Lindi Regional Commissioner Zainabu Telack has called on local government officers across the country to exercise integrity and professionalism in supervising public development projects, warning that failure to do so undermines the government’s efforts to uplift communities.
Closing a week-long capacity-building training for divisional officers and ward executive officers on July 22, 2025, in Lindi, Ms. Telack reminded participants of their critical role in bridging the trust between government and citizens.
“You are the face of government at the grassroots. Your responsibility is to maintain peace and harmony, listen to citizens’ concerns, and ensure that every shilling allocated for development is spent transparently and effectively,” she said.
She noted that the Sixth Phase Government, under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, has invested heavily in community-based projects from schools and health centres to water supply and local infrastructure and that mismanagement of these resources is unacceptable.
“We do not expect funds to go missing or be poorly utilized. You must lead by example, especially in overseeing revenue collection and project implementation,” she said, urging them to embrace digital systems to improve transparency and accountability.
Ms. Telack also challenged the officers to treat public grievances as opportunities to improve service delivery, not as personal attacks.
“Respond to people’s concerns with respect and urgency. Give feedback. Be leaders who inspire trust and unity, not conflict,” she added.
The training programme was organized in collaboration with the Local Government Training Institute (LGTI) and the Tanzania Public Service College (TPSC) as part of the government’s broader initiative to build a competent and ethical public service at the grassroots level.
It forms part of a national strategy to enhance effective leadership, improve service delivery, and ensure inclusive development through empowered and well-trained local officials.