Clericalism Cannot Lift Tanzania Out of Poverty

Adeladius Makwega, MBAGALA

 

When you look at Tanzania’s present-day Public Service, it is quite laughable. Although Tanzania has increased the number of educated professionals in every field, the one question to ask is this: has the Public Service truly become productive?

The answer to this question, Mwanakwetu, is what forms the basis of today’s article.

In the current state of Tanzania, from the perspective of an ordinary citizen, the Public Service is surrounded by two ‘forests’: paperwork and various technological systems. Meanwhile, clerical-style work is what seems to be flourishing.

 

Since colonial times, Tanganyikans struggled with paperwork, and even after Tanganyika/Tanzania gained independence, paperwork remained dominant. After several years, Tanzania adopted various technological systems—now another ‘forest’ has emerged—without Tanzanians remembering that the African way of working was once more practical and action-oriented.

 

For example, today you might ask a public servant:

 

“Sir/Madam, what have you done today in line with your professional expertise?”

Many answers may be given.

One might reply:

 

“I wrote memo A, I drafted letter B, I filled in system C.”

 

But when you look for tangible evidence of what has actually been done on the ground, you find nothing at all—it is completely empty.

 

This clericalism cannot liberate this nation.

“If a public servant is a secondary school teacher teaching Basic Mathematics, we should find them in Classroom C teaching Matrices. If Public Servant Z is an Agricultural Extension Officer, we should find them in Field Z inspecting how a farmer planted maize in proper rows and applied fertilizer. If Public Servant Y is a Livestock Officer, we should find them examining Mr. P’s cattle in his shed in Village F. If Mwanakwetu is an Information Officer, let us see how many news reports they have produced in Week W—with evidence. If Musa is the Executive Officer of Village T, let us see how many development meetings he has conducted, and let us witness those meetings taking place. If Dr. Grace Makwega is a medical doctor at District Hospital J, and she is on duty on February 11, 2026, when you arrive at the hospital you should find her treating Patient Z in the ward.”

But as things stand now, with all these systems and paperwork, everyone has become highly skilled in clerical routines—and this is setting us back.

 

 

For instance, if Employee A is going on leave, why is there a need to fill out so many forms within multiple systems? Why write numerous letters? If leave is truly an employee’s right, what is the point of excessive paperwork and system procedures?

 

“Madam, you are going on leave from the 1st to the 29th. Go on leave—it is your right.”

Matters would be simple.

 

When you question the necessity of so many letters, you may be told they are required to satisfy internal and external auditors. But who are these internal and external auditors? This is the same clerical culture where foreigners once wasted our time for decades with paperwork, and now they waste our time with digital systems.

The question is: don’t these auditors know that an employee has the right to take leave? Why can’t a single form be enough? Why long chains of clerks instead of people doing the jobs they studied for? People have become experts at signing papers and documents only. This is unacceptable.

 

Indeed, Mwanakwetu, Tanzanians must abandon clericalism—whether in paperwork or in digital systems. It has no value; it cannot liberate this country.

 

The colonizer brought us paperwork, and we have struggled with it for nearly a century and still remain stuck. Now digital systems have been introduced, and we are struggling with them too. Tanzania could struggle for another century. We are wasting time. Let everyone perform the duties of their professional expertise so that life becomes easier.

 

If we are not careful, we will lose yet another century while others simply look at what a person has actually produced after their work—visible results—not papers or system entries.

Mwanakwetu, are you there? Remember:

 

“Clericalism Cannot Remove Tanzania from Poverty.”

Have a good day.

makwadeladius@gmail.com

0717649257