TANZANIA : ACADEMICIANS have lauded President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s speech that demanded Regional Commissioners and Regional Administrative Secretaries to be proactive in decision-making, instead of waiting for instructions from above.
Delivering her speech at Julius Nyerere Leadership School in Kibaha, Coast Region on Sunday, President Samia told regional and district leaders to demonstrate decisiveness for effectively executing government plans and achieving set goals.
She insisted that her aides must be confident enough to make decisions according to their environment; comply with rules, regulations and national laws, saying that will accelerate the country’s development.
“Stop feeling inferior and fearful in making decisions,” the president said, stressing to the regional leaders not to wait for instructions to flow from above.
“If you become challenged on the decisions you make, be ready to defend your decision confidently… you must make decisions based on your environment. Just make sure that your decision complies with rules, regulations and national laws,” she told her aides.
Reacting to the president’s speech, a Lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam, Political Science and Public Administration Department, Dr Audax Kweyamba said it will help speed up the implementation of government projects and plans.
Dr Kweyamba noted that instead of waiting for the instructions from the above, the RCs and RASs will use the regional resources to plan and implement development projects according to the needs of the people.
He added that Dr Samia’s leadership method is best known as ‘Management by Exception,’ which allows employees to work more independently and only involve their managers on specific issues or ‘exceptions’ to normal operations.
Dr Kweyamba further noted that the system will reduce bureaucracy and increase the legitimacy where leaders will be trusted by the public, due to the priorities they give in solving people’s problems.
He was optimistic that the RCs and RASs’ decisions will bear fruits if they will observe leadership ethics and comply with national laws.
For his part, University of Dodoma Lecturer Dr Paul Loisulie said President Samia’s directives will speed up service delivery to the society and help bring about rapid development since most of the decisions will take place at the grassroots levels.
Dr Loisulie said the president’s call for decisive leadership will speed up execution of government plans and avoid dependency syndrome for some of the RCs and RASs, who were waiting for the instruction from above in implementing them and addressing people’s problems.
He further oozed confidence that decision-making at regional level will build capacity and make them strong and confident in their daily activities, including solving community issues.
“The system will reduce the burden of complaints from citizens due to delays in getting services caused by bureaucracy,” he added.
Dr Richard Mbunda from University of Dar es Salaam, Political Science and Public Administration Department, stressed that President Samia’s directives to RCs and RASs will pay off and speed up the development in the country if the leaders will make decisions according to their work ethics and by complying to national laws.
“It is clear that any leader who follows ethics, rules, regulations and country’s law in his work he/she will contribute to accelerating the country’s development,” he said.
Dr Mbunda said the regional leadership system will reduce complaints from the people regarding the delay in implementation of development projects in their area and other community issues.
