TANZANIA ELECTION MONITORING COMMITTEE TEMCO REPORT ON THE 2015 ELECTION IN TANZANIA MAY 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 TEMCO’S ELECTION OBSERVATION ARCHITECTURE ................................ 1 1.1 Background and Context .............................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Mission and Objectives................................................................................................................. 1 1.3 Scope of Observation .................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Benefits of Observation and Assessment Criteria ........................................................................ 3 1.5 Observation Architecture for 2015 Election ................................................................................. 4 1.6 Deployment Plan for LTOs and STOs .......................................................................................... 8 1.7 Interim Statements on Electoral Processes ................................................................................... 8 1.8 Techniques for Collecting Electoral Data and Information ........................................................ 10 1.8.1 Field observation .......................................................................................................................... 10 1.8.2 Interviews ..................................................................................................................................... 10 1.8.3 Documentary Review ................................................................................................................... 11 1.8.4 Infusion of ICTs in TEMCO ........................................................................................................ 11 1.8.5 Networking and Collaboration ..................................................................................................... 14 1.9 TEMCO Criteria for Assessing of Elections .............................................................................. 16 1.10 Summary of the Report ............................................................................................................... 17 1.11 Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER 2 PRELUDE AND CONTEXT OF THE 2015 TANZANIA’S ELECTION ............. 20 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 20 2.2 GNU and Electoral Politics in Zanzibar ..................................................................................... 20 2.3 Performance of the Fourth Phase Government (2005-2015) ...................................................... 21 2.4 By-Elections and 2014 Civic Elections ...................................................................................... 27 2.5 Constitutional Review Process ................................................................................................... 28 2.6 Intraparty Conflicts and Realignment ......................................................................................... 32 2.7 Dominance of the Ruling Party Going into the 2015 Election ................................................... 38 2.8 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 38 CHAPTER 3 LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS FOR THE 2015 ELECTION .............................................................................................................................................................. 39 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 39 3.2 Legal Frameworks for the 2015 Election ................................................................................... 39 3.2.1 Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania ........................................................................ 39 3.2.2 National Elections Act ................................................................................................................. 40 3.2.3 Local Authorities (Elections) Act ................................................................................................ 40 3.2.4 Election Expenses Act ................................................................................................................. 41 3.2.5 Political Parties Act ...................................................................................................................... 41 3.2.6 Constitution of Zanzibar .............................................................................................................. 41 3.2.7 Zanzibar Elections Act ................................................................................................................. 42 3.2.8 Implications of the Legal Framework on 2015 Election .............................................................. 42 3.3 Institutional Arrangements ......................................................................................................... 43 3.3.1 National Electoral Commission ................................................................................................... 44 3.3.2 Financial and Procurement Management Issues .......................................................................... 45 3.3.3 Information and Communication Issues ...................................................................................... 46 3.3.4 Capacity Enhancement for Electoral Staff ................................................................................... 47 3.3.5 Accreditation of Election Observers and Voter Education Providers .......................................... 47 3.3.6 Zanzibar Electoral Commission ................................................................................................... 48 3.4 Questions over Independence of NEC and ZEC ........................................................................ 49 3.5 Relationship between NEC and ZEC.......................................................................................... 50 i 3.6 Delimitation of Electoral Boundaries ......................................................................................... 51 3.7 Vote Guarding and the “200 Meters” Case ................................................................................ 52 3.8 Conclusion and Recommendations ............................................................................................. 52 3.8.1 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 53 3.8.2 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................ 53 CHAPTER 4 BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION PROCESS ............................................. 54 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 54 4.2 Justification for BVR .................................................................................................................. 54 4.3 Legal and Institutional Frameworks for Voter Registration ....................................................... 56 4.4 Management of the BVR Process ............................................................................................... 57 4.4.1 Human Resource .......................................................................................................................... 57 4.5 Finances, Registration Centres, BVR Kits and Materials ........................................................... 60 4.5.1 Procurement of BVR Kits ............................................................................................................ 60 4.5.2 Timetable and Distribution of Materials and Equipment ............................................................. 62 4.5.3 Set up and operation of the registration stations .......................................................................... 63 4.6 Voter Education for Registration ................................................................................................ 66 4.7 Irregularities, Problems, Challenges and their Handling ............................................................ 67 4.7.1 Registration of Illegal Immigrants and Non-citizens ................................................................... 67 4.7.2 Finger Print Reading .................................................................................................................... 68 4.7.3 Long Queues at Registration Centres ........................................................................................... 69 4.7.4 Inadequate Remuneration for BVR Kit Operators ....................................................................... 70 4.7.5 Incompetence of BVR Kit Operators ........................................................................................... 70 4.7.6 Estimated and Actual Registered Voters...................................................................................... 70 4.8 Overall Assessment of the Voter Registration Process .............................................................. 71 4.9 Conclusions and Recommendations