Dar es Salaam – Just weeks before the nation heads to the polls, Tanzania’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced significant changes to electoral boundaries, nullifying 10 wards and relocating 292 polling stations.
The move, which follows government-led administrative boundary adjustments, has resulted in the disqualification of seven councillor candidates from the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party.
In a statement released on October 12, 2025, INEC Chairperson Justice Jacobs Mwambegele confirmed that the decision was made after a review of two government notices issued on October 3, 2025.
The first notice declared three areas—Ulyankulu, Katumba, and Mishamo—as designated refugee settlements, while the second abolished 10 wards across several districts.
The affected wards include Litapunga, Kanoge, Katumba, Mishamo, Ilangu, Bulamata, and Ipwaga, as well as Milambo, Igombenkulu, and Kanindo. As a result, seven CCM candidates who had been nominated to contest in these wards have been disqualified from the upcoming election.
READ MORE: National Electoral Commission Revises 2025 Voter Figures Amid Scrutiny
The disqualified candidates are Elius Elia (Katumba), Salehe Msompola (Kanoge), Mohamed Asenga (Litapunga), Nicas Nibengo (Bulamata), Sadick Mathew (Ilangu), Rehan Sekota (Ipwaga), and Juma Kansimba (Mishamo).
Justice Mwambegele stated that the commission formally nullified the 10 wards from the list of electoral areas for the 2025 councillor elections and revoked the nominations of the seven candidates. He added that for the remaining three wards—Milambo, Igombenkulu, and Kanindo—no election processes had yet been conducted.
To accommodate the more than 106,000 voters affected by these changes, INEC has established new polling centres near the relocated areas. The number of new centres matches the 292 polling stations that were nullified, a move intended to ensure that all eligible voters can conveniently access polling stations on election day, October 29, 2025.
These last-minute changes come amid a contentious election season. The 2025 general election, in which President Samia Suluhu Hassan is seeking re-election, has been marked by controversy, including the disqualification of the main opposition party, CHADEMA, and the arrest of its chairperson, Tundu Lissu. With the opposition weakened, President Samia faces little resistance at the ballot box.
READ MORE: Second Tanzanian Parliamentary Election Halted Following Candidate’s Death
Recent electoral reforms, including the Presidential, Parliamentary and Councillors’ Elections Act, 2024, and the Independent National Electoral Commission Act, were intended to improve transparency.
However, critics argue that the reforms have failed to guarantee a level playing field and have maintained government influence over the electoral commission. The limited participation of international observers has further fueled concerns about the transparency of the electoral process.
