Assessing Representation Roles in Tanzania's 12th National Assembly

Abstract

This study examines representation roles in Tanzania's 12th National Assembly (2020–2025) by analysing the relationship between Members of Parliament's (MPs') motivations for seeking office, their expectations of parliamentary service, and their actual representational experiences. A mixed-methods research design was employed, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data were collected from a stratified sample of 195 MPs selected from a population of 382 through questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions, and documentary review. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis were used for quantitative data, while thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data. The findings show that 77.9% of MPs reported high or very high realisation of their initial motivations, while 76.9% indicated that their expectations of parliamentary service had been largely fulfilled. A significant relationship was found between MPs' expectations and their perceived level of representation (χ² = 9.1747, p = 0.001), suggesting that expectations shape perceptions of representational effectiveness. Despite these positive assessments, MPs identified major institutional and political constraints, including limited executive responsiveness, inadequate parliamentary support, party dynamics, and persistent public expectations for direct material assistance. The study concludes that parliamentary representation in Tanzania extends beyond formal constitutional responsibilities and is shaped by the interaction of institutional, political, and socio-economic factors. These findings contribute to debates on political representation, democratic accountability, and legislative performance in emerging African democracies.