The evolution of distribution powers in Tanzania: whither parliamentary control of parastatals
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Date
1993
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
This Dissertation deals specifically with the evolution of the distribution of powers between the organs of control in Tanzania. The organs of control under discussion are the Party, the Cabinet, the Presidency and the Parliament. It is contended that the Party as an organ of control has reduced the relative powers of the Parliament as an effective organ of control. This means that as the powers of the Party systematically increased, those of the Parliament were getting reduced almost simultaneously. It is being argued that the Tanzania Parliament has undergone an evolutionary process which over time has made it less and less capable of exerting its control capability over a number of societal issues and particulary the operations of public enterprises in Tanzania, the subject matter of this study. This has been caused by the unbalanced distribution of power between the Party, the Presidency, the Cabinet and the Parliament. We have picked public enterprises as an area of specific scrutiny of the powers of Parliament vis-a-vis the Party so as to evaluate the effectiveness of Parliamentary control over the conduct of parastatal management. It would appear that the Party has asserted its supreme authority over the other organs of control and consequently making it more powerful but less effective in controlling the parastatal operations in Tanzania. A background note to this dissertation appears in Chapter one with a review of important literature trying to relate and focus on the Tanzanian Parliament and its relationship to the other organs of control before and up to the current option of multi-party politics. Chapter two looks into a detailed examination of the episodes of power sharing and transfers between the organs of control namely the Party, the Presidency, the Cabinet and the Parliament. The relationship between the Parliament and public enterprises in Tanzania is examined in Chapter Three. The focus here is on the capability of Parliament to control the activities of public enterprises in Tanzania in the light of constant usurpation of its powers by the Party. Lastly, chapter four examines the effectiveness of the POC on parastatal operations. At this juncture, it is worthwhile noting that while the Party has asserted its authority over the other organs of control, it has remained ineffective in controlling the parastatals and consequently leading to very poor performance by the parastatals.
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Keywords
Politics and Government, Legislative power, Tanzania
Citation
Mbuya, L. J (1993) The evolution of distribution powers in Tanzania: whither parliamentary control of parastatals, Masters dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Available at (http://41.86.178.3/internetserver3.1.2/detail.aspx?parentpriref=)