Electorate to vote from any point in future

ALVAR MWAKYUSA

Chairman of NEC, Judge (Rtd) Damian Lubuva

ELECTORATE in Tanzania could in next elections cast their votes from anywhere in the country rather than where they registered, as the National Electoral Commission (NEC) ponders a possibility of amending the legislation to allow the new arrangement to take place.

The Chairman of NEC, Judge (Rtd) Damian Lubuva, made the revelation yesterday when he made a visit at the electoral body’s pavilion at the ongoing 40th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) at the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Trade Fair Grounds.

“The current legislation allows electorate to cast their votes only at the centre they registered from and this has been a challenge as per our observation in past elections.

This issue will be sorted out in future elections,” Judge Lubuva explained. The electoral body was thus looking at possibilities of amending the current legislation to allow the new arrangement to become operational in future elections.

On the other hand, Judge Lubuva said the ongoing trade fair provides an opportunity for NEC to provide public awareness on its activities. “After completion of the general election last year and submission of the report to President John Magufuli, we are preparing for the next election,” the NEC Chairman explained.

He went on to hail the Biometric Voter Register (BVR) used to register voters in the Permanent Voters’ Register (PVR) during the general election last year, which has enabled the electoral body to create a database for eligible voters in the country.

“In future elections we will not register all voters but improve the database by adding new electorates who will have attained 18 years of age and erase voters who have already passed away,” Judge Lubuva stated.

He said the electoral body was considering placing officials at all district councils to make the registration exercise sustainable rather than waiting for the election year.

In another development, Judge Lubuva stressed that NEC was an independent body operating without being meddled. The NEC chairman faulted people who were fond of criticising them of lack of independence, stating that being independent was more than the name.

He noted, however, that NEC had proposed to the then constitutional review commission which was led by Judge (Rtd) Joseph Warioba to have a special team to scrutinise and nominate commissioners of the electoral body to be appointed by the president.