Minister Simbachawene Punch Holes In Public Service Sector Delivery -

The existing challenges in the public service sector in Tanzania, among others, include poor use of power, nepotism and gender violence

By Senior Reporter VALENTINE OFORO

THE public service sector in Tanzania is faced by numerous unprofessional factors perpetuated by some of its practitioners, the situation which weakens its performance.

According to the Minister in the President’s Office(Public Service Management and Good Governance), Mr George Simbachawene, the existing abnormalities in the vital sector, among others, include poor use of power, nepotism and gender violence.

In his remarks yesterday at the opening of a meeting pitting the Heads of Human Resources and Administration departments in the public service, Minister Simbachawene said some of Heads in the public service are handling their daily roles in discordant to the set regulations.

The three – day meeting also attracted regional secretariat, local government authorities, independent departments as well as institutions, public entities and government Agencies.

During the meeting, Minister Simbachawene lashed out at some of the Heads of public institutions who are refusing to accept the new servants that are being employed, or relocated to their offices.

“It is very shameful that some Heads of public institutions are embracing a shoddy habit of seeking to employ the servants out of their own interests,” he said.

He insisted, nepotism and tribalism must be uprooted to ensure the sector recruits the servants with the needed merits.

“Experience shows that in the public institutions, some officers are keen to employ the staff of their own choice due to fear of losing their position, especially when the new servants are highly educated,” he said.

He noted that the sector plays a key role in fostering the metamorphosis of development in the country, urged the participants to deliver services in a more mature manner.

“For instance, in some institutions there’s favoritism when it comes to issuance of traveling permissions due to allowances,” he said.

He directed the Chief Secretary in the public service to no longer accept requests on extension of service contracts, except in special cases.

” Some senior servants are growing the tendency of seeking for extension of service contracts when hitting their retiring periods, this is not patriotic as there are hundreds of youths with merits to serve the public ,” he said.

He cautioned the Heads of Administration and Human Resources not to be ‘arm-twisted’ by their bosses to violate any regulations.

“You must adhere to all regulations of the public service, especially in the recruitment area,” he challenged them.

He insisted that the officers, Heads of Administration and Human Resources departments, must make good use of the Digital systems that have been developed by the government to ensure effective human resources supervision in the public service.

These, according to him incorporate e-Watumishi, e-Uhamisho, e-Utendaji,e-Mrejesho and HR Assessment.

He said the government, through his ministry was working to ensure the public institutions remain the professional roofs where all servants receive their statutory rights without any bias.

“The government is implementing the public service vision for 2050, which among others, seeks to perfect the performance of the sector,” he informed.

He called the officers to ensure for check and balance, as well as openness in the recruitment in the public service sector.

Held under the theme of “Supervision of the Policy and Public Service Laws through the systems of Human Resources and Improved Digital Systems,” the three -days meeting among others, incorporates key discussions on preparations for salaries budgets as well as salary arrears.