INEC announces 2nd updating Voter Registrar

DODOMA: THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that beginning May 1st this year, it will kick off the second phase of updating the list of voters in the Permanent Voter Register (PVR).

This, according to INEC’s Chairperson, Judge Jacobs Mwambegele, will be yet another chance for Tanzanians who did not make it during the first phase to register so that they can exercise their democratic right in the much-awaited 2025 General Election.

The electoral body equally said the second phase of updating the PVR will be conducted concurrently with the release of the Preliminary Voters’ Register.

The INEC chairperson said the second phase will be completed on July 4th, this year, adding that the exercise will be carried out in three phases.

The first round will cover 15 regions, while the second will have 16 regions, and the third will focus on prison centres and training institutions across the country.

Regions in the first round include Geita, Kagera, Mara, Shinyanga, Mwanza, Simiyu, Rukwa, Tabora, Katavi, Kigoma, Iringa, Ruvuma, Mbeya, Njombe and Songwe.

Voter registration and updates in these areas will take place from May 1st to May 7th, this year.

The second round, scheduled for May 16th to 22nd, this year, will take place in Arusha, Manyara, Kilimanjaro, Tanga, Morogoro, Coast Region, Singida, Dodoma, Dar es Salaam, Lindi, Mtwara, Urban West, North Unguja, South Unguja, North Pemba, and Pemba South.

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“The third and final round will involve 130 registration centres in the mainland prisons and ten centres in training institutions across Zanzibar. This will take place simultaneously from June 28th to July 4th, this year,” said Judge Mwambegele.

He further explained that this phase of the voter register update will be conducted at the ward level on the mainland and at the constituency level in Zanzibar.

A total of 7,869 registration centres will be involved 7,659 in mainland Tanzania and 210 in Zanzibar.

“We expect to register 1,396,609 new voters, update the information of 1,092,383 existing voters, and remove 148,624 voters who are no longer eligible to remain in the register,” Judge Mwambegele said.

He said that the exercise is being carried out in accordance with Section 16(5) of the Presidential, Parliamentary, and Councillors Election Act No. 1 of 2024, which mandates the Commission to update the Permanent Voter Register twice: once after the general election and once before candidate nominations for the next general election.

The update will involve registering new voters who are Tanzanian citizens aged 18 or above, including those who will reach that age by the 2025 general election.

It will also include reissuing voter cards to those who have lost or damaged them, and allowing registered voters to correct their personal details, such as names or other information.

He further added that the exercise will facilitate the transfer of voter information for individuals who have relocated from their original registration areas, and the removal of individuals who are no longer eligible such as the deceased.

Judge Mwambegele also noted that, under Section 11(1) and (2) of the same Act, the Commission is required to prepare and publicly display the Preliminary Voters’ Register.

“The objective of releasing it is to allow citizens to verify, correct, or raise objections against the details of voters listed in the register who do not meet the eligibility criteria,” he said.