Minister of State in the President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), Prof. Riziki Shemdoe, has warned local government leaders against internal conflicts, saying disputes among officials can directly undermine the quality of services delivered to citizens.
Prof. Shemdoe said local government authorities are the closest level of government to the people and therefore their effectiveness is critical to citizens’ daily lives.
He made the remarks on August 21, 2026, while closing the 16th Annual General Meeting of the Association of Local Government Authorities of Tanzania (TOA) at Mtumba City Hall in Dodoma.
The minister urged leaders to build working relationships based on mutual respect, dialogue and professionalism rather than allowing personal differences to interfere with public responsibilities.
“I urge you to avoid conflicts among yourselves—between directors and administrative secretaries, directors and district commissioners, regional administrative secretaries and regional commissioners, as well as between leaders and the officials they supervise. There is no efficiency or development where there are conflicts,” Prof. Shemdoe said.
He said disagreements between administrative and political leaders at the local level could divert attention from the issues that matter most to citizens.
Prof. Shemdoe specifically cautioned council directors against unnecessary confrontations with council chairpersons and mayors, saying both sides have a responsibility to work together in the public interest.
He drew from his own experience in public leadership, saying cooperation and respect had enabled him to work effectively with other leaders during his tenure as a council director and later as a Regional Administrative Secretary.
Prof. Shemdoe challenged local government leaders to put citizens at the centre of their work by using their professional knowledge, experience and authority to improve service delivery.
He said the performance of government is often judged by citizens based on what they experience in their communities, particularly in areas such as primary healthcare, education, roads, transport and other basic services.
“Local government is closest to the people. When citizens need services, they come to you. Therefore, your disagreements should never become a barrier to the services they deserve,” he said.
His remarks place renewed emphasis on accountability at the local level, where delays, poor coordination or disputes among officials can have a direct impact on residents seeking government services.
The minister also commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan for providing funding to support government operations and development projects, saying the resources were helping create an environment in which citizens could pursue economic activities and improve their livelihoods.
TOA chairman Albert Gabriel Msovela assured Prof. Shemdoe that the organisation would continue working with the government to strengthen local government institutions and contribute to national development priorities.
He said TOA would use the resolutions and strategies emerging from its annual meeting to support better service delivery and citizen participation.
“Through this 16th Annual General Meeting of TOA, we will come out with strategies, resolutions and concrete plans that we will share with citizens and implement for their development,” Mr Msovela said.
The three-day meeting, held from August 19 to 21, brought together Regional Administrative Secretaries, directors of local government authorities and District Administrative Secretaries.
It was held under the theme: “Decentralisation of Powers in Local Government Authorities is a Strong Pillar for Achieving the Tanzania Development Vision 2050.”
The theme underlines the growing importance of empowering local government institutions to make decisions and deliver services closer to the people, while ensuring that local leadership remains accountable for results.
