Rural leadership in Tanzania: a study of the processes of selection, recruitment and consolidation

Over 13,000,000 people in Tanzania Mainland live in deliberately planned village. This is a phenomenal achievement. It is in these villages that the nation’s hope for development ultimately lies. Thus it is a matter of great importance and urgency that we understand the micro-level polities that take place in these communities for the simple reason that they greatly affect the macro-level polities of our nation, and vice versa. This study attempts to examine and analyse those processes whereby rural leadership emerges and consolidated itself. It seeks to understand the idiom of genesis and entrenchment in rural leadership not only in Tanzania but in peasant societies as a whole. Chapter IV focuses on the historical, economic and socio-cultural factors that interplay in the identification of leadership potential. It reveals the absolute power of factional conflict in determining future leadership. Chapter V looks at the actual act ( or non-act) of choosing leaders. The findings underline the importance of cultural institutions unique to individual communities in decision-making processes. Chapter VI looks at the diverse ways and means by which, once in power leadership sustain itself. Here the role of external alliances proves to be crucial. The final Chapter discusses the theoretical implications raised in the first two chapters and the empirical observations present in the last three. It then moves on to conclusion and recommendations.