THE ROLE OF LEGAL FRAMEWORKS IN IMPROVING PUBLIC RECORDS PRESERVATION AT PO-RAMD, TANZANIA

Maria Isaac Sawala

Abstract


Preservation of public records is essential for ensuring authenticity, reliability, and long-term accessibility of a nation’s documentary heritage. In Tanzania, although the Records and Archives Management Act No. 3 of 2002 provides the legal foundation for records management, concerns remain regarding the adequacy and operational effectiveness of complementary legal frameworks at the President’s Office–Records and Archives Management Department (PO-RAMD). This study examined the influence of legal-framework-related factors on public records preservation practices at PO-RAMD. Guided by a positivist philosophy, the study adopted an explanatory design and a quantitative approach. Primary data were collected from all 61 staff members using a structured questionnaire and analyzed through descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. The model was statistically significant (F = 26.42, p < 0.001) and explained 61.5% of the variance in preservation practices (R² = 0.615). Staff training emerged as the strongest predictor (β = 0.381, p < 0.001), followed by staff awareness (β = 0.231, p = 0.012), accessibility of legal frameworks (β = 0.219, p = 0.013), and adequacy of legal coverage (β = 0.205, p = 0.014). The study concludes that effective preservation depends not only on the existence of legal frameworks but also on their accessibility, adequacy, and institutional capacity for implementation. Strengthening training programs and modernizing legal provisions are essential for improving public records preservation in Tanzania.

 

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Keywords


legal frameworks, public records preservation, PO-RAMD, archives, archival repository

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejsss.v12i1.2141

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