Kilombero Governance Monitoring Network Formed

Positives results have been witnessed in Kilombero District after rural-based learning platforms created task forces for solving conflicts arising between local leaders and communities that ended by forming Non-State Actors’ networks for monitoring local governance. 

            Kilombero Governance Monitoring Network (KIGOMONE) was created following a one-day platform that brought together Non-State Actors and communities from different wards within the district. Local government leaders including village, ward executive officers and councillors attended the platform held on March 17^th, 2009 which was opened by the Vice-Councillor Chairperson, Honourable Mkopachuma Magwaja. Non-Sate Actors Support Programme organized and funded the platform.

The Non-State Actors Support Programme and the Tanzania Anti-Corruption Movement moderated the process to create KIGOMONE, which is coordinated by the Kilombero Non-Government Organization (KIUNGONET). Representatives from each ward were selected to be in KIGOMONE and their role would include reporting to KIUNGONET any poor governance-related incidences from their respective wards.  In his briefing to the elected members, Mr. Ramathan Litama, Chief of KIUNGONET, said it was high time for them to strive hard to build good governance for the well-being of the community in the district. He requested the Non-State Actors Support Programme to continue supporting team, starting with training governance monitoring and reporting.   

Apart from KIUNGONET, other facilitators were Tanzania Anti-Corruption Movement (TACOM) of Dar es Salaam and the Kilombero-based organization KIVEDO.

            From the office of the District Executive Director (DED), was Erick Hyera, whose role was to answer questions raised by the attendees over the state of poor governance in the district. During the debate which took about eight hours, NSAs and the participants expressed their dissatisfaction on the state of community participation in policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

 Various corruption and poor governance-related incidences on land, schools project funds and natural resources were reported to be critical in various parts of the district. 

   Also raised issues were massive illegal fishing, land conflicts, especially in Chita area where soldiers were reported to have grabbed hundreds of hectares of land. Harassment of people in the on-going exercise to raise funds for schools and other development projects, were equally reported to be rampant.        

            This was the second learning platform to be organized by NSASP in Kilombero district. The first one was organized in October last year at Ichonde Village, which is in Mangu’la, located   few Kilometres from Mkamba.  In Ichonde, the platform was held following revelation in the training on capacity building to Non-State Actors on public policy process that indicated to have a massive abuse of power by local government authorities in the village.

            Hints revealed that ignorant residents trying to question income and expenditures from the local leaders were being harassed, implicated in fabricated cases and jailed. The Non-State Actors Support Programme decided to handle the case by bringing two sides, namely leaders and the community to the learning platform for them to air their grievances and establish a workable consensus.

             Issues raised included lack of transparency and failure by local government authorities to involve people in decision-making; abuse of powers by local leaders; poor relationship between local leaders and Non-State Actors/individuals, lack of knowledge on the rights and responsibilities of each group in the village, lack of trust and graft.  

In order to address the problems, NSASP and TACOM facilitated the formation of a committee.  The Committee comprised local government leaders and representatives of the community and was assigned to work on agreed issues under the coordination of KIUNGONET. A report by KIUNGONET on accomplished activities prompted the NSASP to support the learning platform at the district level that ended up forming KIGAMONE. 

            Experts believe that one way to discover local governance systems is through learning platforms, where local authorities and various groups including Non-State Actors meet to express their views in a free and moderated way. The NSASP has adopted this approach to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to exchange views and experience on how people are being involved in the development and decision-making processes. Proceedings in the learning platforms are recorded and DVDs, which are disseminated to various stakeholders including government departments for decision-making.