At stake in this election:       

• The 239 seats in the National Assembly (Bunge).

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Jakaya KIKWETE
• Head of Government: President Jakaya KIKWETE
• Assembly: Tanzania has a unicameral National Assembly (Bunge) with 357 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the National Assembly (Bunge), 239 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms, 102 members are reserved for women to serve 5-year terms, 5 members are allocated to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives to serve 5-year terms and 10 members are appointed by the President to serve 5-year terms.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: Party of the Revolution / Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM)
  • Leader: Jakaya Mrisho KIKWETE
  • Seats won in last election: 259
• Party: Civic United Front / Chama Cha Wananchi (CUF)
  • Leader: Ibrahim LIPUMBA
  • Seats won in last election: ​36
• Party: National Convention for Construction and Reform – Mageuzi / (NCCR–Mageuzi)
  • Leader: James MBATIA
  • ​Seats won in last election: 4
• Party: Party for Democracy and Progress / Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA)
  • Leader: Willibrod SLAA
  • Seats won in last election: 48
• Party: United Democratic Party (UDP)
  • Leader: Fahma DOVUTWA
  • Seats won in last election: 1
• Party: Tanzania Labour Party (TLP)
  • Leader: Mutamwega MUGAHWYA
  • Seats won in last election: 1
• Independents:
  • ​Seats won in last election: 1

Last election:

• The last election for the National Assembly (Bunge) was held on 31 October 2010. There were 19,670,631 registered voters for the election.  The Party of the Revolution / Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) won 259 seats, the Civic United Front / Chama Cha Wananchi (CUF) won 36 seats, the National Convention for Construction and Reform – Mageuzi / (NCCR–Mageuzi) won 4 seats, the Party for Democracy and Progress / Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) won 48 seats, the United Democratic Party (UDP) won 1 seat, the Tanzania Labour Party (TLP) won 1 seat, and an independent won 1 seat.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 49,639,138 (2015)[1]
• Registered voters: 19,670,631 (2010)[2]

Gender Data:

• Female Population: 24,912,441 (2015)[3]
• Is Tanzania a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)[4]
• Has Tanzania ratified CEDAW: Yes (20 August 1985)[5]
• Gender Quota: Yes[6]
• Female Candidates in this election: Yes
• Number of Female Legislators[7]: 126 (36%) of 350 seats in the National Assembly (Bunge)
• Human Development Index (HDI) Position: 159[8]
• Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: High[9]

Disability Data:

• Is Tanzania a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)[10]
• Has Tanzania ratified CRPD: Yes (10 November 2009)[11]
• Population with a disability: 7,445,871[12]