Deputy Minister warns against sycophancy

DAR ES SALAAM: DEPUTY Minister of State in the President’s Office (Public Service Management and Good Governance) Regina Qwaray has appealed to leaders to stop entertaining bootlickers and sycophants in work offices, warning that their insincere flattery is detrimental to effective governance.

Speaking yesterday at the opening of the Emerging Leaders Programme run by the Uongozi Institute in Dar es Salaam, she warned that indulging insincere flattery prevents leaders from receiving the honest criticism and constructive feedback necessary for improvement.

“Don’t entertain uchawa,” the Minister said using a Kiswahili term for bootlickers and sycophants in the workplace.

“If you continue entertaining them, you will not getting sincere feedback,” she stated.

Ms Qwaray said leadership is a life-long learning journey where the pursuit of honest criticism and constructive feedback is crucial for improving governance.

“As a leader we must always be learning because things change everyday. To lead effectively you must agree to learn from others, even your juniors and be ready to change,” she said.

Ms Qwaray said good leadership is vital as Tanzania implements the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), integrating them into national frameworks like the Tanzania Development Vision 2050 and the upcoming Fourth Five-Year Development Plan (FYDP IV).

The Deputy Minister said challenges are an inherent part of every leadership role and should be viewed not as obstacles, but as crucial steps that offer lessons and experience for individuals and teams.

“Overcoming challenges is crucial for success as obstacles build resilience, teach valuable lessons and push you to grow,” she said.

She urged leaders to prioritise continuous personal development by recognising their strengths and building on them, acknowledging their weaknesses and working to improve them and creating a clear work plan to address areas that require growth.

“Identify the strengths you can leverage and the weaknesses you need to address, then create a work plan to improve those weak areas,” she said.

Uongozi Institute CEO, Kadari Singo said the Emerging Leaders Programme is a six-month executive education programme implemented in collaboration with HAUS Finnish Institute of Public Management to help rising leaders in Africa advance in their roles and careers.

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He described ELP as dynamic and self-paced programme that challenges participants to build self-awareness, embrace a mindset of resilience and growth and inspire others to drive change, he said.

“ELP is designed for leaders who want to propel their professional development without putting their careers on hold,” he said.

Dr Kirsi Aaltola, Director, Development and International Programmes at HAUS Finnish Institute of Public Administration, added that the ELP is tailored to nurture the next generation of leaders within Tanzania’s public sector.

Building on a foundation laid in 2010 with support from the Finnish government, the initiative equips middle managers and specialists with the capabilities needed to lead effectively.

She noted the programme focuses on converting potential into tangible performance through practical knowledge, skill-building and personal growth.

Its overarching goal is to cultivate confident and ethical leaders, accelerate team learning and build a lasting community of practice that endures beyond the training.

To support this transformation, participants commit to three key actions: shifting from expert to strategist, establishing consistent weekly leadership habits and forging new partnerships across institutions.

“The programme underscores a central belief: when individuals grow, teams thrive and the ultimate beneficiaries are the citizens of Tanzania,” she said.