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CMI REPORT DECENTRALISATION AND GENDER R 2008: 9
2. Case one: Ileje District Council
By Siri Lange and Rehema L. Mwateba
2.1 Socio-economic situation
Ileje district is situated in the Southern Highlands, in the South East of Mbeya region. 8 The district
borders to both Malawi and Zambia, and there are frequent interactions across the borders. The
district covers almost 2000 sq.km. of which half is arable land. The southern part of the district is
very mountainous and the roads in those areas are impassable during the rainy season. The altitudes
range from 1360 to 2500 meters above sea level. The majority of the population are subsistence
farmers. The level of income generating activities is low, but there is some cash crop cultivating,
particularly of coffee, cardamom, bananas, and sun flowers.
The population of Ileje is estimated to have been around 113 thousand in 2004. The main ethnic
groups of the district are Ndali and Lambya, but there are also Malila, Nyiha, Nyamwanga and
Nyakyusa. The district has a high proportion of Morovians. There are also a number of other
Christian denominations as well as some Muslims (mainly teachers). The income per capita is low,
around Tsh. 115,000 per year. The team was informed that poverty is rampant but that awareness of
the usefulness of social development is high, since they have involved many NGOs for sensitization
on various issues. The educational level in the district is not very high.
2.2 Gender relations
The district is dominated by patriarchal ideology/male chauvinism (mfumo dume). Very few men
involve women in decision making, and “men stand to be main decisions makers and holders of
household economic wealth”. 9 Traditionally, women are not allowed to keep their own income, but
the practice varies, and the workload for women is said to be lower than in many other districts.
Women’s lack of economic freedom means that in cases where the husband is away and the wife or
a child fall ill, the wife can not sell a chicken because the household property belongs to the man.
Customary laws are adhered to, and wife inheritance (brother marrying his deceased brother’s
wife/wives) is not uncommon. 10 Most women in Ileje do not have a say regarding how many
children she should have. Only 21% of adults made use of family planning techniqes in 2005. 11
2.3 Cooperation within the district council
Decentralisation by devolution
The district headquarters are located in Itumba township. Ileje entered the Local Government
Reform, LGR, in 2003. LGRT arranged a stakeholders’ workshop in the council where political
parties, business people etc participated. Together they made a vision and mission for the council,
8 This section is based on interviews in February 2007 as well as the Annual Plan of the Tanzania Government and
UNICEF new country programme (Tanzania Government and UNICEF new country programme. Ileje District Council.
CSPD Annual Plan 2004 and 2005. Ileje District Council 2004).
9 UNICEF/Ileje District Council 2004.
10
The team interviewed one woman who had escaped being inherited by her brother in-law, but who lost any rights to
her late husband’s property in the process.
11 CSPD Annual Plan 2004 and 2005. Ileje District Council 2004). Tanzania Government and UNICEF new country
programme.
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