Determinants for Community Participation in Decision-making in Local Government Authorities (LGAs): Experience from Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania

Abstract

Community participation in decision-making is among the universal human rights recognised from the global to the local level as stipulated in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR) of 1948, Articles 1 and 2; and in the United Republic of Tanzania's constitution of 1977, Article 18. Tanzania has been enhancing community participation in decision-making at the local level through the decentralisation process and local government reforms. The study, therefore, assessed the determinants for community participation in decision-making in LGAs. A sample of 105 participants was used. Data were collected using interviews, observations, focus group discussions and documentary review methods. Data were analysed through descriptive and Binary logistic regression models. The findings from the study found that more than 90% of community members are accessing invitations for decision-making meetings, whereby about 66% of all community members participate in the decision-making process. The variables included in the binary logistic regression model were predictors of participation in decision-making process by 62% in which education level, occupation, access to information on participation in the decision-making meeting, believing that feedback for public inputs is provided by LGAs and a sense of ownership of the plans were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The study recommends that policymakers and lower local government officials should come up with proper approaches to attract more community members in decision-making, especially women and youth. There should also be efforts among LGAs and other development partners in providing civic education for enhancing community understanding of the importance and the process of decision-making at LGAs.