A revolution in information and communication technology has introduced social media as alternati... more A revolution in information and communication technology has introduced social media as alternative platforms through which political parties can interact with the public. Political parties’ success in using these avenues depends on the online strategies applied. Tanzania has not been an exception in the use of social media as political parties have been using them for political activities. However, little is known regarding the way political parties have established themselves on social media platforms. Using the equalization, normalization, and hybrid perspectives as an analytical framework, this paper examines the status of Tanzania’s political parties in social media. The data obtained through the review of social media pages, key informant interviews and documentary analysis reveal that although political parties have been using social media for political activities, the profile of their social media status is low. The findings further show that social media have not altered th...
This paper reflects on party defection in Tanzania. It shows that since the country's reintroduct... more This paper reflects on party defection in Tanzania. It shows that since the country's reintroduction of multiparty politics in 1992, thereby paving way for the formation of opposition parties, cases of party defection have been common. Election observation reports have often featured defection stories, especially during intraparty nominations. While much is known regarding individuals who defected and the parties they joined, little has been done to reflect on the effects of party defection on political parties and party politics in Tanzania. Based on this gap, this paper highlights factors that have often triggered party defection, namely: limited internal party democracy, personal ambitions, legal frameworks, prospective gains, support to exemplary performance of the government, as well as ideological mismatch. The paper further reflects on the effects of party defection on party politics, and shows that it has had both negative and positive consequences on both the opposition parties and the incumbent party. The paper shows that the opposition has benefited from defectors from the incumbent party who have often contributed to an increase of the opposition's share of presidential votes and the number of parliamentary seats. On the other hand, the paper shows that the ruling party has benefitted from defectors, especially members of parliament whose decision to join the incumbent party has tended to weaken the opposition. The paper also shows that the defection of some influential figures from the ruling party has contributed to reducing internal conflicts and power struggles. It further shows that despite CCM's continued domination of the country's political landscape, some cases of defection have contributed to a relative increase of interparty competition, as was observed during the 2015 elections in which the opposition recorded significant gains. Thus, the observations indicate that defection matters to both the ruling party and the opposition, though at varying levels.
Democracy, Elections, and Constitutionalism in Africa, 2021
This chapter discusses the state of intraparty democracy in Tanzania. It traces the functioning a... more This chapter discusses the state of intraparty democracy in Tanzania. It traces the functioning and management of political parties since the country restored plural politics in 1992 by looking at both the ruling party and the opposition. Intraparty democracy is conceived of in this chapter as a key ingredient in ensuring social stability and harmony as well as the development of political parties. The chapter shows that intraparty democracy across all political parties is limited but that the situation is more disappointing in the case of the opposition. Using the two yardsticks of elections and decision-making, it maintains that limited internal party democracy can be attributed to several factors, including the undue influence of party founders, the dysfunctional nature of party structures, and the limited voice that ordinary members have as a result of their persistent disempowerment by senior leadership. Other factors include the influence of clientelistic networks and the weak...
Since 1995, political parties in Tanzania have been engaging in electoral processes by fielding c... more Since 1995, political parties in Tanzania have been engaging in electoral processes by fielding candidates for elective posts, mobilizing voters and representing constituencies in decision-making bodies. These processes have obliged political parties to nominate candidates to contest for various seats. The manner in which political parties obtain their candidates varies. In that process, it is only the major parties that conduct competitive intraparty nominations. Using several benchmarks such as membership restrictions, selection methods, ethical conduct, conflict management, support mobilization and voices of ordinary members, this paper reveals several democratic deficits. Some of these include; marginalization of special groups and ordinary members, limited/lack of internal party democracy, presence of dysfunctional party structures, preponderance of unethical practices particularly corruption and lack of effective accountability mechanisms. Primaries in Tanzania are thus far fr...
Trade unions have protecting workers ' economic rights as their main responsibility. They ha... more Trade unions have protecting workers ' economic rights as their main responsibility. They have, inter alia, to make sure that workers are paid reasonably in a workers-friendly working environment. It is however not canonical that trade unions should only stick to this role especially under a circumstance where public policies are silent about workers interests. In this context, a political role is inescapable as these unions have to go beyond economism and struggle to democratize the state. This paper therefore looks at whether the reintroduction of liberal politics has improved trade unions ’ ability to influence the state by making it more concerned about workers rights. It is however the view of this paper that the reintroduction of liberal politics in Tanzania has not improved trade unions’ ability to democratize the state for they are still apolitical as they were before liberalization.
While local governments in Tanzania have existed for more than a century, their relationship with... more While local governments in Tanzania have existed for more than a century, their relationship with the central government has been onesided; with the latter surviving at the mercy of the former. Such an imbalanced relationship notwithstanding, numerous interventions seeking to make local governments more autonomous have been introduced but none of them has managed to resolve the situation. This paper posits that the failure of these interventions stems from a flawed formation of local governments devoid of active players to push for autonomy thus granting absolute latitude to the centre to dictate the functioning of local governments. As various measures for ensuring effective functioning of local government continue to be undertaken under the auspices of the central government, parallel measures seeking to increase the voice of other actors at the grassroots need to be given adequate attention. *Lecturer, Dar es Salaam University College of Education, E-mail: babeiyae@yahoo.co.uk
Since the era of colonialism to date, Tanzania has been practicing representation—a key democrati... more Since the era of colonialism to date, Tanzania has been practicing representation—a key democratization pillar. Throughout this period, the question of who is representing who and at what cost continues to feature in political discussions in the country. Nevertheless, of all periods that representation has passed through, the represented seem to have always been at a disadvantage. This is particularly so due to an absence of effective accountability mechanisms for ensuring that the representatives remain accountable to the electorate. The represented have been the victims of a control triangle that started during the colonial era when they had limited influence on the functioning of legislative council. Even after independence, the new government usurped the powers of the electorate on the grounds of nation-building and consolidation of socialism. Electorate’s subject stature has persevered even under liberalism as their pre-supposed powers and influence are diluted through a surfei...
This paper reflects on citizens’ participation in local governments in Tanzania. Using documentar... more This paper reflects on citizens’ participation in local governments in Tanzania. Using documentary review, it ponders on the efforts being taken to ensure that the citizens effectively participate in decision-making in local governments. Attention is specifically directed at exploring the position of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in fostering participatory decision-making by drawing experience from various studies on citizens’ participation in local government authorities. In examining the efficacy of the studies on participation that have been undertaken since Tanzania embarked on local government reforms, it observes that both the policy makers and researchers have accorded limited attention to the role of ICTs in facilitating inclusive decision-making at the grassroots. The paper shows that these actors have continued to focus on physical interactions rather than looking at other platforms for interactions such as e-participation and the extent to which ICTs a...
This paper adopts a historical approach to assess the efficacy of public planning in transforming... more This paper adopts a historical approach to assess the efficacy of public planning in transforming rural livelihood in Tanzania, one of the engagements of Sam Maghimbi. Based on documentary reviews we examine the various national plans specifically aimed at transforming rural livelihood since 1961 to the present with a view of interrogating the impact they have had in transforming the lives of majority Tanzanians who live in rural areas. The paper argues that although there are notable achievements in such aspects as social services provision stemming from the execution of these plans, the national planning has notsignificantly transformed the lives of the rural population in Tanzania largely due to, among others, external resource dependency, short-termism orientation, top-down approach, contradiction between policy intentions and practice, over ambitiousness in the planning process and inadequate sectoral inter-linkages. Basing on these weaknesses, this paper calls for a new thinki...
Introduction When Tanzania got her independence in 1961 from the British colonial rule it faced a... more Introduction When Tanzania got her independence in 1961 from the British colonial rule it faced a lot of socio-economic, political and administrative challenges. It was therefore upon the new government to make sure that these problems were effectively dealt with. The government thus embarked on formulating various policies and programmes to overcome these challenges. Eventually, strong socio-economic, political and administrative decisions were made. For instance, the new government introduced various policies such as africanization, nationalization, villagization and agricultural and rural development-related policies just to mention some. Following the formulation of these policies, the next intricate phase was that of implementing them. Implementing these policies resulted into both positive and negative outcomes. For instance, with Ujamaa villages it was easy for the government to provide social services such as water and health services to the people as it brought together sca...
African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, 2016
On 9th December, 2011 Tanzania celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence. This was later fo... more On 9th December, 2011 Tanzania celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence. This was later followed by the anniversary on 26th April, 2014 of a diamond jubilee for the union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar which led to the birth of the United Republic of Tanzania. During these celebrations, there was what seemed to be the popular view that Tanzania needed a new constitution for the next 50 years. It was on the basis of this recognition that the country embarked on the process of making that constitution whose ending through a referendum is in limbo. Using ten labels to discuss the involvement of various actors in the process, this study shows that elitism was predominant thus making the role of other actors, particularly the general public, seasonal and insignificant. The study further shows that while the proposed new constitution ought to have reflected the interests of various constituencies for legitimacy purposes, parochial and partisan interests (orchestrated by elites) e...
A revolution in information and communication technology has introduced social media as alternati... more A revolution in information and communication technology has introduced social media as alternative platforms through which political parties can interact with the public. Political parties’ success in using these avenues depends on the online strategies applied. Tanzania has not been an exception in the use of social media as political parties have been using them for political activities. However, little is known regarding the way political parties have established themselves on social media platforms. Using the equalization, normalization, and hybrid perspectives as an analytical framework, this paper examines the status of Tanzania’s political parties in social media. The data obtained through the review of social media pages, key informant interviews and documentary analysis reveal that although political parties have been using social media for political activities, the profile of their social media status is low. The findings further show that social media have not altered th...
This paper reflects on party defection in Tanzania. It shows that since the country's reintroduct... more This paper reflects on party defection in Tanzania. It shows that since the country's reintroduction of multiparty politics in 1992, thereby paving way for the formation of opposition parties, cases of party defection have been common. Election observation reports have often featured defection stories, especially during intraparty nominations. While much is known regarding individuals who defected and the parties they joined, little has been done to reflect on the effects of party defection on political parties and party politics in Tanzania. Based on this gap, this paper highlights factors that have often triggered party defection, namely: limited internal party democracy, personal ambitions, legal frameworks, prospective gains, support to exemplary performance of the government, as well as ideological mismatch. The paper further reflects on the effects of party defection on party politics, and shows that it has had both negative and positive consequences on both the opposition parties and the incumbent party. The paper shows that the opposition has benefited from defectors from the incumbent party who have often contributed to an increase of the opposition's share of presidential votes and the number of parliamentary seats. On the other hand, the paper shows that the ruling party has benefitted from defectors, especially members of parliament whose decision to join the incumbent party has tended to weaken the opposition. The paper also shows that the defection of some influential figures from the ruling party has contributed to reducing internal conflicts and power struggles. It further shows that despite CCM's continued domination of the country's political landscape, some cases of defection have contributed to a relative increase of interparty competition, as was observed during the 2015 elections in which the opposition recorded significant gains. Thus, the observations indicate that defection matters to both the ruling party and the opposition, though at varying levels.
Democracy, Elections, and Constitutionalism in Africa, 2021
This chapter discusses the state of intraparty democracy in Tanzania. It traces the functioning a... more This chapter discusses the state of intraparty democracy in Tanzania. It traces the functioning and management of political parties since the country restored plural politics in 1992 by looking at both the ruling party and the opposition. Intraparty democracy is conceived of in this chapter as a key ingredient in ensuring social stability and harmony as well as the development of political parties. The chapter shows that intraparty democracy across all political parties is limited but that the situation is more disappointing in the case of the opposition. Using the two yardsticks of elections and decision-making, it maintains that limited internal party democracy can be attributed to several factors, including the undue influence of party founders, the dysfunctional nature of party structures, and the limited voice that ordinary members have as a result of their persistent disempowerment by senior leadership. Other factors include the influence of clientelistic networks and the weak...
Since 1995, political parties in Tanzania have been engaging in electoral processes by fielding c... more Since 1995, political parties in Tanzania have been engaging in electoral processes by fielding candidates for elective posts, mobilizing voters and representing constituencies in decision-making bodies. These processes have obliged political parties to nominate candidates to contest for various seats. The manner in which political parties obtain their candidates varies. In that process, it is only the major parties that conduct competitive intraparty nominations. Using several benchmarks such as membership restrictions, selection methods, ethical conduct, conflict management, support mobilization and voices of ordinary members, this paper reveals several democratic deficits. Some of these include; marginalization of special groups and ordinary members, limited/lack of internal party democracy, presence of dysfunctional party structures, preponderance of unethical practices particularly corruption and lack of effective accountability mechanisms. Primaries in Tanzania are thus far fr...
Trade unions have protecting workers ' economic rights as their main responsibility. They ha... more Trade unions have protecting workers ' economic rights as their main responsibility. They have, inter alia, to make sure that workers are paid reasonably in a workers-friendly working environment. It is however not canonical that trade unions should only stick to this role especially under a circumstance where public policies are silent about workers interests. In this context, a political role is inescapable as these unions have to go beyond economism and struggle to democratize the state. This paper therefore looks at whether the reintroduction of liberal politics has improved trade unions ’ ability to influence the state by making it more concerned about workers rights. It is however the view of this paper that the reintroduction of liberal politics in Tanzania has not improved trade unions’ ability to democratize the state for they are still apolitical as they were before liberalization.
While local governments in Tanzania have existed for more than a century, their relationship with... more While local governments in Tanzania have existed for more than a century, their relationship with the central government has been onesided; with the latter surviving at the mercy of the former. Such an imbalanced relationship notwithstanding, numerous interventions seeking to make local governments more autonomous have been introduced but none of them has managed to resolve the situation. This paper posits that the failure of these interventions stems from a flawed formation of local governments devoid of active players to push for autonomy thus granting absolute latitude to the centre to dictate the functioning of local governments. As various measures for ensuring effective functioning of local government continue to be undertaken under the auspices of the central government, parallel measures seeking to increase the voice of other actors at the grassroots need to be given adequate attention. *Lecturer, Dar es Salaam University College of Education, E-mail: babeiyae@yahoo.co.uk
Since the era of colonialism to date, Tanzania has been practicing representation—a key democrati... more Since the era of colonialism to date, Tanzania has been practicing representation—a key democratization pillar. Throughout this period, the question of who is representing who and at what cost continues to feature in political discussions in the country. Nevertheless, of all periods that representation has passed through, the represented seem to have always been at a disadvantage. This is particularly so due to an absence of effective accountability mechanisms for ensuring that the representatives remain accountable to the electorate. The represented have been the victims of a control triangle that started during the colonial era when they had limited influence on the functioning of legislative council. Even after independence, the new government usurped the powers of the electorate on the grounds of nation-building and consolidation of socialism. Electorate’s subject stature has persevered even under liberalism as their pre-supposed powers and influence are diluted through a surfei...
This paper reflects on citizens’ participation in local governments in Tanzania. Using documentar... more This paper reflects on citizens’ participation in local governments in Tanzania. Using documentary review, it ponders on the efforts being taken to ensure that the citizens effectively participate in decision-making in local governments. Attention is specifically directed at exploring the position of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in fostering participatory decision-making by drawing experience from various studies on citizens’ participation in local government authorities. In examining the efficacy of the studies on participation that have been undertaken since Tanzania embarked on local government reforms, it observes that both the policy makers and researchers have accorded limited attention to the role of ICTs in facilitating inclusive decision-making at the grassroots. The paper shows that these actors have continued to focus on physical interactions rather than looking at other platforms for interactions such as e-participation and the extent to which ICTs a...
This paper adopts a historical approach to assess the efficacy of public planning in transforming... more This paper adopts a historical approach to assess the efficacy of public planning in transforming rural livelihood in Tanzania, one of the engagements of Sam Maghimbi. Based on documentary reviews we examine the various national plans specifically aimed at transforming rural livelihood since 1961 to the present with a view of interrogating the impact they have had in transforming the lives of majority Tanzanians who live in rural areas. The paper argues that although there are notable achievements in such aspects as social services provision stemming from the execution of these plans, the national planning has notsignificantly transformed the lives of the rural population in Tanzania largely due to, among others, external resource dependency, short-termism orientation, top-down approach, contradiction between policy intentions and practice, over ambitiousness in the planning process and inadequate sectoral inter-linkages. Basing on these weaknesses, this paper calls for a new thinki...
Introduction When Tanzania got her independence in 1961 from the British colonial rule it faced a... more Introduction When Tanzania got her independence in 1961 from the British colonial rule it faced a lot of socio-economic, political and administrative challenges. It was therefore upon the new government to make sure that these problems were effectively dealt with. The government thus embarked on formulating various policies and programmes to overcome these challenges. Eventually, strong socio-economic, political and administrative decisions were made. For instance, the new government introduced various policies such as africanization, nationalization, villagization and agricultural and rural development-related policies just to mention some. Following the formulation of these policies, the next intricate phase was that of implementing them. Implementing these policies resulted into both positive and negative outcomes. For instance, with Ujamaa villages it was easy for the government to provide social services such as water and health services to the people as it brought together sca...
African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, 2016
On 9th December, 2011 Tanzania celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence. This was later fo... more On 9th December, 2011 Tanzania celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence. This was later followed by the anniversary on 26th April, 2014 of a diamond jubilee for the union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar which led to the birth of the United Republic of Tanzania. During these celebrations, there was what seemed to be the popular view that Tanzania needed a new constitution for the next 50 years. It was on the basis of this recognition that the country embarked on the process of making that constitution whose ending through a referendum is in limbo. Using ten labels to discuss the involvement of various actors in the process, this study shows that elitism was predominant thus making the role of other actors, particularly the general public, seasonal and insignificant. The study further shows that while the proposed new constitution ought to have reflected the interests of various constituencies for legitimacy purposes, parochial and partisan interests (orchestrated by elites) e...
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Papers by Edwin Babeiya