United Republic of Tanzania

Government organization

The United Republic of Tanzania is a republic with three spheres of government: central, intermediate (Tanzania Zanzibar), and local.

Central government

Head of State: The President is directly elected by voters.
Head of Government: The Prime Minister is an elected member of the National Assembly from the political party having a majority of members in the National Assembly, appointed by the President, and confirmed by a resolution of the National Assembly.
Legislative body: The National Assembly is a unicameral legislature which is composed of 264 members directly elected by voters, 118 women members elected by political parties in proportion to their share of the electoral vote, ten members appointed by the President, and the Attorney-General.
Executive body: The Cabinet, presided over by the President, is composed of the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, the President of Zanzibar, the Attorney-General (as a non-voting member), and ministers appointed by the President after consultation with the Prime Minister.

Tanzania Zanzibar government

Legislative body: The House of Representatives of Zanzibar is a unicameral legislature which is composed of 54 members directly elected by voters, 22 women members appointed by political parties represented in the House of Representatives of Zanzibar, ten members nominated by the President of Zanzibar, all regional commissioners appointed in the regions of Zanzibar, and the Attorney-General for Zanzibar.
Executive body: The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar consists of the Chief Minister and ministers. The President of Zanzibar appoints the Chief Minister from amongst members of the House of Representatives; the ministers are members of the House of Representatives appointed by the President of Zanzibar on consultation with the Chief Minister. The President of Zanzibar is directly elected by voters.

Local government

Organization: Local government is organized into one tier of cities, municipalities, and towns (in urban areas) and rural districts (in rural areas). In mainland Tanzania, there are 37 urban authorities (19 municipalities, 15 towns, and three cities) and 133 rural districts. In Tanzania Zanzibar, there are four urban authorities (one municipality on the island of Unguja and three towns on the island of Pemba) and seven rural districts.
Competencies: Local government is responsible for participating and involving the people in the planning and implementation of development programs within their respective areas and generally throughout the country, ensuring the enforcement of law and public safety of the people, and consolidating democracy within its area and to apply it to accelerate the development of the people.
Ministerial oversight: Ministry for Regional Administration and Local Government

Overview of local government

Local government composition

City-level government

Deliberative body: The city council is composed of a mayor, a deputy mayor, elected members, the members of the National Assembly representing the constituency within which the city is situated, women reserved seat members, and a maximum of three members appointed by the Minister for Regional Administration and Local Government. A mayor is elected by and from the city council to preside over it; the mayor is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The city director is appointed to be the executive of the city level of government.

Municipal-level government

Deliberative body: The municipal council is composed of elected members, the members of the National Assembly representing the constituency within which the municipality is situated, women reserved seat members, and a maximum of three members appointed by the Minister for Regional Administration and Local Government. A mayor is elected by and from the municipal council to preside over it; the mayor is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The municipal director is appointed to be the executive of the municipal level of government.

Town-level government

Deliberative body: The town council is composed of elected members, the members of the National Assembly representing the constituency within which the town is situated, women reserved seat members, and a maximum of three members appointed by the Minister for Regional Administration and Local Government. A chairperson is elected by and from the town council to preside over it; the chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The town director is appointed to be the executive of the town level of government.

Rural district level government

Deliberative body: The district council is composed of elected members, the members of the National Assembly representing the constituency within which the district is situated and whose nomination originated from organs of political parties within the area of jurisdiction of the district council, women reserved seat members, and a maximum of three members appointed by the Minister for Regional Administration and Local Government. A chairperson is elected by and from the district council to preside over it; the chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The district executive director is appointed to be the executive of the district level of government.

Local government elections

Electoral system

Electoral system for the councils: majority/plurality (first-past-the-post)

A local government territory is organized into wards for the purpose of local deliberative body elections; one member is elected per each ward to the local deliberative body. Each voter votes for one individual candidate. The Assistant Returning Officer shall, after the addition of votes from all polling stations in the ward, declare the results and the candidate for whom the majority of valid votes have been cast to be an elected candidate in the ward.

Electoral system for the directors: no elections (appointment)

Directors and executives are appointed.

Sources: Local Government Elections Act, 2015, article 62 and 82; Local Authorities Councilors’ Elections Regulations, 2020, article 58

Quotas

Gender quotas: Reserved seats

In mainland Tanzania, every political party which contests the local deliberative body election may propose the names of eligible women candidates for nomination to the reserved seats for women to the electoral authority. The list names of women proposed to the electoral authority are in order of preference; the electoral authority declares such number of women candidates from the respective political parties to be elected. In the district council, the number of reserved seats for women is not less than 1/3 of the total number of elected members, members of the National Assembly, and appointed members in the council. In city, municipal, and town councils, the number of reserved seats for women is not less than 1/3 of the total number of elected members and members of the National Assembly in the council.
In Tanzania Zanzibar, the municipal, town, and district councils consist of members appointed by the minister responsible for local government, of which 40% must be women.

Additional quotas: No

Sources: Local Authorities (Councilors’ Elections) Regulations, 2020, articles 61 and 62; Local Government Elections Act, 2015, article 86A; Zanzibar Local Government Authority Act, articles. 18, 20 and 24

Term of elections

Term length: 5 years
Last local elections: 2019
Next local elections: 2024

Electoral management body

National Electoral Commission; Zanzibar Electoral Commission

National legal framework on local government

National legal framework

Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, 1977 (amended through 2005);
Constitution of Zanzibar, 2006 (amended through 2016);
Local Government Elections Act, 2015;
Local Authorities Councilors’ Elections Regulations, 2020;
Zanzibar Local Government Authority Act, 2014;
Regional Administration Act, 1997;
Local Government District Authorities Act, 1982 (amended through 2021);
Local Government Finances Act, 1982 (amended through 2021);
Local Government Urban Authorities Act, 1982 (amended through 2021).

Constitutional provisions on local government

There are constitutional provisions that establish local government in Tanzania. According to Articles 145 and 146 of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977 (amended through 2005), “there shall be established local government authorities in each region, district, urban area and village in the United Republic, which shall be of the type and designation prescribed by law to be enacted by Parliament or by the House of Representatives. The purpose of having local government authorities is to transfer authority to the people.” According to Articles 1, 2, and 128 of the Constitution of Zanzibar of 2006, “Zanzibar is an integral part of the United Republic of Tanzania. For the purpose of the efficient discharge of the functions of the Government, the President of the United Republic in consultation with the President, may divide Zanzibar into Regions, Districts and any other areas in accordance with procedures prescribed. There shall be Local Government Authorities for every Region, District and Area in respect of the Region or District or Area as the case may be.”

Legislative provisions on local government

The National Assembly and the House of Representatives of Zanzibar are responsible for establishing the legal framework on local government. The key pieces of legislation that regulate local government are the Local Government District Authorities Act of 1982 (amended through 2002) and the Local Government Urban Authorities Act of 1982 (amended through 2002), in mainland Tanzania, and the Zanzibar Local Government Authority Act of 2014, in Tanzania Zanzibar. According to Article 3 of the Zanzibar Local Government Authority Act of 2014, “the establishment of the Local Government Authority shall be based on the principles of decentralization and democratic governance that demands the devolution of authority and power to the lowest level of government closest to the people.”

Sources:

1. UN Women: Data on share of women in local government as of 1 January 2023.

2. UN Women: Information on Head of State and Government as of 3 October 2023.

3. Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU): Data on share of women in the single/lower chamber of parliament as of 1 January 2023.

4. IPU and UN Women: Data on share of women in ministerial positions as of 1 January 2023.

5. Information on local government organization as of 1 January 2022.

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Local government country profile

Local government country profile

Government organization

Overview of local government