The role of governance practices on local government authorities’ services delivery, experience from health and education services in Dodoma region, Tanzania

Abstract

Governance is the mechanisms, processes and institutions through which citizens or groups articulate their interests and exercise their legal rights. It is a mechanism that help citizens to meet their obligations, mediate the differences and promote key services delivery in their jurisdictions particularly LGAs. With undeniable reality on improved services delivery in LGAs, the integrated village and Mtaa (Mtaa) committee members’ participation mechanisms accountability and transparency are outdated. Thus, the study was conducted in Local government authorities of Dodoma city, Chamwino and Kongwa District Councils to examine the effects of transparency in LGAs service delivery, determine the effects of accountability on ensuring LGAs service delivery, examine the impact of village and Mtaa (Mtaa) committee members’ participation towards influencing LGAs service delivery and determine institutional arrangement factors influencing service delivery in LGAs. Cross sectional research design was adopted, whereby sample size was 399 and a multistage sampling technique was used to get accurate representative sample size. In wards and villages, a simple random sampling was used to select respondents. Questionnaire was a main tool and it was supported with key informant interview guide and desk review for secondary data. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis while stereotype logistics regression (SL), ordered logistic regression and structural equation modeling were among quantitative analysis techniques employed. Stereotype logistic regression modal results found that the contribution of transparency is minimal in LGAs services delivery. Using ordered regression, the results show that accountability is statistically significant towards services delivery. Moreover, using SL regression model, results revealed that each aspect was indicated by the observed negative significance of village council and Mtaa member’s participation in relation to the LGAs' service delivery, structural equation model (SEM) found that institutional arrangement had a positive relationship effect on LGAs services delivery at 84% whereby, by-laws, acts and policies were 86%, 0.86.4% and 90%, respectively. The major concern for low transparency in LGAs might be inadequate chain of command in the Tanzania LGAs framework. I addition, low level of communication technology is used in most local government authorities in Tanzania and it is associated with limited transparency and low accountability. Furthermore, absence of stakeholders’ engagement plan xiii weakened stakeholders’ participation in LGAs services delivery and good compliance with institutional arrangements increased the propensity of LGAs to serve the citizens in an efficient manner. Therefore, regulatory framework should be adjusted to ensure LGAs officials are more transparent in delivering day to day services. Further, there is a need of ICT innovation in LGAs setting for effective transparency and improved services delivery. Additional, engagement plans should be designed to ensure sustainable service delivery in the LGAs, unlike the traditional approaches used mainly in villages and Mtaa assembly