At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Tanzania

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President William MKAPA
• Head of Government: President William MKAPA
• Assembly: Tanzania has a unicameral National Assembly (Bunge) with 274 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the National Assembly (Bunge), 232 members are elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms, 37 members are allocated for women to serve 5-year terms and 5 members are allocated to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives to serve 5-year terms.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

• Benjamin MKAPA
  • Party: Revolutionary Party of Tanzania (CCM)
• Ibrahim LIPUMBA
  • Party: Civic United Front
• Augustine MREMA
  • Party: Tanzania Labor Party (TLP)
• John CHEYO
  • Party: United Democratic Party (UDP)

Last Presidential election:

• Presidential elections were last held on October 29 - November 19, 1995. President Benjamin MKAPA received 61.8% of the vote, thereby defeating Augustine MREMA, his closest competitor who received 27.8%.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 35,306,126 (July 2000 est.)
• Registered Voters: 10,880,484

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 17,080,688 (2000)

·         Is Tanzania a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Tanzania ratified CEDAW: Yes (20 August 1985)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 61 (following the 2000 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 151 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Tanzania a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Tanzanisa ratified CRPD: Yes (10 November 2009)

·         Population with a disability: 5,295,918 (est.)