Constituents routinely expect MPs to address issues far beyond legislative responsibilities. Photo: Courtesy
Tanzania’s MPs Caught Between Voter Demands and Personal Survival Ahead of 2025 Elections
By Adonis Byemelwa
As the clock ticks toward Tanzania’s 2025 general elections, the atmosphere is rife with tension and uncertainty. Members of Parliament (MPs) across the nation are grappling with a mixture of anxiety and apprehension, some trading jabs over emerging political contenders in their constituencies.
While a few assess their chances of reelection, others are bracing themselves for defeat or quietly contemplating an exit from politics altogether, citing a perceived inability to meet voters’ expectations during their five-year terms.
Yet behind the public façade, a harsher reality emerges. The Tanzanian Parliament has denied rumors of MPs’ salaries increasing from Sh 13 million to Sh 18 million, calling the claims baseless and misleading.
This clarification comes amid growing scrutiny of lawmakers, with reports alleging that some MPs have closed constituency offices and failed to pay aides due to financial strain.
These issues highlight systemic challenges in balancing personal expenses with public responsibilities, raising calls for improved transparency and financial management to restore trust in parliamentary operations.
A secretary in Dar es Salaam lamented that their MP owed them 300,000 Tanzanian shillings monthly but often paid in erratic increments—100,000 shillings here, 20,000 there—or skipped payments entirely for two months at a time. Meanwhile, the MP’s conspicuous displays of wealth in public have only amplified frustrations.
The financial burden MPs bear, while not officially codified, is immense. Constituents routinely expect MPs to address issues far beyond legislative responsibilities, from securing employment for jobless youth to rebuilding homes destroyed by storms.
MPs returning to their rural constituencies often face scores of residents at their doorsteps each morning, hoping for free meals or financial assistance. To avoid such encounters, many legislators resort to using inconspicuous vehicles, such as compact cars or tinted taxis, to move around undetected.
In Dodoma, Tanzania’s political capital, MPs frequently avoid public spaces altogether, wary of being approached by constituents seeking favors or solutions to unresolved issues, such as loan defaults or scholarship denials.
For many African nations, including Tanzania, MPs straddle the line between public service and personal survival. Despite being perceived as well-compensated, MPs are often burdened with debts and family obligations that siphon away significant portions of their earnings.
A resident of the Kagera Region shared an illustrative anecdote: during constituency visits, villagers often prepare gifts for their MPs, such as bananas or even goats, hoping for substantial reciprocation. Yet, these gestures are frequently met with token monetary rewards, leaving a trail of dissatisfaction.
The challenges extend beyond MPs themselves. Drivers employed by MPs have also raised their voices, highlighting the harsh realities of their employment. In a 2012 letter addressed to the then-Parliamentary Clerk, Dr. Thomas Kashilila, the drivers’ union aired grievances about the lack of employment contracts, low wages, and the absence of pension schemes.
Despite official directives stipulating monthly payments of 470,000 shillings, many drivers reported irregular payments and even outright denial of their dues. The union called for direct deposits into drivers’ accounts to curtail abuses, as MPs often treat payments as discretionary rather than obligatory.
Efforts to address these issues appear stalled. A driver who spoke on condition of anonymity criticized the parliamentary office’s inaction, despite complaints dating back to 2007. “Our cries have fallen on deaf ears. MPs claim to fight for the rights of Tanzanians, yet they ignore the plight of those closest to them,” the driver lamented. Attempts to engage officials, including Mr. Baraka Leonard were met with silence or deflection, further frustrating those affected.
The role of an MP in Tanzania is a stark contrast to that in wealthier nations, where lawmakers often hold separate professions and receive pay only for their legislative duties. In Tanzania, the demands of their constituents—often shaped by poverty and limited government capacity—have transformed MPs into financial lifelines, with little room to focus solely on governance and policymaking.
In countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, and Canada, Members of Parliament (MPs) operate under models that prioritize legislative function over constituent support, allowing them to focus on governance and policy-making without the burdens of direct financial expectations from their voters.
Unlike in Tanzania, MPs in these nations generally maintain other professional careers or incomes alongside their political roles, with their legislative salaries structured to supplement, not substitute, these incomes. This model creates a stark distinction in the roles and financial responsibilities of MPs, offering examples Tanzania can learn from in reshaping the relationship between parliamentarians and their constituents.
For instance, in Germany, Bundestag members receive a fixed, standardized salary solely for their work in parliament. They are not expected to provide direct financial assistance to their constituents, as the German welfare system offers a comprehensive safety net that covers unemployment, healthcare, housing, and other social needs.
This allows German MPs to concentrate fully on legislative responsibilities without the added pressure to act as personal financiers for the communities they represent. The government’s role as a provider minimizes dependency on MPs for financial support, reducing clientelism and shifting focus to issues of policy. Tanzania could learn from Germany’s system by investing in broader social programs that alleviate poverty, thereby easing the dependency on MPs as “walking ATMs.”
A proposal to align MP compensation more closely with their core duties has sparked debate, with critics arguing that the current system incentivizes misuse of public funds.
This financial entanglement has broader implications for Tanzania’s political landscape. As the cost of running for Parliament has skyrocketed since the reintroduction of multiparty politics in 1992, electoral campaigns have become increasingly dependent on substantial financial resources.
This has created a vicious cycle where candidates often prioritize personal wealth over competence. The legalization of “takrima” (election hospitality) in the early 2000s exacerbated this dynamic, encouraging clientelistic relationships between MPs and voters. Although takrima was outlawed in 2006, its legacy persists, with voters continuing to expect tangible benefits in exchange for political support.
Clientelism has reshaped the relationship between MPs and constituents. During Tanzania’s one-party era, parliamentary candidates relied on centrally allocated resources, with little room for personal investment in their constituencies.
Nevertheless, the transition to multiparty democracy in the 1990s marked a shift, as MPs increasingly used personal funds to gain favor with voters. This shift has placed MPs under intense financial strain, as they struggle to meet the inflated demands of their constituencies.
While these exchanges can foster close ties between voters and representatives, they also contribute to unsustainable electoral practices, where candidates spend exorbitant sums to secure votes.
Tanzania’s Parliament has debated measures to curb the influence of money in politics, including recommendations by the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) to improve oversight of campaign financing. Yet enforcement remains elusive.
Without robust mechanisms to monitor campaign funds, including their sources and expenditures, the risk of political corruption and the undue influence of “black money” persists. Calls for citizen engagement in identifying suspicious activities, such as large cash transactions or vote-buying, underscore the need for collective action to safeguard electoral integrity.
Reforming these entrenched practices requires a multi-pronged approach. The National Electoral Commission (NEC) must enforce stricter campaign financing rules and ensure transparency in electoral spending.
Equally important is empowering voters to hold their representatives accountable for their performance in office, rather than their financial contributions to the community. This shift will require sustained civic education and public discourse on the role of MPs as lawmakers and advocates for national development—not as personal benefactors.
Tanzania stands at a crossroads ahead of the 2025 elections, needing bold reforms and a shift in perspective to balance constituent expectations and effective governance, paving the way for a more equitable and accountable political system.
