The Government presented a bill to the National Assembly recently to amend the Area Commissioners Act. The Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Ndugu K Ngombale-Mwiru (who has now become Minister for Local Government and Co-operation) said that it was intended to change the title Area Commissioner to District Commissioner under the Bill. He explained that the district leaders were titled Area Commissioners after independence to avoid the term district commissioner, which was used by the colonial government, and was, therefore, held with contempt by the people because of its colonial connotation.

Ndugu Ngombale-Mwiru explained that 70 per cent of present day Tanzanians had no vivid memories of the colonial district commissioner (DC). The title could, therefore, be reintroduced without any political repercussions, he said.

Debating the Bill, MPs urged the Government to train district and regional commissioners to make them better administrators.

Ndugu Lawi Sijaona (Nominated) urged the government to change other titles which were altered after independence. For example, he said, principal secretaries should be called permanent secretaries and district executive directors should become district executive officers.

Judge Mwesiumo Kilombero told the House that the appointment of some constituent MPs to become district commissioners was contrary to the Union constitution, which provided for separation of the executive and legislature.

The MP said the appointments made the candidates ineffective representatives in the House because they had to toe the government line.
He suggested that if the government must continue to appoint MPs district commissioners, by-elections should be held to replace the appointees. The Bill was passed unanimously.