Print logo

Awarding ceremony of citizen participation to improve accountability in public spending

In the fight against the misuse of public funds and more accountability of state authorities, citizens possess a very important oversight function. This was made clear during the “Award-giving Ceremony” for the best performed “Public Expenditure Tracking System” (PETS) Committees organized by the HSF and its partner the “Civic Education Teachers Association” (CETA) on October 22, 2016 in Mkata Ward, Handeni District.

PETS committee members in discussion with District Commissioner Hon. Godwin Gondwe

Since the new Tanzanian government was elected in 2015, the terms “accountability” and “transparency” are on everyone’s lips. The new government’s stand against mismanagement and ineffective civil servants behavior underlines the importance of HSF’s aim to foster civic participation in democratic processes. The current HSF/CETA project, to establish and support PETS Committees in Handeni district, is therefore in line with government practices and is highly appreciated by district authorities.

What are PETS committees? Each committee is composed of eight voluntary members of a community. Their mandate is to track public resources - like development projects - and to sensitize their community members on their rights and responsibilities to oversee public allocations and spending.

District Commissioner Hon. Godwin Gondwe congratulates the wining PETS committee.

Since April 2016, HSF supported the founding of 18 committees in 18 villages, selected from six wards in Handeni. Each committee, as well as officials on district, wards and village level, received a number of training sessions. The aim of these workshops was to strengthen the participants’ commitment towards PETS committees and to encourage social accountability, integrity, public satisfaction and financial transparency of public funds. In total more than 4,500 citizens were addressed and successfully informed about their constitutional rights to request and use financial information for various purposes.

Through this training initiative, more transparency and greater accountability of state authorities could be observed by HSF/CETA throughout the year.

In October 2016 HSF/CETA conducted a re-union of all of the 144 chosen PETS committee members and high ranking government officials from Handeni District in order to award the three best performing PETS committees. Since PETS committee members do not receive allowances or any other benefits for their commitment, this special event was aimed to encourage the PETS members to continue their work for the benefit of their entire community.

On behalf of HSF/CETA, District Commissioner Hon. Godwin Gondwe ceremoniously presented a smart phone as well as a bicycle to the winning PETS committee from the village Kwamatuku. The second winner from Kitumbi and the third winner from Komsala were awarded with a bicycle each. The District Commissioner further urged all participants to forward their grievances to the appropriate authorities and offered direct assistance if those officials will not act on those complaints.

The entire project was perceived as very successfully and is highly appreciated by all participants. HSF/CETA therefore envisage extending the project to eighteen additional villages in Handeni in 2017.