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The specific objective of the study were to find out the role of Village Development Committees, to examine the operations of Village Development Committees and to assess the performance of Village Development Committees in Kilombero District Council.Literature review, questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussion and field site visits were used in collecting data. Data were analyzed into simple descriptive statistics using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) program and MS-EXCEL. A total of 100 respondents from eight villages were involved in this study as representative samples.The villages were:Kibaoni, Kilama, Kikwawira, Lughongole, Mbasa,Lumemo,Ihanga and Mahutanga. Research findings indicate that Village Development Committees (VDCs) were ineffective because it were unable to implement development projects successfully including construction of schools, markets, drilling and installation of water projects and irrigation schemes. The operation of VDCs was found to rely on villager’s participation rather than enforcement of directives from District Officials. The role of VDCs were found to be familiar to villagers including planning, information disbursement to villagers, budgeting, mobilization of resources and involvement of key stakeholders in development. The challenges facing VDCs were conflicting political interests between CUF and CHADEMA versus CCM rulling political party and lack of education on how VDCs works and inadequate funds from external sources to support village development programmes.The suggested measures to ensure effectiveness of VDCs varied across villagers including resolving of conflicting political parties interests (CHADEMA & CUF versus CCM), provision of education to villagers and VDCs members on how VDCs works in connection to the community, payment of salaries to VDCs members and committment and accountability to VDCs members. |
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