THE ROLE OF STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION IN GOOD GOVERNANCE FOR IMPROVING PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY IN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM

Abstract

Good governance plays a vital role in enhancing transparency, accountability, and efficiency within public institutions, particularly in the judicial sector. In Tanzania, the judicial system faces persistent governance challenges, including limited stakeholder engagement, delayed case processing, and perceived corruption, which weaken public trust and access to justice. This study examined the role of stakeholder participation in good governance for improving public service delivery in the judicial system of the Tabora Zone, Tanzania, focusing on four key dimensions: active community participation, stakeholder collaboration, feedback mechanisms, and public forums. Guided by Agency Theory, the study adopted a pragmatism research philosophy and employed a mixed-methods approach with a descriptive survey design to capture both quantitative and qualitative insights. The study involved 109 respondents, including judicial officers, administrative staff, and court users, selected through purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews and analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis). The findings revealed that feedback mechanisms (Mean = 4.31) and stakeholder collaboration (Mean = 4.03) significantly enhance the quality, efficiency, and satisfaction of judicial services. Active community participation (Mean = 3.46) moderately contributes to service timeliness and quality, while structured public forums (Mean = 3.16) remain underutilized and inconsistent. The study concludes that effective stakeholder participation fosters transparency, accountability, and citizen trust, thereby improving public service delivery in the Tabora Zone’s judicial system. It recommends institutionalizing feedback systems, strengthening collaboration, expanding community engagement, and establishing consistent public forums to promote good governance and enhance judicial service outcomes