This paper discusses the regulatory and oversight systems necessary for revitalising public administration systems in Africa but with special reference to Tanzania. Regulation is a concept used in different contexts. As Jordana and Levi-Faur, (2004:1) for example opine, regulation can be described as an art and craft of governance, as an institutional reality, as a field of study and as a public discourse, and is more salient and celebrated nowadays than ever before. However, the challenges are as great as the achievements. As a popular subject of study in several disciplines across and beyond the social sciences, various meanings are attached to the concept, a fact that equally leads to reflecting the existence of different theoretical perspectives and disciplinary concerns on the subject. The paper discusses the major theories for understanding regulation before attention is given to various regulatory instruments. The paper then t