Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania - 21 October 2025: The Southern African Development Community (SADC) today officially launched the SADC Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) to the 2025 General Election in the United Republic of Tanzania. The launch ceremony, held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dar es Salaam, was presided over by The Honourable Richard Msowoya, former Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Malawi and Head of the SEOM to the 2025 General Election to the United Republic of Tanzania.
The SEOM will assess the conduct of the electoral process in accordance with the national legal framework of the United Republic of Tanzania and the revised 2021 SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections.
In his remarks, Hon. Msowoya highlighted the objectives of the Mission, emphasising that SEOM’s role is to assess all aspects of the electoral process to determine its compliance with national laws, as well as SADC’s Principles and Guidelines. He reiterated the Mission’s commitment to promoting and strengthen electoral processes in its Member States.
Hon. Msowoya further encouraged all registered voters to exercise their civic and political rights by turning out in large numbers to cast their votes on 29 October 2025. He also called upon all electoral stakeholders to ensure that the elections are conducted in a peaceful manner.
In the period leading up to election day, the SEOM will engage in extensive consultations with a broad range of stakeholders, including political parties, civil society organizations, youth and women’s groups, government institutions, media, security organs, and other relevant actors. These engagements are aimed at gaining a comprehensive understanding of the electoral context and ensuring that the Mission’s assessment reflects diverse perspectives.
SADC has deployed its observers across 27 out of 31 regions in the country, underscoring its commitment to promoting democratic governance and credible electoral processes within the region.
