The article intends to examine the theoretical underpinning the emergence of participatory urban planning in Dar es Salaam and empirically investigates the methods of its formulation and its implication on actual development. The principal results are the methods of formulation of the approach are not effective. The major conclusions made are provision of training to the communities on effective methods of formulation of participatory planning. The article is organized into five sections. Section one is examining the contribution of Master Plans approach to the development of Dar es Salaam. Section two is on discussion of theoretical aspects for the emergence of participatory urban planning in Dar es Salaam city. In Section three the empirical analysis of methods of formulation of participatory urban planning and its implication on actual development in Chamazi and Kibamba wards of Dar es Salaam is provided. Section four makes conclusion.