Tanzania Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is struggling to defend its integrity after new allegations were raised regarding the integration of the voter registration system with the national identity system, NIDA, and the CCM systems.

According to Humphrey Polepole, former CCM cadre, the integration of NIDA and INEC ensures that even if a person does not register to vote or does not show up on election day, but has a NIDA number, and the system recognises them, then they will be considered a registered voter. The system will also capture them as having voted.

Polepole noted that the system was built by CCM and integrated into the INEC database to guarantee itself a ‘’massive and landslide’’ victory even before the votes are cast.

“It is the systems that we built within the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), where, if you look at them even before we go to the elections, you see the votes are already there. And these systems—I, being one of the architects—are integrated from the Chama Cha Mapinduzi, linked to NIDA, and connected to the systems of the Electoral Commission,” said Polepole,

But in a quick rejoinder, INEC Director of Elections, Ramadhani Kailima, refuted Polepole’s bombshell, terming it as ‘’misleading and inaccurate’’ with the intent of creating public anger and tension in the country.

“There is false and misleading information circulating on social media claiming that the electoral data system used by INEC is integrated with the NIDA system and a certain political party, and that the voting process (election) has already been completed,” Kailima said in a statement.

In recent elections, particularly the presidential results, the ruling party, CCM, has consistently won with a landslide, raising questions about the authenticity of Tanzania’s election management. For instance, in the 2020 election, the late President John Pombe Magufuli was re-elected with over 87% of the total votes.

Tanzania will hold its general election on October 29th, 2025.