Performance Of Village Development Committees In Tanzania: A Case Study Of Kilombero District Council, Morogoro Region

ABSTRACT

The specific objective of the study were to find out the role of Village Development

Committees, to examine the operations of Village Development Committees and to

assess the performance of Village Development Committees in Kilombero District

Council. Literature review, questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussion and

field site visits were used in collecting data. Data were analyzed into simple

descriptive statistics using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) program and

MS-EXCEL. A total of 100 respondents from eight villages were involved in this

study as representative samples.The villages were :Kibaoni, Kilama, Kikwawira,

Lughongole, Mbasa, Lumemo, Ihanga and Mahutanga. Research findings indicate that

Village Development Committees (VDCs) were ineffective because it were unable

to implement development projects successfully including construction of schools,

markets, drilling and installation of water projects and irrigation schemes. The

operation of VDCs was found to rely on villagers participation rather than

enforcement of directives from District Officials. The role of VDCs were found to be

familiar to villagers including planning, information disbursement to villagers,

budgeting, mobilization of resources and involvement of key stakeholders in

development.

The challenges facing VDCs were conflicting political interests between CUF and

CHADEMA versus CCM rolling political party and lack of education on how VDCs

works and inadequate funds from external sources to support village development

programmer. The suggested measures to ensure effectiveness of VDCs varied across

villagers including resolving of conflicting political parties interests (CHADEMA &

CUF versus CCM), provision of education to villagers and VDCs members on how

VDCs works in connection to the community, payment of salaries to VDCs members

and commitment and accountability to VDCs members.