The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is set to deploy an electoral observation mission to Tanzania ahead of the country’s presidential, parliamentary, and local government elections scheduled for October 29.
The regional bloc announced that the mission will officially be launched on October 21, with Malawi’s former Speaker of Parliament, Richard Msowoya, appointed as the head of the observer team. The deployment comes under the leadership of Malawian President Peter Mutharika, who currently chairs the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
According to SADC officials, the mission will evaluate all phases of the electoral process — before, during, and after the vote — in line with the Revised SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021). These guidelines stress political tolerance, citizen participation, equal access to media, and respect for election outcomes.
The SADC Secretariat, led by Executive Secretary Elias Magosi, is coordinating the logistical preparations. The advance support team arrived in Dar es Salaam on October 13 to lay the groundwork for the mission.
Observers are expected to meet with a broad range of stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Zanzibar Electoral Commission, political parties, civil society groups, and representatives from diplomatic missions, youth, and women’s organisations.
Tanzania’s upcoming elections are viewed as a key test for democratic governance in one of East Africa’s most stable nations, with SADC aiming to promote transparency and public confidence in the process.