DAR ES SALAAM: NEW Afrobarometer survey, launched on Thursday in Dar es Salaam, reveals that Tanzanians feel their living conditions have improved and are optimistic about the future of the economy.
The survey, conducted by Policy Research for Development (REPOA) in Tanzania, also shows strong satisfaction with the government’s economic management.
The Afrobarometer is the Pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance and quality of life.
It intends to give African publics voice in policy and decision making.
Nine survey rounds in up to 42 countries have been com- pleted since 1999.
It is conducted every two years based on citizens’ perceptions.
During this year’s 10th round in Tanzania the survey collected views from a sample of 2,400 adult Tanzanians across the country on personal living conditions and the econo- my between June and July this year.
Presenting the survey report, REPOA researcher, Mgeni Msafiri said compared to two years ago in 2022, this year the percent- age of Tanzanians with perceptions that their living conditions are very good has increased to 31 per cent from 27 per cent.
Likewise, the percentage of those who responded that their living conditions have worsened has dropped from to 38 per cent this year from 50 per cent in the year 2022.
The major concern of respondents was an experience of inadequate cash- income.
The findings show that 84 per cent of respondents argued that they experienced a lack of cash income at least once over the past year, but the number fell to 39 per cent for those who said they went without cash income ‘many times’ or ‘al- ways’.
The report indicates that 39 per cent of Tanzanians say the country’s economic conditions are fairly good or very good, which is a 9-percentage point increase from the 2022 survey where it was 30 per cent.
The number of citizens who negatively evaluated the state of the economy dropped from 54 per cent to 38 per cent. On the government’s performance in addressing citizens’ needs, Tanzanians said the government has addressed educational needs and prevented or resolved violent conflicts by 81 per cent.
Other government performance percentages in brackets include reducing crime (77), providing a reliable supply of electricity (68), improving basic health services (68), managing the economy (67), maintaining roads and bridges (65), providing water and sanitation services (64), fighting corruption (58), improving the living standards of the poor (53) and creating jobs (45).
“Tanzanians are satisfied with the government’s performance on various is- sues, although slightly fewer than half approve of its attempts to create jobs, ad- dress inequality and combat price volatility,” part of the report says.
However, health is the country’s top priority, cited by nearly half of the respondents as a concern requiring further government intervention.
Water supply and infrastructure are next on the list of priorities.
