Zanzibar House of Representatives

The Zanzibar House of Representatives (Swahili: Baraza la Wawakilishi wa Zanzibar) is the unicameral, subnational legislature of the autonomous islands of Zanzibar in Tanzania.[1]

Zanzibar House of Representatives
Baraza la Wawakilishi (Swahili)
Type
Type
History
Founded14 January 1980
New session started
March 2016
Leadership
Speaker
Deputy Speaker
Mgeni Hassan Juma
Structure
Seats76
Political groups
  •   CCM (68)
  •   ACT (4)
  •   ADC (1)
  •   AFP (1)
  •   TADEA (1)
  •   Ex officio (1)
Length of term
5 years
Elections
First-past-the-post
Last election
28 October 2020
Meeting place
Unguja, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Website
www.zanzibarassembly.go.tz

History

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The current legislature was formed in 1980. Prior to this, the Revolutionary Council held both the executive and legislative functions for 16 years following the Zanzibar Revolution in 1964.[2]

Current composition

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Type of Representatives since 2020[3] CCM ACT-W TADEA Total
Elected in constituencies 46 4 0 50
Nominated by the President of Zanzibar 4 2 1 7
Special seats reserved for women 18 0 0 18
Speaker 1 - - 1
Attorney General (Ex officio member) - - - -
Total 69 6 1 76

ACT-Wazalendo achieved more than 10% of the vote and thus was included into the Government of National Unity according to the Zanzibar constitution. After a split in the so far strong CUF opposition party, most members and votes had shifted to ACT-W.

Composition after the 2016 election

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The legislature formed in 2016 after the 2016 Zanzibari general elections consisted of 88 members.[4] This election had been a repeat of the annulled 2015 election and was boycotted by the opposition.[5]

Type CCM Other Total
Elected from constituencies[citation needed] 54 0 54
Nominated by the President of Zanzibar 7 3 10
Special seats reserved for women (40%) 22 0 22
Speaker (if not from the MPs) 1 1
Attorney General (Ex officio member) 1
Total 84 3 88

Past election results

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The results of the past elections held under the multiparty system are as follows:[6]

Political Party Election Year
1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2016 2020
Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) 26 34 30 28 84 68
Civic United Front (CUF) 24 16 19 22
Total 50 50 50 50 (Annulled) 88 76

The 2010 Zanzibari general election saw an almost equal division of votes between the two leading parties. The 2015 election was annulled by the election commission, leading to protests from the CUF opposition and their boycott of the 2016 election in which the CCM won every elected seat.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The Parliament of Zanzibar, Tanzania". Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  2. ^ "History of the ZHoR". Zanzibar House of Representatives. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  3. ^ Baraza la kumi(2020-2025), uchambuzi wa kitakwimu wa aina za wajumbe wa Baraza la Wawakilishi Zanzibar, tovuti ya Baraza la Wawakilishi Zanzibar, iliangaliwa Aprili 2021
  4. ^ "House of Representatives - Members". zanzibarassembly.go.tz. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
  5. ^ [https://www.ippmedia.com/en/news/isles-house-reps-picks-maulid-new-speaker Isles House of Reps picks Maulid as new speaker], The Guardian (Tanzania), 31. 03. 2016
  6. ^ "Elections in Zanzibar". Retrieved 15 November 2014.
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