SONGEA: A total of 127,632 registered voters in the Permanent Voters Register will participate in tomorrow’s by-elections, to elect a Member of Parliament for Peramiho Constituency in Songea District Council, Ruvuma Region, and a Councillor for Shiwinga Ward in Mbozi District Council, Songwe Region.
The Chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Justice Jacobs Mwambegele, announced this today, February 25, 2026, in Songea, noting that 373 polling stations will be used in the elections, with 120,780 voters in Peramiho Constituency and 6,852 in Shiwinga Ward.
Of the total polling stations, 354 are located in Peramiho and 19 in Shiwinga.
Elaborating, he said that regarding candidates, 15 political parties have fielded candidates in the Peramiho parliamentary by-election, while eight parties have nominated candidates for the Shiwinga ward councillorship election.
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The Justice further called on political parties to fully participate in the process by ensuring their agents are present at all polling stations, and to closely monitor the entire electoral process, including vote counting and tallying.
He said party agents are responsible for safeguarding the interests of their respective parties and candidates, and must adhere to electoral laws, regulations, procedures, and directives issued by the Commission.