The Ministry of Regional Administration and Local Government (MRLAG) was established by Article 8 145 and 146 in the 1977 Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania. In 1982, the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania passed the Local Government No 7 (Cap 287) Act and the City Authorities Act No. 8 (Cap 288), giving the Minister dealing with regional and local government authority over the establishment of District, Village, Minor, and Local Authorities. In 1990, the Ministry was renamed “The Local Government Ministry, Social Development, Cooperation and Marketing.” In 1998, the work of the Ministry was transferred to the Prime Minister’s office, renamed the Ministry for Regional and Local Governance (MRLG), and its work divided amongst two departments, one each for Regional and Local Government. In November 2000, the MRALG’s work was transferred to the Presidential Office, becoming the PORALG. Five years later in December 2005, the Ministry was transferred back to the Prime Minister’s Office before returning to the Office of the President in 2015

Mission and Purpose

The Tanzanian Ministry of Regional Administration and Local Government oversees regional development management and administration by coordinating rural and urban development management policy and strategies as well as the activity of Regional Secretariats. It helps to builds the administrative capacity of local governments and to strengthen channels of communication between national and sub-national bodies to further devolve power to the local level, ultimately aiming to improve the quality of life for Tanzanians.

Organizational Structure, Membership, and Funding

Since 2015, PO-RALG has been headed by a Minister, to whom the Permanent Secretary reports. Its various divisions focus on administration and human resources; government communication; procurement management; policy and planning; and finance and accounts, a unit headed by a chief accountant. Finally, there is a chief internal auditor responsible for internal affairs. The government body is further subdivided into further divisions and units, which include a regional administration and local government division, and the full chart of these units is available here. As a government body, the Ministry of Regional Administration and Local Government is publicly funded.