PhD Thesis
In Tanzania, member ownership in primary Agricultural Marketing Co-operative
Societies (AMCOS) is imperative to ensure democratic sustainability. Various efforts
have been made to ensure primary AMCOS are governed by democratic practices
which are based on member owned practices. But such democratic sustainability is
still far from being realised. The general objective of this study was to analyse
member ownership factors that influence AMCS practice in Tanzania to attain
democratic sustainability of these member owned institutions. The specific objectives
were to: examine members’ participation in decision making, examine the
accountability of the board and management to members, determine internal and
external interfaces which promote co-operative sustainability and determine
members’ views on factors for AMCOS sustainability. A cross-sectional design was
used whereby 400 AMCOS members were selected from ten primary AMCOS of
Bukoba and Moshi Districts from September 2015 to February 2016. The study used
primary data which were collected through a household survey, focus group
discussions and key informant interviews, while documentary review was utilized to
collect secondary data. The findings revealed that, on members’ participation in
decision making, members were found not fulfilling their membership legal
obligations, which conflicts with ownership status. The rights of members to engage
in decision making were found to be limited. About accountability of the board and
management to members, they were more accountable to the Union in Bukoba
District primary AMCOS as compared to Moshi District where they were more
accountable to members. The findings on AMCOS sustainability revealed that
understanding of the members on the roles of board and functions of managers was
low. Furthermore, members’ views on chances of democratic sustainability revealed
that the democratic sustainability would happen for years to come and AMCOS members had a good hope in their organisations. The study concludes that the
democratic practice systems that entail accountability in primary AMCOS are the
factors that make members to own their institutions. Also, the study concludes that
absence of managerial accountability to members guided by policies, laws and
regulations is an important component limiting members’ ownership of AMCOS;
these governing instruments are not adhered to by members, Boards, managers,
government and other co-operative stakeholders. Also, members’ views on projecting
democratic governance availability indicated a future hope for existence of a
sustainable AMCOS; the study concludes that employing tangible strategies for
primary AMCOS democratic sustainability is important in order to build existence of
sustainable member owned society. Among other things, the study recommends
education to be provided to members so that they can increase their level of
ownership capacities when participating in different decision making sessions. The
study also recommends that the democratic sustainability of primary AMCOS will be
achieved if members participate fully in creating solutions to their challenges and
become part of strategic implementation; this will increase co-operative society
ownership which is governed by members.