TITLE:
Improvement of Grievance Redress Mechanism for Implementation of Development Projects. The Case of GRM in SGR Project in Tanzania
AUTHORS:
Emmanuel Elifadhili Mchome, Uwezo Wilbard Nzoya
KEYWORDS:
Grievance Redress Mechanism, Standard Gauge Railway and Project Affected Persons
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.11 No.10,
October
31,
2023
ABSTRACT: Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRM) are prepared within a framework of the
International Financial Institutions (IFI) requirement for implementation of
development projects in the developing countries. However, the established GRM
are not used by most of the Affected Persons (AP). This study explored
development of GRM and find-out how they are used for the purpose of
improvement. The study employed qualitative research approach of which
qualitative data collection methods such as interviews, focus group discussion,
public meetings and socio-economic surveys were applied. The SGR Electrification
Project from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma with a total of 2932 AP was selected as a
case study. The methods used for data collection involved the use of tablets
installed with Open Data Kit (ODK) to cover all the APs. From ODK, these data
were received from ODK Server in excel format, cleaned and exported to SPSS
files for analysis. The findings show that 26% of the APs use the established
GRM to lodge their grievances of which 94% of them did not receive feedback and
there is no communication. Also, about 99% of the grievances are related with
compensation. Thus, the AP found alternative ways by using procedural methods
used in land acquisition and compensation for addressing of their complaints.
Likewise, pastoralists used community and traditional methods for communication
and addressing grievances. It is concluded that GRM prepared according to IFI
requirements are not used as intended. It is therefore, recommended to improve
the GRM by integrating procedural methods of settling disputes used in land
acquisition and compensation, integrating community and traditional dispute
settlement mechanisms, improved representation of AP in the GRC and reduction
of time required for GRM process and feedback.