DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania– Tanzania said on Wednesday it will fund its upcoming general election entirely through domestic resources, ending a long-standing reliance on international donors.
Government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa told a news conference that the country would cover the full cost of the October 28 vote through its national budget, a move first implemented in 2020.
“This is something Tanzanians should be proud of. We must finance our own democracy,” Msigwa said.
The announcement comes as the government prepares to unveil a 56.5 trillion Tanzanian shilling ($22 billion) budget for the 2025/26 fiscal year, up from 50 trillion shillings last year. Around 40.9 trillion shillings is expected to be raised domestically, with the remainder sourced from local and foreign borrowing.
Finance Minister Mwigulu Nchemba is expected to present the budget to parliament later on Wednesday.
The October election will be the second time Tanzania finances its own vote without external assistance.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who took office in 2021 following the death of President John Magufuli, is widely expected to seek re-election.
Rights groups have raised concerns about a tightening political environment ahead of the vote, citing arbitrary arrests and restrictions on opposition figures.
The International Monetary Fund last month reached a staff-level agreement with Tanzania for a $441 million loan to support the country’s economic stability.
($1 = 2,550 Tanzanian shillings)
