Capacity building of grassroot leadership and governance in Tanzania: A case of Morogoro municipality.

ABSTRACT

The study, was set to examine the grassroot leadership capacity in the governance processes in Morogoro Municipality. The study has aimed at giving an overview of the grassroot leaders around two Wards of Morogoro Municipality of Mazimbu and Sabasaba. It was also intended to identify factors influencing the capacity building of the grassroot leadership as well as an institutional related attribute that hindered the capacity building at Mazimbu and Sabasaba Wards. Furthermore, it was to make suggestions on the way to improve the grassroot leadership at the two Wards. The study has adopted a cross-sectional research design. Both quantitative and qualitative techniques were applied; the quantitative techniques involved questionnaires which were structured and distributed to the residents and the grassroot leaders whilst qualitative techniques involved an interview with Wards Executive Officer, Division Secretary and Councillors. The Findings have revealed that, there was a great need of having grassroot leaders at the grassroot institutions although most of the respondents were less satisfied with their working environment, wages, salaries, working tools and training, for such case more attention is intensively required for progress. Despite of less dissatisfaction claimed by most of the respondents findings depicted that, some attributes of governances were emerging successfully such as participations, information disseminations, accountability and the normal performance. Some institutional attributes were found impeding the capacity of grassroot leaders such as policy, laws and procedures. Their impediments were on the financial autonomy and self efficacy on decisions making of the grassroot institutions. The study, recommends formal employments of grassroots leaders, training programmes, distributions of facilities for further improvements of the grassroot institutions.