Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), Prof. Riziki Shemdoe, has urged councillors in Dar es Salaam to prioritise the needs of citizens, reminding them that their mandate is to serve the public through improved service delivery and sustainable development.
Speaking on Friday while opening a training programme for councillors from local government authorities across Dar es Salaam, Prof. Shemdoe said elected leaders must remain accountable to the people who entrusted them with office.
The workshop, organised by the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) at APC Hotel in Mbweni, focused on strengthening councillors' capacity in the management and oversight of council resources.
"You were elected by the people, and your responsibility is to serve them by ensuring development reaches their communities and that essential social services continue to improve," Prof. Shemdoe said.
He noted that councils in Dar es Salaam collect the highest levels of own-source revenue in the country, placing them under greater responsibility to ensure public funds are managed prudently and deliver value for money.
The minister said efficient use of locally generated revenue should translate into better healthcare, education, infrastructure and other public services that directly benefit residents.
He also challenged councils to become more financially self-reliant by expanding their own revenue bases rather than depending heavily on transfers from the central government.
Prof. Shemdoe further encouraged financially stable councils to explore borrowing from commercial banks to finance strategic development projects, saying responsible access to credit could accelerate the delivery of social and economic infrastructure.
Controller and Auditor General Charles Kichere said the training was intended to equip councillors with the knowledge required to effectively oversee public resources while promoting accountability, transparency and value for money.
He said councillors play a crucial role in ensuring council decisions safeguard public resources and improve service delivery.
Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila said limited financial management knowledge among some elected leaders had contributed to poor audit outcomes in certain councils.
He expressed optimism that the training would strengthen councillors' understanding of public financial management and help improve compliance with financial regulations, ultimately leading to better audit performance.
Participants welcomed the initiative, saying it had enhanced their understanding of financial discipline and oversight responsibilities.
They also praised the government's proposal to allow financially strong councils to access bank financing for development projects, describing it as an opportunity to fast-track investments in public services while reducing dependence on central government funding.
