Influence of foreign aid on elections management and administration in Tanzania, 1995-2010

Abstract

This article looks at the extent to which foreign aid influenced the electoral practices related to elections management and administration in Tanzania general elections of 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010. This desk-based study employed a qualitative research approach which collected data through documentary review and analysed the data through content analysis. The article, applies the input - based and conditionality - driven approach to gauge the elections management bodies (EMBs) compliance to donor conditionalities. The study findings reveal that donors had a significant influence on how elections were managed and administered. Donors’ influence increased and decreased depending on the magnitude of foreign aid received by EMBs. This article recommends that, management and administration of elections is an internal matter which should be controlled by the EMBs. In order to control donors’ influence, the government should allocate and release timely the entire budget requested by the EMBs for the exercise.