Tanzania vs Kenya - Policy: Understanding the Difference Between Decentralization by Devolution (D by D) and Devolution
Tanzania’s D by D Model: Administrative Decentralization
Tanzania officially adopted the
Decentralization by Devolution (D by D) policy during the 1990s as part of public sector reforms. The goal was to transfer responsibility for service delivery from the central government to Local Government Authorities (LGAs), commonly known as councils or municipalities.
Under this system:
- The central government formulates policy.
- Ministries provide standards and oversight.
- Local governments implement projects and deliver services.
The system is heavily coordinated through
TAMISEMI (President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government).
This means sectors such as:
- education,
- primary healthcare,
- local roads,
- water projects,
- sanitation,
- agricultural extension services,
are largely implemented at council level.
For example, in education:
- teachers in public primary and secondary schools are managed through local authorities,
- school infrastructure projects are executed by councils,
- capitation grants are disbursed through local government systems.
This is why Tanzania’s Ministry of Education budget alone does not fully represent the country’s total education spending. A large portion of implementation funds flows through TAMISEMI and local councils.
Kenya introduced a much more politically autonomous structure through the
2010 Constitution, creating 47 County Governments.
Unlike Tanzania’s administrative decentralization, Kenya’s devolution created:
- Governors,
- County Assemblies,
- County Executives,
- independent county budgets,
- and constitutionally protected local political authority.
Counties in Kenya function almost like semi-autonomous regional governments.
They control major functions such as:
- county health systems,
- local trade,
- agriculture,
- urban planning,
- county roads,
- local taxation.
However, some key sectors remain highly centralized, especially education.
For example:
- teachers are employed nationally through the Teachers Service Commission (TSC),
- national curriculum remains centralized,
- national examinations are controlled by the central government,
- universities operate under national structures.
As a result, Kenya’s counties have stronger political power than Tanzania’s councils, but less operational control over some major national services such as education.
The major distinction between the two systems lies in
what exactly is being decentralized.
- administration,
- implementation,
- service delivery.
- political power,
- governance authority,
- regional autonomy.
In practical terms:
- Tanzania pushes government services downward.
- Kenya pushes political power outward.
Many observers mistakenly assume Tanzania is highly centralized because the country does not have governors or regional political governments like Kenya.
However, in terms of actual implementation of public services, Tanzania is deeply decentralized through:
- councils,
- municipalities,
- district authorities,
- and TAMISEMI structures.
A significant share of:
- school construction,
- teacher management,
- healthcare facilities,
- rural infrastructure,
- and local development spending
happens outside sector ministries and through local government authorities.
This creates a model where:
- national policy remains unified,
- but implementation is localized.
Kenya’s model gives local populations stronger political representation.
Governors are directly elected and possess substantial visibility and influence. County governments can:
- prioritize local development differently,
- negotiate investments,
- shape county-level agendas,
- and compete for regional growth.
This has increased local political participation and regional competition.
However, the system has also introduced:
- duplication of bureaucracy,
- rising administrative costs,
- conflicts between national and county governments,
- and uneven development across counties.
Tanzania’s D by D approach tends to maintain stronger national coordination.
Because local authorities operate under nationally coordinated frameworks:
- national priorities are easier to implement uniformly,
- large-scale programs can be rolled out faster,
- and sector reforms remain more standardized.
This is particularly visible in:
- school expansion,
- health facility construction,
- free education programs,
- and national infrastructure rollout.
The tradeoff is that local governments possess less independent political power compared to Kenya’s counties.
There is no universal answer.
- political autonomy,
- regional representation,
- local democratic visibility.
- centralized coordination,
- nationwide program implementation,
- service delivery integration.
Ultimately, the two countries reflect different state philosophies:
- Kenya prioritizes devolved political governance.
- Tanzania prioritizes decentralized administrative execution.