The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the commencement of the process of examining, delimiting and renaming electoral constituencies where it will begin receiving proposals from February 27, 2025 to March 26, 2025.
This was stated by the INEC Chairman, Appeal Judge, Jacobs Mwambegele on February 26, 2025 shortly after he finished presiding over the Commission’s session held in Morogoro region.
Judge Mwambegele said In accordance with the provisions of Regulation 18(1) of the INEC Regulations of 2024, I wish to inform the public that, from February 27, 2025, INEC will commence the process of examining and delimiting or renaming electoral constituencies.
Justice Mwambegele said that all applications for the division or change of the name of a constituency should be submitted to INEC from February 27, 2025 to March 26, 2025.
Judge Mwambegele said that INEC is carrying out this duty in accordance with Article 74(6)(c) of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977 and Section 10(1)(d) of the Independent National Electoral Commission Act No. 2 of 2024.
In that Article, INEC has been given the duty to examine the boundaries and divide the United Republic into various areas for the election of Members of Parliament.
He explained that in accordance with Article 75(4) of the Constitution, the duty to examine the boundaries and divide the United Republic into electoral constituencies can be carried out by the Commission from time to time and at least every ten years.
“In light of the provisions of the Constitution, the last time the Commission examined the boundaries and demarcated constituencies in the United Republic in 2015, 26 new constituencies were established,” said Judge Mwambegele.
He reminded all stakeholders with applications to ensure that the proposals are discussed in the District Advisory Committee, then submitted to the Regional Administrative Secretary for discussion in the Regional Advisory Committee.
After that, the Regional Administrative Secretary should submit to INEC the proposals approved by the Regional Advisory Committee meeting along with all attachments.
He said the criteria that will be used are the average population, where for urban constituencies it is from an average of 600,000 people and for rural constituencies it is from an average of 400,000 people.
Other criteria are the population that will be used is that provided by the National Bureau of Statistics based on the results of the 2022 Population and Housing Census.
Judge Mwambegele has mentioned other criteria as are the economic condition of the State, the size of the State concerned, administrative boundaries, one state not being within two districts or councils.
Others are the layout of existing residential areas, the capacity of the parliament hall, the number of Women Special Seat Members of Parliament, the availability of communication channels and the geographical condition of the area intended to be divided.
He said that councils intending to change the name of a state will have to follow the same procedure as that used in submitting applications for the division of states.
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