The Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) has authorised the destruction of all materials used in the 2025 Zanzibar General Election, following the expiry of the 90-day statutory period after the conclusion of the polls.
The decision was made during a Commission meeting held on February 2, 2026, in line with ZEC’s legal mandate to conclude the electoral process in a transparent and orderly manner, in accordance with existing laws and procedures.
Speaking to the media at the Commission’s headquarters in Maisara, ZEC chairperson Justice George J. Kazi said the exercise is being undertaken pursuant to Section 98(3) of the Election Act No. 4 of 2018.
The law requires the Commission to destroy all election-related documents once 90 days have elapsed since the completion of a general election.
Justice Kazi said the Commission had, prior to approving the exercise, confirmed that there was no court order or legal injunction barring the destruction of the materials.
This, he noted, allowed ZEC to proceed with the process lawfully after the stipulated period had ended.
He said the exercise marks the final administrative stage of the 2025 General Election and underscores the Commission’s commitment to adherence to the law, transparency and the integrity of the electoral system.
The ZEC chairperson also urged election stakeholders to cooperate throughout the exercise to ensure it is conducted smoothly, transparently and in full compliance with the legal and procedural framework governing elections in Zanzibar.
