AAFP targets wasteful spending, sweeping government overhaul in Manifesto

Civil society groups, politicians, religious leaders and ordinary citizens have also consistently raised concerns, arguing that the state consumes too many resources on salaries, allowances, and vehicles at the expense of development.

The AAFP’s proposals thus, seek to address these long-standing grievances which are seen as an excessively large and costly to government.

By placing cost-cutting at the centre of its agenda, the party hopes to position itself as a credible alternative ahead of the 2025 general election.

A history of expanding cabinets

Since independence, the size of Cabinets has fluctuated but with a general tendency to expand rather than shrink.

The leanest Cabinet was that of 1961, formed by the founding father Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, who governed with just 11 ministers. That record has not been matched by any subsequent administration.

By 1985, when Ali Hassan Mwinyi became President, the Cabinet had grown to 31 members, 23 full ministers and eight deputies.

A decade later, Benjamin Mkapa assumed office with 27 ministers and 10 deputies, reflecting modest contraction but still far larger than Nyerere’s team.

The most bloated Cabinet in Tanzania’s history was under Jakaya Kikwete in 2005, when he appointed 29 ministers and 31 deputies, making a total of 60.

Public outrage was so intense that Kikwete was forced to cut the number to 47 in a 2008 reshuffle.

The late John Magufuli entered office in 2015 with 18 ministries and 34 deputies, which was initially hailed as a leaner team.

However, additional appointments in subsequent years saw the size grow again, fuelling criticism that successive governments have failed to adopt a consistent approach to maintaining a modest Cabinet.

The cost of government

Concerns over spending extend beyond Cabinet appointments.

Government vehicles have become a major symbol of wastefulness.

In his 2022/23 budget speech, Finance and Planning Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba revealed that the state spends Sh558.4 billion annually on purchasing, fuelling, maintaining, and servicing official vehicles.

The government fleet comprises 15,742 cars, 14,047 motorcycles, and 373 machines, absorbing massive amounts of taxpayer funds each year.

To address this, Dr Nchemba proposed reforms that would require certain officials to lease vehicles rather than the government owning and maintaining them.

However, implementation has been limited, leaving frustration over recurrent expenditure unresolved.

It is against this backdrop that the AAFP has anchored its manifesto on cutting costs, pledging a radical overhaul of governance structures should it secure power.

AAFP’s reform blueprint

According to the manifesto, “Since the current system has concentrated powers and led to excessive recurrent expenditure at the expense of development, AAFP will direct its government to implement three measures.”

The first measure is reducing the size of the Cabinet.

The second is abolishing the positions of Regional Commissioners (RCs) and Regional Administrative Secretaries (RASs).

The third is scrapping the posts of District Commissioners (DCs) and District Administrative Secretaries, with their functions transferred to elected district mayors and technocratic administrators.

The party argues that these changes will not only cut costs but also empower elected leaders, replacing presidential appointees with locally accountable officials.

Stakeholder reactions

The proposals have sparked wide debate. Legal and political analyst Dr Rwezaura Kaijage observed that downsizing the Cabinet is feasible since the Constitution does not prescribe the number of ministers.

“The size of the Cabinet is entirely at the President’s discretion. There is no constitutional requirement for a large Cabinet. However, abolishing RCs and DCs is far more complex, as these positions are constitutionally enshrined. Their removal would require constitutional amendments, which is no easy task,” he told The Citizen.

He further cautioned that dismantling local government leadership structures could create governance gaps.

“Without a functioning system at the local level, effective administration becomes impossible. There are other ways to reduce expenditure without undermining oversight,” he added.

Ordinary citizens, however, expressed stronger support for eliminating the positions of RCs and DCs.

A Dar es Salaam resident, Mr Amani Ngowi, said the positions serve little purpose beyond political patronage.

“They are political appointees meant to protect ruling elite interests. They should be abolished, starting with constitutional reform. Administrative secretaries, on the other hand, are technocrats who could act as neutral watchdogs between central and local government,” he said.

A Moshi food vendor, Ms Juliana Alex, echoed this sentiment, stressing that excessive expenditure burdens citizens through heavy taxation.

“I support scrapping these positions because they add unnecessary costs. Citizens are carrying an unnecessary burden. Municipal and town directors could efficiently and effectively manage their responsibilities,” she argued.

Entrepreneur Renalda Mboro described the AAFP manifesto as “100 percent correct,” noting that both the oversized Cabinet and high recurrent spending weigh heavily on ordinary Tanzanians.

Beyond cost-cutting

While fiscal prudence forms the backbone of the document, the manifesto also addresses broader socio-economic challenges.

Healthcare features prominently, with the party promising proper management of revenue sources, including energy, mining, natural resources, taxation, agriculture, and trade, to finance the sector.

It pledges to fully fund medical equipment and treatment services, provide universal free health insurance, and guarantee employment for all qualified doctors.

According to the AAFP, Tanzania’s healthcare system has long been underfunded, leaving households to shoulder costs they can ill afford.

By prioritising healthcare, the party argues, the government would boost national productivity and ease pressure on families.

Towards a self-reliant economy

Another major plank of the manifesto is building a self-reliant economy.

The AAFP contends that Tanzania remains overly dependent on Western and Asian powers for aid, investment, and markets, which exposes it to external shocks.

To address this, the party pledges to harness domestic resources, expand income-generating opportunities, and strengthen the national revenue base.

Among its boldest promises is guaranteeing every citizen an income of at least Sh20,000 per day.

While critics question the feasibility of such a pledge, the party insists it is achievable through strategic investment in agriculture, small-scale industries, and trade.

Whether the AAFP can convert its ambitious blueprint into meaningful political traction remains to be seen.

Founded by farmers, the party positions itself as a champion of ordinary Tanzanians weary of high taxes, rising living costs, and what they perceive as an overly bloated state.

Its pledges, ranging from Cabinet downsizing and scrapping regional administrators to universal health insurance and economic self-reliance, have clearly struck a chord with sections of the public.

Analysts, however, caution that significant constitutional and institutional reforms would be necessary to deliver much of the agenda.

What is clear is that the AAFP has tapped into growing public appetite for leaner, more efficient governance.

In a country where the cost of government has been a perennial concern, the party’s proposals are certain to keep the debate alive as the nation moves towards the 2025 general election.