The Purpose of this study was to assess the practice of succession planning in higher learning institutions in Tanzania. Three research objectives guided this study: (1) To describe the workforce characteristics at the Local Government Training Institute (LGTI), Dodoma, Tanzania. (2) To identify and analyse the succession planning steps/ activities at LGTI, (3) To identify the challenges facing the LGTI in developing and implementing succession plans. The study was conducted at LGTI located in Dodoma Municipality. Data were collected through interviews, questionnaires and documentary review. Questionnaires were administered to a random sample of sixty three (63) participants, while eight (8) participants were purposely selected and interviewed with the interview guide prepared in advance. The study revealed that, there is low awareness about succession planning at LGTI. Moreover, the study found that the subject institute does not have a systematic and formal succession planning programmes. What exist are some informal succession planning practices driven by the initiatives and goodwill of individual leaders. Generally, the study found that succession planning at LGTI is affected by two major factors which are lack of commitment of leaders and unsupportive organisational culture of the institute. While findings indicated LGTI has somehow adopted some succession planning practices most of the participants could not show evidence of comprehensive succession planning processes such as assessment of individual leadership development needs, and evaluation of succession planning processes. Generally, the findings of this study are consistent with the literature that have shown that higher learning institutions lack systematic and formal succession planning, hence a call for good succession planning in higher learning institutions. The study came up with four major recommendations: (1) LGTI should establish a deliberate policy to formalise succession planning and ensure that the succession planning practices are entrenched in the culture of the institute, (2) The institute is advised to launch outstanding leadership development initiatives that prepare the junior staff to take over the leadership positions based on the actual leadership needs, and (3) An efficient succession planning programmes should be introduced at the institute that involves the basic succession planning practices discussed in this study. (4) Top management in this organisation must support establishment and implementation of succession planning programmes for different carders.

Description