PM urges patriotism in PVR update

KIGOMA:  PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has urged citizens, registration officers and political registration centre agents to prioritise patriotism in the ongoing update of the Permanent Voters’ Register (PVR) to ensure the exercise runs smoothly and successfully.

The Premier instructed citizens and registration officers to uphold integrity by not giving chances to those who lack required qualifications to participate in the exercise.

He was speaking after launching the exercise of updating the Permanent Voters’ Register, which took place at Kawawa grounds in Kigoma Region.

The launching marked the official kick off of the PVR updating and registration exercise countrywide.

The PVR update commenced yesterday in three regions including Kigoma, Tabora and Katavi and thereafter will be followed by other regions including Geita and Kagera regions. Other regions to follow are Mwanza, Shinyanga, Simiyu and Manyara.

“If patriotism and integrity are taken into consideration in the PVR updating exercise, the possibility of registering voters who are Tanzanian citizens will be successful,” Majaliwa emphasised.

Coupled with that, the Premier said INEC will not hesitate to take swift measures against Executive Officers who will be found doing anything contrary to the stipulated principles and regulations.

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He directed the immigration officers to work closely with village and ward leaders in identifying citizens who do not qualify for registration.

“We should not allow anyone who is not the citizen of Tanzania to be registered in the PVR,” he noted.

Moreover, he directed the Police Force to strengthen security and safety in all areas where the exercise is carried out. The Premier added that the PVR updating is crucial as the nation plans for general elections next year.

“Participating in updating information in the PVR is part of exercising our constitutional and democratic rights, it is a very crucial exercise for the development of the country’s democracy,” he noted.

On Friday, the INEC Director of Election, Ramadhan Kailima said the update of the register aims at giving an opportunity to qualified citizens to register and become eligible voters by updating voters’ information or transferring their information, including enabling those who have lost their IDs to secure new ones and delete those who lack the qualifications to remain in the register.

Mr Kailima also outlined new features in PVR update including registration of the prisoners in mainland Tanzania and trainees in correctional institution in Zanzibar who serve below six months and remandees who qualify to be registered.

“There are 140 voters’ registration centres in prisons of which 130 are in Mainland and 10 correctional institutions in Zanzibar,” he said.

According to INEC, more than five million new voters across the country are expected to be registered in the PVR. According to him, after the update, the permanent voter’s register is expected to have a total of 34,746,638 voters.

“A total of 5,586,433 new voters, equivalent to 18.7 per cent of 29,754,699 voters existing in current register after the update made in 2019/2020, are expected to be added in the document,” he pointed out.

However, Mr Kailima added that as 4,369,531 voters are expected to update their information, at least 594,494 are anticipated to be deleted for not having the qualifications to remain in the register.

Mr Kailima said that this year’s exercise will entail a total of 40,126 registration centres, with 39,709 located in mainland Tanzania and 417 in Zanzibar.

Unlike previous years, this year’s updating of the Permanent Voters’ Register (PVR) will use upgraded Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits for efficient execution of the project.

INEC Chairman Judge Jacobs Mwambegele said the improved kits, which are expected to be used during the exercise have been reduced in weight from 35 to 18 kilogrammes.

He also said that voters can now update their information in the Permanent National Voters’ Register online following the introduction of the online Voters Registration System (VRS).

He said voters can use their computers or mobile devices to change their polling stations if they have relocated to a different region or district.

The number of voters has been increasing simultaneously over years. In the 2020 general elections, a total of 29,754,696 voters were registered for voting. In 2015, the number of registered voters was 23,161, 440 while in 2010 the commission registered 20,137,303 voters. Moreover, a total of 16,442,657 voters were registered in the 2005 general elections.