Tanzania Shifts to Results-Based Governance

The number of roads built often measures development, as does the number of schools opened or policies enacted. However, the more important question is whether these efforts have improved people’s lives. Tanzania now appears ready to ask exactly that question as it develops a new Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Policy Framework and accompanying legislation designed to shift government attention from tracking activities to measuring real outcomes. 

The Minister of State in the President’s Office for Planning and Investment, Prof. Kitila Mkumbo, recently unveiled the proposed framework. The initiative comes at a crucial time as Tanzania prepares its Vision 2050 development agenda. Policymakers aim to establish a governance system that goes beyond monitoring project delivery to assess whether public investment translates into higher incomes, better public services, stronger institutions and an improved quality of life. 

Beyond Counting Projects 

For years, Members of Parliament have argued that government performance has been judged too heavily on outputs rather than outcomes. Building a health centre or rehabilitating a road is important, but these achievements reveal little about whether healthcare has improved, businesses have grown, or communities have become more prosperous. 

The proposed framework seeks to address this gap. It introduces 256 performance indicators across 12 key sectors, enabling ministries, departments and agencies to measure progress against national development objectives. The intention is to place greater emphasis on efficiency, effectiveness and the early identification of implementation challenges before they become costly failures. 

The central question, however, is whether Tanzania can move from measuring what the government builds to measuring what citizens actually gain. The answer will depend not only on sound policy design but also on the quality of data, institutional capacity and sustained political commitment. 

A Foundation for Vision 2050 

Monitoring systems rarely attract public attention, yet their absence can determine whether long-term development strategies succeed or fail. Tanzania’s Vision 2050 is intended to guide the country’s economic transformation over the coming decades, making credible performance measurement indispensable. 

Without reliable monitoring, the national vision risks becoming little more than an aspirational document rather than a set of measurable objectives. A robust M&E framework would provide policymakers with early warnings about underperforming programmes, helping to prevent the waste of public resources. 

It could also strengthen continuity between successive administrations. Rather than evaluating governments through political rhetoric, Parliament and the public would have access to evidence demonstrating whether agreed national targets are being achieved. 

Strengthening Accountability 

The proposed legislation could also reshape relationships across government institutions. Stronger reporting mechanisms would enhance parliamentary oversight while giving citizens better tools to assess whether public resources are delivering tangible benefits. 

Such a reporting system is particularly important given Tanzania’s continued investment in infrastructure, agriculture, education, healthcare and industry. Greater transparency could strengthen public confidence, provided reporting remains objective, timely and accessible. 

However, legislation alone cannot guarantee accountability. Much will depend on whether reporting becomes mandatory, whether independent verification mechanisms are established and whether underperforming institutions face meaningful consequences. Without these safeguards, even the most sophisticated indicators could become little more than another bureaucratic exercise. 

Supporting Economic Transformation 

The framework also aligns with Tanzania’s broader economic ambitions. Although agriculture’s share of employment has gradually declined as the economy has diversified, the sector remains central to food security, exports and industrialisation. 

Effective monitoring can help ensure that structural transformation benefits rural communities by measuring productivity, value addition and income growth rather than focusing solely on production volumes. 

Similarly, efforts to formalise the informal economy could benefit from evidence-based policymaking. Rather than relying on assumptions, the government would be able to assess whether tax incentives, business registration reforms and investment programmes are successfully encouraging enterprises to enter the formal sector. 

Challenges That Cannot Be Ignored 

International experience shows that results-based management succeeds only when institutions possess the necessary skills, technology, resources and operational independence. Producing reliable data across multiple sectors requires trained personnel, modern digital systems, adequate financing and consistent methodologies. 

Political interference also remains a significant risk. If performance indicators are designed to favour positive outcomes, or if reporting lacks integrity, the credibility of the entire system could quickly be undermined. Independent verification and the public release of performance reports will therefore be essential. 

The private sector, development partners and civil society organisations also have an important role to play. Their participation can strengthen credibility while providing additional expertise in evaluating complex development programmes. 

Redefining Governance 

Tanzania’s proposed Monitoring and Evaluation Policy Framework represents more than another administrative reform. It signals a broader shift in how government performance is assessed, moving the focus from promises and projects to evidence and measurable impact. 

Whether Tanzania becomes a regional example of results-based governance will depend less on the policy’s ambition than on the quality of its implementation. By strengthening institutions, investing in reliable data systems and allowing evidence to shape public decision-making, the framework could significantly improve accountability, budget management and investor confidence. 

Ultimately, citizens care less about the number of reports produced than the results those reports demonstrate. If the framework can show that public investment is creating better livelihoods, stronger institutions and greater opportunities, it will have achieved something far more significant than improved statistics. It will have helped transform governance from measuring effort to measuring results.