Tanzania has started voter registration today, October 11, 2024, ahead of the upcoming local government elections on November 27, 2024.
To encourage participation, President Samia Suluhu registered today in Chamwino, Sokoine Hamlet. She urged people to come out and register, clarifying the difference between this registration and the one for the General Election.
“I urge everyone to go and register because there is confusion. Some believe that if they’ve already registered in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) voters’ register, they don’t need to register again. That is not the case,” President Samia clarified.
She added: “We are registering for the General Election in one register, but now, for your residence, you are electing the Chairperson, committee members, and other leaders. This is a different register.”
While the General Election is supervised by INEC, this election is overseen by the President’s Office, Regional Administration, and Local Government (PORALG), a confusion which made some activists to file a case at the High Court. Although recent legal changes allow INEC to supervise local government elections, the necessary supporting laws have not yet been drafted.
READ MORE: High Court Allows PO-RALG to be Challenged on Managing Tanzania Civic Elections
The Chanzo visited several registration stations in Dodoma and Dar es Salaam. In some Dodoma stations, officials had to call out to passersby due to low turnout, mainly caused by confusion about the two registers.
“From what I’ve observed, the process is a bit slow,” said Faustina Bendera, Chairperson of Chinyoya Street in Dodoma. “This is because citizens are still learning about this exercise. In my opinion, and from speaking with the citizens, it seems that many, even in other areas, have not fully understood the residential register.”
This sentiment was echoed by the Chairperson of Kilimani Street in Dodoma, who called for increased awareness of the registration process.
“Citizens did not understand well; they thought that registering in the permanent voter register, which we will use next year, was enough. Many are asking why they need to register again, even though they’ve already registered,” said Janeth Charles.
In Dar es Salaam, areas like Mikocheni, Mwenge, and Ubungo Sinza saw moderate turnout, with people coming and going at the registration stations. “I have registered so that I can elect better leaders,” Jackson Andrea told The Chanzo.
Opposition party CHADEMA Chairperson Freeman Mbowe also registered in Nshara village, his hometown in Hai, Kilimanjaro. Former ACT Wazalendo party leader Zitto Kabwe registered in Kibingo A, Mwandiga, Kigoma.
There are 18,000 registration stations across the country, and the exercise is expected to conclude on October 20, 2024. This election will involve 12,333 villages, 4,269 streets, and 64,274 hamlets.
