Participatory Monitoring of PRS and Pro-Poor Expenditure in selected Districts and areas of Arusha Region, Tanzania

Preface

Tanzania has developed a range of anti-poverty initiatives to guide poverty reduction efforts including the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP). The Poverty Monitoring Master Plan encourages multi-sectoral stakeholders to give feedback on the PRSP, to determine if poverty reduction strategies and activities are improving the welfare of poor people.

Hakikazi Catalyst, in collaboration with Oxfam Ireland, has made a contribution to the Poverty Monitoring Master Plan by monitoring budget inputs, outputs and outcomes for the PRSP priority sectors of education, health, agriculture, water and roads, in grassroots communities in selected areas of Arusha Municipal and Arumeru Districts in Arusha Region. This feedback on poverty reduction strategies and indicators is a contribution to developing links between grassroots participation at the micro-level and policy formation processes at the macro-level.

"There is an inalienable right of the citizenry to be informed, to air their views, to be heard, and to demand accountability from their government."
Benjamin Mkapa 18 March 2003

Hakikazi used its plain language guides to the PRSP, Tanzania Without Poverty (2001) and First Progress Report on Tanzania Without Poverty (2002) as stimuli to gathering the feedback. Information was collected in the grassroots communities by using participatory action learning research from February to September 2003.

The selected grassroots communities have been empowered to monitor poverty eradication initiatives and demand accountability. And the democratic development process that enhances the chances of communities to raise their voices and choices on matters affecting their lives has been broadened.

This report forms part of Hakikazi’s Zinduka programme (‘Zinduka’ is Swahili for ‘wake up or be aware’) to up-stream poverty policy so that key decision makers understand the impact of policy and practice on poor and marginalised communities, and what can be done to improve their lives and livelihoods.

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