ThePolitical And Legal Environment in Tanzania
Tanzania is a presidential republic, properly known as the United Republic of Tanzania. The country’s name is a combination of the first letters of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, the two states that merged to form Tanzania in 1964.
9 December 1961, Tanganyika became independent from the UK-administered UN trusteeship”10 December 1963 Zanzibar became independent from the UK. The latest constitution was adopted on 25 April 1977; a new constitution drafted in 2014 by the Constituent Assembly has stalled. The president is both chief of state and the head of government.
- Tanzania’s political stability index score from 1996-2020 is -0.44 ranking 23rd in Africa and 130th globally (2021).
- Tanzania’s overall Rule of Law Index score is -0.52, ranked 127th out of 192 globally and number 20 out of 53 regional African countries (2021).
- Tanzania’s Human Freedom Score is 6.48/10 with a global ranking of 114 out of 165
- Practices civil law system based on the French civil code; judicial review of legislation held in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court.
- Its Regulatory Quality Index rating (1996-2020) is -.66 points, ranked 22th in Africa and 140th globally.
- Tanzania has a political right index of 5 (weak rights), ranking 27 in Africa and 63 globally (1973-2020).
- Tanzania has a Corruption Perceptions Index score of 39 (considerate amount), ranked 87 out of 180 globally (2021)
Tanzania's bicameral Parliament consists of:
- Senate or Senat (99 seats; 66 members indirectly elected by the National Assembly and members of municipal, autonomous districts, and regional councils, and 33 members appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms).
- National Assembly consists of 255 seats – 254 for the 2021-2026 term.
- The members are directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms.
- 36.86% of seats held in the national parliament are women, the 36th highest globally and the 9th lowest in Africa (2021).
The highest court is the Court of Appeal of the United Republic of Tanzania consists of the chief justice and 14 justices
- The High Court of the United Republic for Mainland Tanzania consists of the principal judge and 30 judges organized into commercial, land, and labor courts.
- High Court of Zanzibar consists of the chief justice and 10 justices.
