 0.001), stakeholder engagement (p = 0.001), and the e-procurement system (p = 0.001) on the effective implementation of the APP. The overall model was statistically significant (p = 0.000), and goodness-of-fit was confirmed by F-values ranging from 92.461 to 602.553. It was concluded that strategic leadership, regulatory compliance, inclusive stakeholder participation, and digital infrastructure are critical for successful APP execution. The study recommends that LGAs and policymakers strengthen managerial oversight, simplify legal tools to facilitate better interpretation, institutionalise stakeholder engagement protocols, and accelerate the adoption of NeST through targeted training and infrastructure investment. These measures are essential to improve procurement transparency, efficiency, and overall public financial management in Tanzanian local governments.
