Transforming government services through ICTs in Tanzania

INFORMATION and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have increasingly become powerful tools in Tanzania, and their uses have participated in helping various government activities and services. ICTs have also played a key role in advertising Tanzania in global markets, since the 1990s there has been a large wave of investments in ICTs for development in every sector of the national economy. These investments have produced many documented successes which have proved to be more helpful in facilitating e-government services to the people countrywide. The introduction of e-government in Tanzania effectively started in 2002. Since then the program started to provide systems that enhanced internal capabilities and information dissemination. This included office automation, e-mails, web access, data communications and management support. Initial success led to many other activities such as the adoption of online electronic transactions. Since then, various arms of government have made significant progress in deploying ICT in e-government solutions which are categorized in both e-governance and e-government solutions and can be accessed through the official online gateway of the country, that’s the national website www.tanzania.go.tz Through this website, it’s possible to access a considerable amount of government information. However, the website only communicates to the citizens and not from the citizens to the government. The Tanzania online information gateway which was launched by the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) in 2000 provides development issues for Tanzania and the Tanzania development gateway. Collectively these internet based gateways gives Tanzania a global presence. Tanzania online is a joint initiative of the government through the President’s office (Planning and Privatization), this is a UN system and ESRF organization which was given the responsibility of establishing and implementing the project.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlement, Ms. Salome Sijaona launching a new website of Tanzania Building Agency www.tba.go.tz in Dar es Salaam last year. This was during the 5the anniversary to mark the existence of the agency since is was formed in the country. A colorful ceremony was held at Karimjee Hall where Ms. Salome Sijaona was the Chief guest.

The role of Tanzania online is to establish a common body on analytical work and one stop online information center on development and poverty reduction efforts currently spearheaded by the government in the country. The topic within the scope and coverage of Tanzania online database includes, Agriculture, Education, Environment, Health, Industries, Mining, Poverty reduction measures, Private sector development, Science and Technology and many other development issues. In addition, there are several ministries departments or government agencies and Tanzania embassies or high commissions abroad that have their own websites. However, in every case the websites are one way. In the category of e-government, several government agencies are transforming their operations by deploying their activities through the respective websites of their own. Some of the most significant examples includes the integrated financial management system at the treasury. The deployment of platinum in the local government reform program, the integrated human resources and payroll system at the civil service departments. Another project is the Tanzania National Assembly (Parliament) www.parliament.go.tz that contains Acts, Bills and useful parliamentary documents are readily available in the site. Also from this website, one can access parliamentary online information system. Other examples of e-government services are the Tax administration project at the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA). The authority formed an online tax filling system in the country in 2006. Other projects are e-Diplomacy initiative of the ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of Defense’s independent telecommunication network initiative. The National Examinations Council of Tanzania www.necta.go.tz and the e-government systems to be developed by the National Tender Board. In Tanzania, ICTs have empowered individual citizens and other groups of people to hold government officials publicly accountable. These reports are evident from the Tanzania Investment Center (TIC) website www.tic.go.tz and links to the Business Registration and Licensing Agency (BRELA). The Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) is currently playing a greater role in connecting Tanzanian youths and other people in rural areas to the internet to learn specific issues related to ICT knowledge so as to help them access information for empowerment and sensitization. COPSTECH is a parastatal organization under the ministry of Science and Technology www.costech.go.tz The firm has the possibility of coordinating and promoting science and technology development initiatives in the country. By doing this, the commission has been conducting seminars and workshops in various youth centers in the country since 2002. For a number of years now, COSTECH has fully involved itself in promoting ICTs in Tanzania, the firm has been assisting in introducing ICT awareness in health education and civil registrations in the country. All of these are very large projects with significant ICT components, each with its own significant rewards for government and her citizens. But such initiative also enables the government as a model user of ICT to become a driving force for sustainable progress in the national ICT arena.