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IRMT no 4 - Information for Accountability Workshop



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IRMT Press Release No. 4

6 April 2000

Tanzania Pioneers Accountability Strategy

The world’s first Information for Accountability workshop was held in Tanzania from 27 – 28 March 2000. The two-day workshop to discuss the issue of improving access to information took place at the British Council auditorium in Dar-es-Salaam. The workshop’s goal was to encourage the formation of an informed civil society. Once equipped with information, individual citizens and their representatives can assert their civil rights, hold governments accountable, and help to detect and deter corruption and fraud.

In the opening speech read by Mr Edward Hoseah, a senior officer of the bureau, on behalf of the Director of the Prevention of Corruption Bureau, Major General Kamazima, Mr Hoseah said that ‘there are four key reasons why citizens need improved access to information:

  • because we are citizens of a free country
  • because without access to information you cannot have accountable government
  • if the information is available you can make better decisions and better laws
  • it encourages more ethical government.’

Gaining access to government information is recognised as a major challenge in Tanzania. Participants expressed concern that existing laws and civil service regulations restrict the flow of information to the public. It was felt that this is made worse by citizen’s ignorance of their rights, a lack of awareness of where to go to ask for information and complex bureaucratic procedures. Effective records management was identified as key to providing citizens with access to information.

Participants also identified that the format of documents can be a problem, particularly the reports of the Controller and Auditor-General’s department. One solution proposed was to create government documents with the citizen in mind. This would have an impact on the choice of terminology used, the way in which a document is written and the language used. Another solution offered is to disseminate more information via the medium of radio.

The focus was on developing a practical action programme to meet both short-term and longer-term objectives. A number of recommendations were made in the workshop for consideration by government. Some actions will require institutional change and capacity building.

The workshop brought together Members of Parliament, professional associations, local interest groups and senior civil servants. Members of Parliament represented both the ruling party and the opposition. The District Based Support for Primary Education programme run by the Ministry of Education and Culture provided the focus for discussion.

The workshop was organised by the International Records Management Trust (IRMT) in London, UK and Transparency International – Tanzania (TI TZ) with funding from the World Bank Danish Trust Fund and the British Council, Tanzania. The first day was chaired by Mr Ibrahim Seushi, Chairman of TI TZ, and the second day by Mr Joseph Rugumyamheto, Permanent Secretary, Civil Service Department, Tanzania. Mrs Angeline Kamba, former Public Service Commissioner and National Archivist, Zimbabwe facilitated the workshop. Staff from the IRMT and Transparency International Ghana provided additional support. The World Bank Danish Trust Fund and the British Council, Tanzania provided funding for the workshop.

This workshop initiative will be carried forward by a second workshop in Ghana in July 2000.

More information about the workshop can be found on our website at www.irmt.org

A press pack containing more information about the work of the International Records Management Trust and the Rights and Records Institute is also available upon request.

For more information contact:

International Records Management Trust

12 John Street

London WC1N 2EB

United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 020 7831 4101

Facsimile: +44 020 7831 7404

Email: info@irmt.btinternet.com