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CMI REPORT DECENTRALISATION AND GENDER R 2008: 9
3. Case two: Misungwi District Council
By Liss Schanke, Amina Lwasa, and Juliana Myeya
3.1 Socio-economic situation
Misungwi is one of the eight districts in Mwanza region. The district is a relatively new district,
established in July 1995. By car, the district head quarters can be reached from Mwanza city in
about 45 minutes. 74 percent of the Misungwi labour force are engaged in agriculture. 26 percent
are employed in other areas, e.g. fishing. The district is also relatively rich in natural resources
(sand, stones, mineral deposits etc.). Misungwi is one of the most populated areas in the region
with a population of almost 260,000. The main ethnic group is the Sukuma who accounts for almost
95 percent, while other ethnic groups include Kerewe, Jita and Ha. The water situation is critical –
only one third of the district population has access to safe water.
40 percent of the population of Misungwi lived below the poverty line at the turn of the millennium.
There is high illiteracy rate in the communities, and little understanding about the danger of harmful
traditional practises.
3.2 Cooperation within the district council
Decentralisation by devolution
The team was informed that cooperation with the RMO is good, and that the RMO arranges
meetings with the staff every 3 months. In the staff’s view, “the RMO contributes a lot.”
The Misungwi District Council Strategic plan of 2006 states that the decentralisation policy has
enhanced people’s participation in decision making. The plan points out the shortage of skilled staff
as the main weakness. The shortage of staff is indeed serious. The personnel required according to
the strategic plan are 450, while the available is 228 only. Since the finalization of the strategic plan
the situation has worsened; according to the DED, only 39% of the district positions are presently
filled, and there are unskilled staff in many positions. The problem to get skilled staff is due to
many factors, including the following:
- the general shortage of qualified staff in Tanzania
- the general poverty of the area, e.g. lack of water.
- the lack of staff housing
It is also possible that the staff shortage will in itself make it more difficult to recruit new staff, that
candidates who are aware of this will prefer other districts and that this therefore constitutes a
vicious circle.
The strategic plan also points to lack of opportunities for training and upgrading of skills.
Shortage of skilled staff is likely to have a profound negative impact on the general district capacity
for cooperation on coordination:
- within the district departments
- between the district departments
- between the district and the councillors
- between the districts and NGOs, CBOs, private sector and communities.
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