MWE Correspondent
The Tanzanian government has reiterated that the duty to promote public servants lies squarely with individual government employers, not the central administration a clarification intended to reduce confusion and delays in career progression across the civil sector.
The statement was delivered in Parliament by Deus Sangu, Deputy Minister in the President’s Office for Public Service Management and Good Governance, during a session this week. He was responding to a question from Alice Kaijage, a Special Seats Member of Parliament, who sought to know if there were plans to extend the structured promotion system enjoyed by teachers — known as mserereko — to other public service professions.
Sangu cited Section 6(1)(b) of the Public Service Act, Cap. 298, which assigns promotion responsibilities directly to the employer. These include ministries, departments, and government agencies, who are required to submit annual staffing and budget frameworks for approval by the President’s Office.
“The employer has the legal authority to promote their staff. This must follow our established procedure which involves planning, budgeting, and authorization,” Sangu explained.
According to the minister, during the 2023/2024 financial year, the government approved the promotions of 1,284 non-teaching civil servants through the mserereko system, a term that refers to systematic and timely career advancement within the Tanzanian civil service.
Looking ahead, Sangu added that for the 2024/2025 fiscal year, a new national guideline has been issued. This directive outlines not only standard promotion paths but also addresses longstanding delays for those whose promotions were previously postponed due to administrative hurdles.
“I urge all public sector employers to implement this guidance without delay. This will help reduce complaints among civil servants who often face challenges in advancing their careers,” he noted.
The Deputy Minister’s call reflects growing concerns over bureaucratic stagnation within public institutions. It also aligns with the government’s broader reforms under the Public Service Regulations, 2022, which emphasize transparency, fairness, and efficiency in public sector management.
These reforms are consistent with international standards of good governance and public administration, often promoted by global institutions such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the African Union Public Service Charter.
With Tanzania continuing to invest in public service improvements, the government’s reaffirmation of employer accountability is being welcomed by governance experts and civil servants alike,
