People-Centered Aspirations, Technocratic Implementation: Smart City Governance in Tanzania

Rapid urbanization and digital transformation are reshaping governance systems across Africa, increasing interest in smart city development to address complex urban challenges. In Tanzania, policies, acts, regulations, strategies, and frameworks have emerged to support digital transformation and smart city initiatives. However, limited research has examined how these instruments collectively shape smart city governance. This study employed a systematic scoping review and qualitative policy analysis of national policies, legal documents, and regional and international frameworks relevant to smart city governance in Tanzania. Drawing on technocratic, data-driven, collaborative, and people-centered governance paradigms, the study examined governance priorities, implementation approaches, and policy gaps. The findings indicate that policy instruments frequently articulate people-centered aspirations through objectives related to inclusion, empowerment, and citizen welfare. However, the implementation arrangements prescribed within these instruments remain predominantly technocratic, while collaborative and data-driven approaches appear comparatively underdeveloped. This reveals a governance paradox in which people-centered aspirations coexist with prescribed implementation arrangements that prioritize centralization, technical expertise, and administrative efficiency. The study concludes that effective smart city development requires balanced governance approaches that integrate technocratic, data-driven, collaborative, and people-centered elements. The study offers insights relevant to Tanzania and other rapidly urbanizing cities facing comparable governance challenges related to digital transformation, institutional fragmentation, and inclusive governance.