UK gives Sh126bn for accountability

Dar es Salama. The UK government through its Department for International Development (UK-DFID) yesterday launched a Sh126 billion worth Accountability in Tanzania phase 2 programme (AcT2).

This is one of the largest governance and accountability programmes in Africa, and the largest mechanism for supporting civil society in Tanzania.

British High Commissioner to Tanzania Sarah Cooke said the five-year programme aims at supporting Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), to ensure all Tanzanians are engaged, particularly in anti-corruption, climate change, gender equality and social inclusion. AcT2 is managed by KPMG Advisory Ltd.

Ms Cooke said the programme will strengthen the ability of civil society to analyse and adapt to future challenges.

This, according to her, will also improve the engagement between decision-makers, citizens and service providers in order to improve access to public goods and services.

KPMG deputy programme director for International Development Advisory Services Rehema Tukai said the UK support to CSOs and media would promote transparency and accountability.

“This would help people influence decisions that affect their lives and hold decision makers to account,” said Ms Tukai.

She said British £36 million (about Sh104.4 billion) were disbursed during the AcT1 programme, which ran from 2009 to 2015.

She explained that out of the money, £27.7 million (Sh80.3 billion) went directly to CSOs as subsidies and the rest was meant for supervision of the project and capacity building.

Ms Tukai mentioned some of the targeted areas during the AcT1 program as gender, education, water, health, environmental conservation and private sector development.

AcT1 reached 7.5 million citizens directly and 22.5 million citizens indirectly, according to Head of DFID Tanzania Beth Arthy.

Ms Arthy was optimistic that their support would promote transparency, accountability and eventually help drive development, economic growth and poverty reduction.

The Foundation for Civil Society executive director, Mr Francis Kiwanga, shared similar sentiments that the support received from UK would strengthen their ability to analyse and adapt to future challenges.

In another development, the UK government reaffirmed its commitment to dish out some Sh462 billion in grants this year, to support various sectors in the country.

Ms Sarah Cooke, the British High Commissioner said Sh120 billion would be spent for improvement of the quality of education, Sh24 billion for supporting the President’s anti-corruption campaigns, while the rest would go to other sectors.

“We are committed to strengthening the ties between the two parties,” said Ms Cooke.

“As it is, we are the second largest bilateral donor (after the US, according to the US Agency for International Development) spending some Sh462 billion a year.”

She said British companies were paying about five per cent of all tax revenues, while creating nearly 300,000 jobs in sectors like agriculture, tourism, energy and manufacturing.

Ms Cooke said there were ample opportunities for British investors to work alongside local businesspeople to create an active and successful private sector and continue to build the economy.

“We hope that through continued dialogue we can build an environment which supports further UK investment in the country and we are ready and willing to share our skills and experience,” she said.