Reforming Allowances: A Win-Win Approach to Improved Service Delivery, Higher Salaries for Civil Servants and Saving Money

Abstract

This policy brief examines allowance reforms. It focuses on a win-win approach to improved service delivery, higher salaries for civil servants and saving money. Data was collected through document review. It shows that a culture of allowances that fails to be duty enhancing appears to be firmly entrenched in Tanzania. Most allowances accrue to (higher cadre) staff working in the Central Ministries and are spent on travel, workshops and capacity building events. Some of these may be critical, but the increase in the amounts spent on these activities suggests otherwise: service delivery is not markedly different now that so much more is spent on capacity building.