Allowances for local authorities leaders not favour: State

DODOMA: ALLOWANCES paid to local government leaders are their rights not favour as some people may think, the government has insisted.

The Deputy Minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Dr Festo Dugange set the record clear in Parliament yesterday when responding to Flatei Massay (CCM-Mbulu Rural)’s question.

That being the case, the deputy minister said the government will continue paying the allowances to enable the local leaders to discharge their responsibilities.

In his basic question, Mr Massay sought the government response on when it would pay the allowances to village, street and hamlet chairpersons including improving the rates of allowances paid to councillors.

Responding, the deputy minister said the government is aware of the responsibilities shouldered by village, street and hamlet chairpersons, insisting that it will continue paying them so that they continue serving the public.

He said in 2023/2024 financial year, the government set aside 1.7bn/- for payment of allowances to village, street and hamlet chairpersons, adding that until February this year, the government had released a total of 1.15bn/-.

The minister also explained that in the same financial year (2023/2024), the government allocated 20.8bn/- in allowances for councillors for 168 councils, adding that until February this year, a total of 13.5 bn/- had been released.

“The government will continue expanding its sources of revenue to enable it to discharge its responsibilities, including paying allowances to councillors, village, street and hamlet chairpersons.

Mr Massay, in his supplementary question, raised concern, saying for years now, hamlet chairpersons in Mbulu Rural have been serving the public without allowances.

The MP asked for the government’s commitment to settling the dues. The MP also sought the government’s response on when it would improve allowances for councillors.

“The sixth phase government, under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, values the work being done by local leaders, that is why it has been allocating funds from its various sources (central government and local governments) for paying their allowances,” he insisted.

The deputy minister used the platform to ask the Mbulu Rural District Executive Director to allocate funds from its internal sources to pay the local leaders according to the guidelines issued by the government.

Aidan Khenan (Chadema-Nkasi North) demanded the government’s response on its strategy to allocate funds to pay allowances to local government leaders (councillors, village, street and hamlet chairpersons), a measure that will help to do away with the notion that paying them such money is just a favour.

Mr Dugange stated that paying such allowances to local government leaders is not favour, it is their right, explaining that the financial inability of some councils contributes to complaints.