A new law meant to govern financing of election campaigns is in the offing, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) announced yesterday.

In a corresponding move, the government is planning major changes to electoral laws, which will give the National Electoral Commission (NEC) the power to appoint election coordinators and other supervisory officials countrywide.

PMO permanent secretary Peniel Lyimo said in a statement that proposed amendments to the existing electoral laws and the enactment of the new law aimed to improve management of elections.

"The amendments aim to remove recurrent weaknesses and empower NEC to run elections efficiently." The amendments are expected to involve the General Election and Local Government Elections acts.

Among other things, the new campaign financing law intends to put in place a legal mechanism to govern income and expenditure of political parties and candidates during campaigns.

The Bill to be tabled in Parliament also seeks to establish a system through which the government would help to meet campaign expenses of political parties.

Mr Lyimo said the new law would also put in place a mechanism for monitoring presents and contributions given to candidates during campaigns.

"The aim of introducing this law is to ensure transparency in the use of funds set aside for financing election campaigns," he said, noting also that the law would also contain sections on penalties against those who would contravene it.

Under the proposed law, it will be compulsory for political parties and their candidates to report and make their financial statements available to the authorities.

It would also put a limit to the amount of money a party or candidate could use during campaigns.

According to the PMO, changes to electoral laws intend to create a level playing field and give NEC more powers to conduct elections efficiently.

Mr Lyimo said if sanctioned, the changes would enable NEC to appoint election coordinators on merit, and do away with the current system where public servants served as election returning officers.

Under the changes, it would be mandatory for the NEC to update the Permanent Voter Register (PVR) twice between general elections.

To increase transparency, the Bill suggests that each political party elects representatives who would participate in the improvement of the permanent voter's registration.

Currently, political party agents are not allowed to monitor the updating of the PVR.

The proposals also put a timeline on the holding of by-elections to fill vacant seats.

The amendments will also see the adoption in law of a code of ethics to be agreed upon by the NEC, political parties and other election stakeholders. This intends to make the code legally binding.

"The Code of Ethics prepared by the NEC is violated by political parties with impunity because there are no laws to punish those who refuse to abide by it,"Mr Lyimo said.

Under the proposed changes, returning officers at every polling station would be empowered to announce results from their respective stations. Under the current system, only returning officers at the municipal level are empowered to announce election results.

The changes also seek to put a time limit on courts hearing election petitions. The Bill proposes that resident magistrates courts hear and determine election-related cases within 18 months.

The government promised in October to prepare a Bill seeking to compel the State to partly meet the campaign expenses of presidential candidates from the next General Election.

The Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (Policy, Coordination and parliamentary Affairs), Mr Philip Marmo, said the government was also preparing a bill that would bar politicians from engaging in business.

"The Government Printer is finalising the printing of the Bill to regulate the cost of Presidential, legislative and ward elections, and we expect the public will soon be able to study it and give their comments," Mr Marmo told reporters in October.

He said if everything went according to plan, the two bills would be ready for tabling before Parliament in January next year. Input from the public and stakeholders would be used to improve the proposed laws.

Mr Marmo said the new bills, among other things sought to ban the funding of election campaigns with money from foreign sources and illegal businesses.