Zanzibar Electoral Commission Removes 3,352 Voters from Permanent Register Ahead of 2025 Election
In a significant move to maintain voter roll integrity, the Zanzibar Electoral Commission has removed 3,352 individuals from the Permanent Voter Register following a comprehensive verification exercise. The disqualification includes 1,344 women and 2,008 men who no longer meet voter eligibility criteria for the upcoming 2025 General Election.
The voter review process was conducted in two phases from December 2023 to March 2024, during which 101,641 new voters were registered—exceeding the initial projection of 78,922 based on the 2022 Population and Housing Census.
Regional breakdown of voter removals shows the Urban West Region experiencing the highest number of disqualifications, with 993 names struck off, followed by South Unguja (795), North Unguja (628), North Pemba (564), and South Pemba (372).
The commission emphasized that the voter register continues to be dynamically updated, including corrections, transfers, and removing names of deceased voters or those failing to meet legal voting requirements. The process was conducted in strict adherence to Sections 19 and 31 of the Zanzibar Elections Act, 2018.
While a provisional list of ineligible voters was published in May to allow for objections, some individuals expressed frustration with their removal. Technical challenges during voter registration, particularly with fingerprint recognition devices, were reportedly resolved.
The Electoral Commission remains committed to ensuring a transparent, free, and inclusive election, calling on political stakeholders and citizens to stay engaged as Zanzibar approaches its upcoming polls.
