Tanzania: Code of conduct

Updated September 2006

Tanzania has a voluntary Code of Ethic for Elections ("the Code") that was agreed on and endorsed in 2005 by the National Electoral Commission (NEC), the government and political parties (NEC 2005, 27, Appendix 3). In the Introduction, the document lays out the purpose of Code, namely to "sustain fairness, mutual understanding and tolerance among stakeholders and guarantee peace and tranquility throughout the electoral process" (Code 2005, 1.0).

The Code addresses three main areas, Ethics for Political Parties and Candidates, Ethics for the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania and Ethics for the National Electoral Commission.

Political parties

The Code lays out the following acts that ought to be done by parties and candidates during campaigning (Code 2005, 3.1):

  • All should respect the right of other parties and candidates to exist and to conduct campaign meetings.
  • All should adhere to programmes laid out by the NEC and its agents for the coordination of political meetings.
  • Public meetings should be conducted between 08:00 and 18:30.
  • Loudspeakers should only be used between 07:00 and 19:00.
  • Campaign material and publications should be vetted by the NEC (presidential candidates) or Returning officers (other candidates).
  • Parties and presidential candidates should use the procedures and modalities laid out by the NEC when using the public media.
  • Party leaders must make plans for educating and supervising supporters to avoid breaches of the peace.
  • Parties and their supporters should respect the environment when posting or distributing materials.
  • Campaign meetings should be peaceful and without religious, tribal, ethnic or sexual discrimination. They should be conducted in Swahili and a translator used where Swahili is not understood.
  • Parties should not use religious sites for meetings or solicit religious leaders to campaign on their behalf.
  • Meetings should be used to publicise policy and not to foment hatred, confrontation or division amongst Tanzanians.

The following acts that ought not to be done by parties, candidates and supporters during campaigning (Code 2005, 3.2):

  • People should not cause chaos or disorder at the meetings of others.
  • Language which is abusive, defamatory, belittling, threatening or that incites disorder or violence should not be used.
  • No weapons may be carried to public meetings.
  • No statutes or caricatures intended to ridicule, revile or scandalise should be carried at public events.
  • Loudspeakers are banned between 19:00 to 06:00.
  • The media should not be used to defame others.
  • Campaign materials of others should not be deface, removed or destroyed.
  • Nothing should be posted on private property without the express, prior consent of the owners.
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Reference

NEC 2005, A Handbook of Tanzania Electoral Laws and Regulations 2005.