Electoral Democracy, Collaborative Partners, and the First Component of the APRM in Tanzania

Periodic election is the hallmark of electoral democracy. In achieving this, continental groups such as the African Union (AU) have initiated interventions to allow nations to function and compare notes within a measurable framework. Tanzania is one of the signatories to the APRM document and has engaged several partners in recent presidential, parliamentary, and councillorship elections. The transitions were held despite the recurring socioeconomic challenges as well as the increased burden of the fight against the effects of insurgency, displacements, and the COVID-19 pandemic, which ravaged the resources of these countries. However, the country’s First-Past-the-Post electoral system was confronted by issues such as the adoption of technology, election management agencies, political participation, free press, independent candidacy, and election dispute resolution mechanisms. This study examines the role of partner institutions, especially the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Development Programme, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), in the democratization process of the member countries. The study relied on data from democratic partner agencies as well as existing data from relevant secondary sources and suggested ways to further strengthen democracy in these countries and other democracies across the world.