Tanzania Launches Nationwide Public Service Audit: A Comprehensive Digital and Governance Overhaul
In a move signaling a serious push to modernize government operations, Tanzania has announced a sweeping audit of its public sector workforce. The initiative represents one of the most extensive evaluations of public personnel in recent memory, aligning with the country’s broader aim to accelerate its digital transformation for better efficiency, accountability, and service delivery.
During a December 12, 2025 press briefing, Ridhiwani Kikwete, the Minister of State in the President’s Office responsible for Public Service Management and Good Governance, described the audit as a strategic effort to pinpoint skill gaps, rationalize staffing needs, and ensure the public workforce supports national development goals.
“The government is carrying out a broad assessment of public servants to identify current human resource needs within the public service,” he stated.
The initiative directly reflects the ruling party’s directives to strengthen accountability, modernize work systems, and boost productivity across the public sector. Kikwete connected the audit to Tanzania Development Vision 2050, which envisions a public administration capable of driving economic growth, fostering innovation, and creating opportunities for young people.
Dira 2050 has emphasized that priority sectors should have the capacity to generate their own employment and stimulate job creation in other areas, he explained. The administration has also been tasked with expanding employment opportunities for youth, raising incomes, reducing poverty, and ensuring the creation of at least 8.5 million jobs by 2030.
To support these objectives, the government issued 41,500 new work permits in the 2025/26 financial year, including President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s pledge to add 12,000 positions—5,000 in health and 7,000 in science and mathematics education—announced during her first 100 days in office. Kikwete emphasized that these positions are being filled through open and competitive processes, with shortlisting completed and interviews set to begin on December 13 across all regions and Zanzibar.
A key milestone in the recruitment overhaul is the Online Aptitude Test System (OATS), which will conduct screening exams electronically for students in universities, VETA institutions, and secondary schools with computer labs. The new system aims to ensure timely and efficient interviews for all qualified candidates.
Applicants are advised to monitor their Ajira Portal accounts to confirm interview centers. Successful candidates will receive appointment letters through the same platform starting January 2026.
Citizen engagement and feedback mechanisms have also been strengthened through upgrades to the e-Mrejesho platform, now featuring a new “Speak to a Leader” option. This feature enables citizens to send comments, complaints, or compliments directly to ministers, regional commissioners, district commissioners, or heads of public institutions, with responses delivered via SMS. The collected data will be analyzed to improve public services, and a more user-friendly mobile app is in development.
Another reform is the Government Service Directory (GSD), a digital tool that consolidates information on public services—covering requirements, costs, locations, and complaint procedures. The system is designed to meet the expectations of Tanzania’s digitally savvy youth.
To date, 84 percent of public servants and 93 percent of public institutions have adopted the accompanying performance management system, e-Utendaji (formerly PEPMIS/PIPMIS). This enables the government to monitor performance on a weekly to annual basis, across individuals and institutions.
Kikwete underscored plans to intensify leadership and ethics training for ministers, deputy ministers, and senior officials, stating that ongoing training will help build a productive, high-quality public service.
Anti-corruption and governance reforms remain a central focus. The Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) is expanding the use of digital systems to curb corruption hotspots, seal revenue leakages, and strengthen ethical governance from 2025 to 2030. These reforms—in auditing, digital transformation, ethics, training, and citizen engagement—reflect a government determined to construct a modern public service aligned with Tanzania’s 2050 ambitions.
Vision 2050 envisions that more than 80 percent of government services will be delivered digitally by 2050, enhancing convenience, transparency, and responsiveness for all citizens.
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