Publication

This paper analyzes the Tanzanian ruling coalition that highlights the tensions in power relations and the potential threats to the hegemony of the ruling party since independence. Specifically, it discusses how historical legacies, structural changes in the economy and specific crises have influenced the composition of the ruling coalition, the holding power of its factions and the strategic use of resources to maintain its power. The paper concludes that Tanzania’s ruling coalition is presently characterized by conflicts and bargaining among strong factional elites within the ruling coalition and by the increasing power of its lower level factions.