Zanzibar — THE Isles Minister of State- President's Office (Constitution, Legal Affairs, Public Service, and Good Governance) Haroun Ali Suleiman has said that Zanzibar is on track in regard to good governance and respect of human rights.
Mr Suleiman made this statement here when he met with the delegation of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) at his office, Mazizini, where he informed them that having good governance and human rights departments confirms Zanzibar's commitment.
He also explained that people are witnessing efforts by President Dr Husein Mwinyi in improving accountability, transparency, control of government expenditure, and increased fight against corruption.
The minister said that the submission of the reports in public including the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report has also improved transparency, allowing people to discuss and give opinion, which is a good indication of good governance.
He said that President Mwinyi has vowed to continue holding executives in the government accountable and pushing them to safeguard public property and responsible use of public funds.
"It is good that we should be evaluated by asking the citizens themselves if they are getting better services. The truth will be known. It is possible that there are defects here and there because the rest of us are not perfect and we have shortcomings, but I believe that in the two and a half years of President Mwinyi, discipline in the public offices has improved considerably," he said.
The minister said that when people talk about good governance, it is everything including good leadership, control of revenue and use of government funds, and provision of quality services at the right time to the people.
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He commended the APRM for providing training for the executives from the department of good governance, as he invited them to continue with the programme as it has been helpful in the implementation of good governance.
The Executive Secretary of APRM Tanzania, Lamau Mpolo, said that the institution is dealing with the evaluation of good governance, according to the criteria, for its members who are also African Union (AU) member states.
He said that in carrying out their duties, the institution is determined to conduct another evaluation of good governance in the country.
Mr Mpolo said the first assessment of good governance in the country was done in 2013 and in 2019 they conducted another assessment but it has not yet been presented in the forum of the leaders.
Mr Mpolo pointed out that they thought it was not wise to proceed with assessment without reaching the stakeholders, who are also their employers to provide information, how they planned and how the assessment is important for leaders.
"Our main mission is to ensure that we encourage the concept of good governance by implementing policies, procedures and considering criteria that will lead to political prosperity, increase the speed of economic growth and sustainable development and ensure regional and continental integration," he said.
