Tanzania's political parties express hope as government fixes civic polls date

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania will hold local government elections on November 27 this year, the government declared yesterday, with political parties expressing hope over upholding the voting rules and freedom.

The civic polls are held every five years to select chairpersons of hamlets and neighbourhoods, together with their respective council members.

“I am announcing to the public and all political parties with permanent registrations that November 27, 2024, will be the day of the local government elections in Mainland Tanzania.

Voting will start at exactly 8:00am and end at exactly 4:00pm,” said the minister of State in the President’s Office—Regional Administration and Local Governments, Mr Mohamed Mchengerwa, during an event broadcast from Dodoma.

“I wish you a good, peaceful, and calm election during the entire period of registration, nomination of candidates, campaigning, voting and when announcing and receiving the election results,” he said, urging individuals to participate through contesting and voting.

Opposition parties boycotted the previous local government elections in 2019 because of alleged government manipulations, including the mass disqualification of their candidates.

However, the direction is different for this year, as leaders of some main opposition parties have already directed their officials to ensure that they have candidates in every local unit.

Chadema chairman Freeman Mbowe said during the celebrations of International Women’s Day in March that the party leaders should ensure that no village or neighbourhood misses an opposition candidate.

Similar comments were previously issued by the leader of the opposition Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT Wazalendo), Ms Dorothy Semu, who asked the party officials to strategise for the civic polls.

And yesterday, the chairman of the National Political Parties Council, Mr Juma Ali Khatib, said the political parties were ready for the elections.

“I want to promise that we are going to participate in the local government elections under the president’s reforms,” said Mr Khatib during the event.

“Political parties are ready for the elections,” he added.

Mr Khatib also appreciated the involvement of the opposition political parties in the local election process.

Tanzania has 19 political parties that have full registration and are expected to participate in the polls.

The Geita regional commissioner, Mr Martin Shigela, who is also the chairman of the regional commissioners, said the government officials will make sure that they operate by the laws to have free and fair polls.

“I want to assure that the regional commissioners will consider the election ethics, laws, and procedures,” he said.

“Be rest assured that we are committed to promoting democracy in our country under the directives of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is taking key reforms,” added Mr Shigela.

The chairman of the Parliament’s Local Government Affairs Committee, Mr Justin Nyamoga, expressed hope over the democratic reforms in Tanzania but emphasised the importance of upholding lawful practices.

“During this time, there is a need to uphold the implementation of all laws and regulations to make sure that the local government elections are credible and our country remains peaceful all the time,” he said.