Tanzanian civil servants question order to update religion, tribe in CVs

The Tanzanian government has said there is no ill motive in asking civil servants to update their curricula vitae and include particulars of their religion and tribe, a move that had caused unease with employees questioning the rationale behind the new requirements.

Finance and Planning Permanent Secretary Emmanuel Tutuba said the details required in the new CV format are normal for any employee and those opposing the move have misinterpreted the reason for the decision.

The details will enable authorities to have background information of employees when required, he said.

“We have been proposing the names of some people at various institutions… and then you are asked about the background of the person [but the] details are missing in the original CV,” PS Tutuba said.

“People doing the vetting want to know your origin; your commitment; if you really are a Tanzanian; how you interact with different people... This is normal.”

The University of Dar es Salaam Academic Staff Assembly (Udasa) and some staffers from the University of Dodoma have criticised the demand for some details.

“How is it that today in Tanzania in the public service I am asked what my religion, my tribe is? How does all this contribute to the improvement of public service in the country?” queried one of the employees from University of Dodoma. 

He further said the manner in which information about the new development was delivered raised concerns and doubts for the future of some public servants.

“How do I know what will happen after mentioning my religion and ethnic group? I know this is not a country of religion and ethnicity,” noted a lecturer from University of Dodoma.

According to the Udasa chairman, Dr Avit Thadei Mushi, the issue was not understood because it went directly to the implementation stage.

“We’ve been doing regular verifications in recent years, so we didn’t have to think about it, but the current format brought in confusion… I personally started receiving calls from a lot of people lamenting this,” he said.

According to him, the staff were shocked by the development at a time when their particulars are already with the Treasury Registrar.

“We do not know the reason behind this. We have not been told what the reason is despite being asked to fill in, print, scan and then give it to our department heads so that they can return them to the registrar. We do not know exactly what the goal is,” Dr Mushi said.

The head of communications and relations at the Treasury Registrar’s Office, Mr Eric Mkuki, told The Citizen that the registrar, like other employees, had fulfilled his duty as a government entity.

He said the first phase began with senior executives and has now moved to the second phase in which other civil servants are required to update their CVs.

“Civil servants shouldn’t see this as a strange thing, but as part of the government wanting to have the right (updated) information from its employees,” Mr Mkuki said.