Info
Electoral Systems
ES001
Head of State
Question: How is the Head of State selected?
Answer(s):
a . Head of State is the Head of Government b . Directly elected in general elections (simple majority)
Comments: The president is the Head of State, the Head of Government and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. Any presidential candidate shall be declared duly elected President only if he has obtained majority of votes.
Source: Constitution, art. 33, 41 (1-6): https://www.inec.go.tz/uploads/documents/sw-1714455356-1.%20sw-1675190712-sw1499671152-Katiba_ya_Tanzania.pdf
Verified: 2025/11/07
ES002
Head of Government
Question: How is the Head of Government selected?
Answer:
a . Directly elected in general elections (simple majority)
Comments: The president is the Head of State, the Head of Government and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. Any presidential candidate shall be declared duly elected President only if he has obtained majority of votes.
Source: Constitution, art. 41: https://www.inec.go.tz/uploads/documents/sw-1714455356-1.%20sw-1675190712-sw1499671152-Katiba_ya_Tanzania.pdf
Verified: 2025/12/01
ES003
President
Question: Does the country have a president?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: There shall be a President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Source: Constitution, art. 33 (1): https://www.inec.go.tz/uploads/documents/sw-1714455356-1.%20sw-1675190712-sw1499671152-Katiba_ya_Tanzania.pdf
Verified: 2025/12/01
ES004
Number of Chambers
Question: The national legislature consists of (one/two chambers):
Answer:
a . One chamber
Comments: 62(1): There shall be a Parliament of the Untied Republic which shall consist of two parts, that is to say, the President and the National Assembly.
64(1): Legislative power in relation to all Union Matters and also in relation to all other matters concerning Mainland Tanzania is vested in Parliament.
Source: Constitution, art. 62, 64 (1): https://www.inec.go.tz/uploads/documents/sw-1714455356-1.%20sw-1675190712-sw1499671152-Katiba_ya_Tanzania.pdf
Verified: 2025/12/01
ES005
Electoral System (Chamber 1)
Question: What is the electoral system for Chamber 1 of the national legislature?
Answer(s):
e . Parallel (Segmented) (PR Lists and Majoritarian constituencies) j . Other
Comments: 272 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies and 102 special reserved seats are allocated to women in proportion to the number of votes obtained by each party. In addition, 5 members are elected among the Zanzibar House of Representatives and 10 members are appointed by the President. The attorney-general and the speaker of the National Assembly are ex-oficio members.
Source: The National Elections Act 2010, art. 86A: https://www.inec.go.tz/uploads/documents/sw-1714458261-1506507832-The%20National%20Election%20Act%20%20(CAP%20343)%20Revised%202015).pdf;
Constitution, art. 66 (1), 77, 78: https://www.inec.go.tz/uploads/documents/sw-1714455356-1.%20sw-1675190712-sw1499671152-Katiba_ya_Tanzania.pdf
Verified: 2025/12/01
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