Public Sector Reform in Tanzania: Implementation of the National Five-Year Development Plan Towards Social Service Provision

Abstract

Since independence, Tanzania has had a tradition of formulating and implementing long-term and medium-term development plans including the Five-Year Development Plan II (FYDP II) of 2016/17-2020/21. This article aims to assess the implementation of the FYDP II in relation to the provision of social services such as water, health, and education. The empirical question however is whether or not, and to what extent this plan has been implemented. The study thematically analysed secondary data to assess the implementation process. The results show that, to some extent, the implementation was affected by the continued financial dependence on foreign aid and loans, limited awareness of taxpayers on tax education, poor use of Electrical Fiscal Devices (EFDs), and corruption. This article suggests that the government should strengthen and create a better business environment and improve tax education while enhancing the use of EFDs to increase tax collection so that it depends less on foreign aid and concessional loans. The public sector should also be transformed and strengthened to curb all forms of corruption. The desire to see public sectors transformed into a modern administrative panache will undoubtedly lead to significant development and poverty alleviation.