“Getting it Together”… or Not. An Analysis of the Early Period of Tanzania's Move Towards Adopting Performance Management Systems

Abstract

Budget reform fits into a broad context of public sector improvement in Tanzania. This article discusses the progress in reforms up to the end of 2002 and attempts to explain such progress. The discussion indicates that while there have been many steps forward, overall reform progress has been slow. Two approaches to explaining this are presented. The first suggests that the Tanzanian case is a prime example of a reform “work in progress,” with reformers choosing a measured, gradual approach that accommodates necessary improvements in capacity and the development of reform structures and coalitions along the way. The second approach suggests that reform implementation has not been quite so purposeful, and that its slow pace is more a function of problems experienced and not sufficiently dealt with, including capacity limitations, varying reform support and will, and problematic reform coordination. The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the World Bank.