Former President of Malta to lead Commonwealth Observer Group to elections in the United Republic of Tanzania
19 October 2005
Commonwealth Observers will be present in the United Republic of Tanzania for the elections to be held on 30 October 2005. Making the announcement today the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Mr Don McKinnon, said that the Group will be led by Professor Guido de Marco, former President of Malta and Chairman of the Commonwealth Foundation. The other members of the Observer Group are:
Mr Rengaraju Balakrishnan | Ms Simone de Comarmond |
Mr Roger Creedon CBE | Hon Dolores Balderamos Garcia MP |
Hon Audrey McLaughlin PC OC | Dr Khabele Matlosa |
Justice Majida Razvi | Ms Christiana Ayola Mary Thorpe |
Mr Onome Osifo Whiskey | Mr Daryl Wight |
The Group will be supported by an eight-member team from the Commonwealth Secretariat led by Professor Ade Adefuye, Head of the Africa Section, Political Affairs Division. An Advance Team consisting of one observer and two members of staff has been present since 6 October 2005 and will report to the main Observer Group on arrival.
The elections, which are to be held on 30 October, are for the post of President of the United Republic of Tanzania, the President of Zanzibar, the National Assembly of the United Republic of Tanzania, the House of Representatives in Zanzibar and the local authorities.
The Secretary-General's decision to send an Observer Group follows a request from the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania. An Assessment Mission from the Commonwealth Secretariat visited last month and established that there was broad support in the country for the presence of Commonwealth Observers.
The Observers have been invited in their individual capacities and the views they express regarding the elections will be their own and not those either of their respective Governments or of the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Note to Editors:
This will be the 47th Commonwealth Observer Group since October 1990 and the third to visit the United Republic of Tanzania. Commonwealth Observer Groups were present for the elections in 1995 and 2000. A Commonwealth Expert Team was present in 2003 for the by-elections in Pemba.
The Observers' Terms of Reference will be as follows:
'The Group is established by the Commonwealth Secretary-General at the request of the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania. It is to observe relevant aspects of the organisation and conduct of the elections scheduled to take place on 30 October 2005, in accordance with the laws of the United Republic of Tanzania and the laws of Zanzibar. It is to consider the various factors impinging on the credibility of the electoral process as a whole and to determine in its own judgement whether the conditions exist for a free expression of will by the electors and if the results of the elections reflect the wishes of the people.
The Group is to act impartially and independently. It has no executive role; its function is not to supervise but to observe the process as a whole and to form a judgement accordingly. It would also be free to propose to the authorities concerned such action on institutional, procedural and other matters as would assist the holding of such elections.
The Group is to submit its report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will forward it to the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, the National Electoral Commission and the Zanzibar Electoral Commission, the leadership of the political parties taking part in the elections and thereafter to all Commonwealth Governments.'
An Arrival Statement will be issued on Monday 24 October 2005. Further information can be obtained from Christopher Child on +255 746 774 021 or the Observer Group Office at the Royal Palm Hotel in Dar es Salaam on +255 22 211 2416 (Room 113).
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