Call for political parties to allocate Special Seats to people with disabilities

DAR ES SALAAM: The National Coordinator of the Tanzania Women Politicians Platform, Dr. Ave-Maria Semakafu, has called on political parties in the country to allocate Special Seats in Parliament to people with disabilities, citing the challenges they face when contesting for other leadership positions.

In an exclusive interview with Daily News Digital, Dr. Ave-Maria stated that people with disabilities face significant barriers, especially when running for parliamentary seats in constituencies, due to infrastructure limitations and special transportation needs that hinder their ability to campaign across various areas.

“Political parties must recognize that people with disabilities have great potential to contribute to national development, but environmental challenges prevent them from competing equally for constituency positions. Allocating Special Seats to them would enable full participation in decision-making and increase their representation in Parliament,” said Dr. Ave-Maria.

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She further added that for individuals without disabilities, political parties should ensure an enabling environment for fair competition in constituency elections, allowing them to contest under normal competitive conditions, while reserving Special Seats for people with disabilities.

In a related matter, Dr. Ave-Maria urged the Government to establish a system that allows women to enter Parliament on equal footing with men. She emphasized that the current Special Seats arrangement does not give women adequate opportunities to fully participate in decision-making levels.

The 2025 General Election is expected to take place in October, and the debate on equal representation for various social groups, including people with disabilities and women, is gaining momentum.