Tanzania launches platform for direct communication with government institutions

DODOMA: THE Tanzanian government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving communication with citizens and ensuring that their inquiries and complaints receive timely responses through digital platforms.

Minister of State in the President’s Office, Public Service Management and Good Governance, Ridhiwani Kikwete, said access to timely information remains one of the major challenges facing citizens, noting that some inquiries and official letters can take too long to receive a response.

He said the establishment of the platform provides an opportunity for citizens to communicate directly with government institutions and receive confirmation that their inquiries have been received and are being addressed.

“The platform provides citizens with an opportunity to ask questions and seek clarification on different issues, including the implementation of government directives and leaders’ instructions,” Mr Kikwete said.

He said the system would also enable government institutions to track citizens’ inquiries and ensure they are directed to the relevant officers for action.

Mr Kikwete cited a situation where an officer responsible for handling an inquiry in a particular area may be unavailable, saying the digital system could allow another officer to acknowledge receipt of the inquiry and inform the citizen that it is being processed.

He urged government officials responsible for handling citizens’ inquiries to demonstrate commitment by responding within a reasonable timeframe.

“Tanzanian citizens should receive timely responses. When someone submits a question or raises an issue, we must ensure that it is addressed rather than leaving them without information,” he said.

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Mr Kikwete also stressed the importance of making government digital systems accessible and easy to understand, including through the use of Kiswahili.

He said the government would continue working to improve the systems and ensure that they can be used by as many citizens as possible.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Ng’wasi Damas Kamani said timely access to government information and responses was particularly important in the livestock and fisheries sectors, where delays in addressing challenges could result in significant losses.

He said the ministry was committed to ensuring that citizens’ concerns were addressed within the required timeframe.

“Some of the challenges we deal with in the livestock and fisheries sectors can cause greater losses if they are not addressed on time. They therefore require timely intervention,” Mr Kamani said.

He urged citizens to make use of the platform to communicate with the government and raise issues requiring intervention.