‘Civic poll stats valid’
DAR ES SALAAM: THE National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has dismissed claims that the voter roll data is inaccurate and does not align with the 2022 Population and Housing Census (PHC) results.
Over 31 million eligible Tanzanians 94.83 per cent of the targeted voter population have registered for the upcoming Local Government Election, scheduled for November 27th, this year.
This marks a significant increase from the 2019 Local Government Election, where 19,681,256 voters were registered, representing 86 per cent of the targeted 22,916,412.
Despite this, some critics have raised concerns about the accuracy of the reported figures, alleging discrepancies with the 2022PHC results.
In response, NBS has reaffirmed the validity of the government’s statistics on voter registration for the 2024 civic polls.
Speaking to journalists in Dar es Salaam, Statistician-General Dr Albina Chuwa addressed the misinformation surrounding the reported voter registration numbers.
“Claims on social media suggesting that the voter registration statistics are inaccurate and inflated compared to the eligible voter population from the 2022 PHC are baseless,” Dr Chuwa stated.
While acknowledging that the figures referenced by a section of the public stemmed from the 2022 PHC, she emphasized that these accurately reflect the current number of eligible voters.
“Based on population projections for 2024, Tanzania’s population is estimated at approximately 66.3 million, reflecting an average annual growth rate of 3.2 per cent as identified in the 2022 PHC. This includes about 64.2 million on Mainland and around 2.0 million in Zanzibar,” she explained, before insisting; “Thus, the population in 2024 cannot be directly compared to that of 2022.”
Dr Chuwa reminded the public that individuals aged 16, 17 and 18 during the 2022 Census are now eligible voters aged 18 to 20, totalling approximately 3,785,036 people.
Using these calculations, she asserted that the estimated number of eligible voters for the 2024 local government election 32,987,579 is accurate, valid and officially recognised according to the United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics.
Regarding regional registration rates, Dr Chuwa noted that some regions have surpassed 100 per cent of the projected eligible voter count, attributing this to internal migration.
“Higher-than-expected registration rates reflect population movement rather than inaccuracies. The 2022 Census counted people based on their location the night before Census Day,” she added.
According to the 2022 PHC, children under 15 years of age number 26,399,989, or 42.8 per cent of the population, while the working-age population (ages 15 to 64) totals 33,000,128, accounting for 53.4 per cent.
The elderly population (aged 65 and above) stands at 2,341,003, or 3.8 per cent. Dr Chuwa countered claims that the proportion of children under 15 ranges from 60 to 70 per cent, stating, “Even by African standards, the percentage of children typically ranges from 40 to 45 per cent.”
She urged the public to avoid spreading misinformation, emphasising that the statistics are reliable.
“It is legally prohibited to mislead the public by misusing official statistics under the Statistics Act, Chapter 351,” she warned.
Recently, Chief Government Spokesperson and Director of Information Services, MAELEZO Mr. Thobias Makoba expressed concerns over the global misuse of media to serve the interests of a few individuals and foreign entities.
ALSO READ: National Bureau of Statistics stresses trade data
He warned against the ‘weaponisation of information,’ particularly as elections approach, noting an increase in misinformation and disinformation.
“The government is not pleased with this trend and will take all necessary actions to address it,” Mr Makoba stated, urging journalists to uphold professionalism and adhere to national laws and regulations
