The Impact of COVID-19 on Service Delivery in a Public Utility in Tanzania: Do E-Service Approaches Matter?

The article aims at enhancing our understanding of the extent to which COVID-19 affected service delivery in public organizations and how e-service approaches provide the potential for sustaining delivery of public services even in times of limited physical interactions. The article uses the Dar es Salaam Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (DAWASA) in Tanzania as a case study. The authors collected data from 149 respondents between June and December 2021. Findings indicate that COVID-19 affected the utility in several ways including a decline in revenue collections, delays in implementing projects, untimely payment of suppliers, and complaints from customers regarding meter readings. The article argues that e-service approaches matter in the delivery of public services. It also identifies the benefits of, and constraints to, effective use of e-services.