CAN TANZANIA’S PARTICIPATION IN APS-HRMNET TRANSFORM THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC SERVICE?

Adeladius Makwega

President’s Office – Record and Archives Management Depratment

Early on November 10, 2026, the Mwanakwetu visited the Facebook page of James Katubuka, a journalist and Senior Information Officer from the President’s Office – Public Service Management and Good Governance.

While browsing the page, he came across two photographs that caught his attention. One of them showed the Permanent Secretary of the Office, Mr. Juma Mkomi, among participants attending an important professional meeting held in Zanzibar.

The photograph was accompanied by the following caption:

“The Permanent Secretary of the President’s Office – Public Service Management and Good Governance, Mr. Juma Mkomi (right), participated in the 11th African Public Sector Human Resource Managers’ Network (APS-HRMNET) Meeting, taking place today, November 10, 2026, in Zanzibar.”

After reading the caption and looking at the photograph, Mwanakwetu found himself reflecting on an important question: What does this participation mean for the Public Service of the United Republic of Tanzania? Is it simply another international meeting, or does it represent an opportunity to open a new chapter in public sector human resource management reforms?

This question inspired Mwanakwetu to reflect more deeply on the significance of the meeting and its potential benefits for the Government, public servants and citizens at large.

The 11th African Public Sector Human Resource Managers’ Network (APS-HRMNET) Meeting, taking place in Zanzibar from November 10 to 13, 2026, is an important professional platform that brings together stakeholders involved in public sector human resource management from different African countries.

For Tanzania, the participation of Permanent Secretary Mr. Juma Mkomi can be viewed as an opportunity to learn, exchange experiences and develop new strategies for improving public service management.

However, the potential benefits extend far beyond the discussions taking place within the conference hall.

In a rapidly changing world, governments need modern systems that ensure public servants are recruited, developed, managed and evaluated based on professionalism, accountability and performance.

Through discussions and experiences shared by other African countries, Tanzania can gain valuable insights to improve recruitment and promotion systems, strengthen discipline and professional ethics, enhance accountability and employee productivity, and improve performance assessment across public institutions.

In other words, the objective is not simply to have a large public workforce, but to build a competent, knowledgeable and motivated workforce capable of delivering quality services to citizens.

At a time when the world is experiencing remarkable technological advancements, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an important tool for improving the performance of various institutions.

The meeting provides an opportunity to discuss how this technology can contribute to strategic transformation in public sector human resource management.

For Tanzania, the knowledge gained in this area could help improve workforce planning, simplify the analysis of human resource information, strengthen digital human resource management systems and reduce delays in certain administrative processes.

Imagine a system in which government institutions can use employee information more effectively to plan workforce requirements, identify skills gaps and develop training strategies based on their actual institutional needs.

This is one of the directions in which the appropriate application of technology could help move the public service.

Nevertheless, the use of Artificial Intelligence must go hand in hand with information protection, privacy, system security and the rights of public servants. Technology should serve as a tool to help people work more effectively, rather than undermine the principles of fairness and accountability.

The meeting also provides an important bridge for strengthening cooperation between Tanzania and other African countries in the field of human resource management.

Through this platform, Tanzania has an opportunity to exchange experiences with other countries on the challenges and achievements associated with managing public servants.

It is an opportunity to learn how other nations address human resource management challenges, strengthen policies and management systems, establish professional partnerships between government institutions and contribute to developing common strategies for improving public service delivery across Africa.

At a time when many African countries face similar challenges in human resource management, sharing knowledge is an important means of identifying practical and sustainable solutions.

The participation of Permanent Secretary Mr. Juma Mkomi also carries significance in terms of Tanzania's representation in professional discussions concerning the future of public service across Africa.

Beyond participating in discussions, Tanzania has an opportunity to share its own experiences, learn from other participants and strengthen professional relationships with human resource management institutions in different countries.

Furthermore, hosting this meeting in Zanzibar gives Tanzania an opportunity to strengthen its visibility as a participant in Africa's professional dialogue on good governance and human resource management.

It is an opportunity to promote cooperation and advance discussions on how the public sector can respond effectively to economic, social and technological changes.

Perhaps the most important question that an ordinary public servant should ask is this:

“After government leaders attend international professional meetings, how does the knowledge gained reach the public servant working in a district office, local government authority, regional office or another government institution?”

Indeed, the true value of this meeting will become more evident when the knowledge and experiences gained are translated into improvements that directly affect the working conditions and professional lives of ordinary public servants.

If effectively implemented, the outcomes could include more transparent and efficient human resource management systems, improved professional training and development opportunities, better working environments, stronger performance assessment systems and increased efficiency in delivering services to citizens.

Therefore, public servants should not view this meeting as an event that concerns government leaders alone. Its outcomes could have a direct impact on their daily working experiences, professional development and the quality of services they provide to the public.

When reflecting on Permanent Secretary Mr. Juma Mkomi's participation in the 11th APS-HRMNET Meeting, we should look beyond the photograph of a government leader attending an international conference.

We should recognise an opportunity to learn, exchange experiences, build partnerships and explore new approaches to strengthening the Public Service of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Nevertheless, it is important to emphasise that the success of such participation should not be measured by the number of meetings attended, photographs taken or speeches delivered. Rather, it should be measured by how effectively the knowledge gained is incorporated into government systems and translated into meaningful improvements for public servants and citizens.

Mwanakwetu believes that if this opportunity is properly utilised and its outcomes are effectively implemented, it could become part of the journey towards building a public service that responds to present needs and future expectations.

Ultimately, a government supported by knowledgeable, professional, disciplined and technologically capable public servants has an important foundation for delivering quality services to its citizens.

That is where the real meaning of Tanzania's participation in APS-HRMNET should be reflected: not merely in attending an international meeting, but in the lasting improvements generated by the knowledge and experiences gained.