ZANZIBAR: THE Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) has announced the date for the final update of the Permanent Voter’s Register (PVR) ahead of the 2025 General Election and made minor adjustments to the constituency boundaries of Wete and Mtambwe on Pemba Island.S
According to ZEC, updating of the Zanzibar PVR for the second and final phase will commence on February 1, next year in Micheweni District in Pemba and be concluded in Unguja Urban District on March 17.
ZEC conducted the first phase of new voter registration from December 2, 2023 to January 15, 2024, during which a total of 57,883 new voters were registered in Unguja and Pemba.
ZEC Chairman, Judge George Kazi revealed this when updating journalists about the ongoing preparations for the 2025 General Election, which also includes the updating of the PVR.
He said, based on 2022 National Population and Housing Census, ZEC targets to register or include in the PVR 78,922 new voters who have attained the age of 18 and above this year, “The registration willbe conducted at all the 407 voters registration centres, in all Shehias (administrative areas), for three consecutive days in Unguja and Pemba.”
Judge Kazi called on youths and other genuine Tanzanian-Zanzibaris to utilise the opportunity to register as voters for the future elections and that ZEC will continue with the exercise after the mass registration, at all its eleven district offices for individuals to update their information.
He said that to be eligible for Zanzibar elections, one must be a Tanzanian-Zanzibari with a valid Zanzibar residence identification card (ZanID) and must have resided in the respective Shehia for at least 36 consecutive months.
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Justice Kazi, however, noted that ZEC has decided to review constituency boundaries due to population growth, as revealed by the 2022 national census.
The review will focus on the Limbani Shehia in the Wete constituency and the Mzambarau Shehia in the Mtambwe constituency.
Judge Kazi said that the last review of constituency boundaries was made in August 2020 by TAMISEMI (Ministry of State – Office of the President (Regional Administration, Local Government and Special Departments).
“According to the new demarcation, Limbani Shehia will be part of Jadida, Wete constituency instead of Piki area in Mtambwe constituency; and Mzambarau Shehia will now be part of Piki in Mtambwe constituency instead of Pandani Ward in Pandani constituency,” Mr Kazi said.
