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jurisdiction than the district courts. Other more specialised courts include the Commercial Court and the Land Court. The President of the republic appoints the chief justice and judges, judges of appeal with the advice of the chief justice and High Court judges with the advice of the Judicial Service Commission. Judges of Appeal and High Court judges have tenure of office until retirement. Government and politics Last elections: October 2010 (presidential and legislative) Next elections: 2015 (presidential and legislative) Head of State: President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Head of Government: the President Ruling party: Chama Cha Mapinduzi In October 2000, in the United Republic’s second multiparty elections, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) leader Benjamin Mkapa won more than 70 per cent of the votes in the national presidential election, and the ruling CCM took 244 seats in the National Assembly, with the balance of 31 seats won by the Zanzibar-based Civic United Front (CUF; 15) and smaller parties. Presidential and legislative elections were held in Zanzibar in October 2005 ahead of the national elections. The CCM’s candidate, Abeid Amani Karume, won the presidential poll with 53 per cent of the votes, while the CUF’s Seif Sharif Hamad took 46 per cent. The ruling CCM also won the parliamentary elections with 30 of the 50 elective seats. The CUF did not accept the result of these fiercely contested, and in places violent elections but the Commonwealth observer group present said that the conditions overall were such as to enable the people to express their will. In December 2005 the CCM was also successful in the national presidential and legislative elections. Having served two full terms Mkapa was not eligible to stand again for the presidency and, in a 72 per cent turnout, CCM candidate Jakaya Kikwete was elected President. CCM took 206 seats in the National Assembly, with Zanzibar-based CUF (19 seats) accounting for most of the rest. In the October 2010 national presidential election, with a turnout of 42 per cent, Kikwete was returned with 61.2 per cent of the votes cast, while Willbrod Slaa of Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) secured 26.3 per cent and Ibrahim Lipumba (CUF) 8.1 per cent. In the concurrent parliamentary elections the CCM won 186 seats, the CUF 23 and CHADEMA 22. In Zanzibar, CCM’s Ali Mohamed Shein narrowly won the presidency with 50.1 per cent of the votes cast; his main challenger Seif Sharif Hamad of the CUF received 49.1 per cent. TRA at a glance The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) started to operate in 1996 as a government agency, charged with the responsibility of administration of all Central Government taxes. Our mission is ‘to be an effective and effi cient tax administration which promotes voluntary tax compliance by providing high quality customer service with fairness and integrity through competent and motivated staff’. The main focus of TRA is to ensure that proper tax assessments and collections are done timely, fairly and judiciously. TRA is an investment promoting hub administering tax incentives available in different sectors including Agriculture, Agro-based industries, Mining, Tourism, Petroleum, Gas and Economic infrastructure such as roads, railways, air and sea transport, port facilities, telecommunication, Banking and Insurance. TRA facilitates trade through modernised customs processes. For more information contact our Call Centre on +255 786 800 000 +255713 800 333 or email us at info@tra.go.tz www.tra.go.tz ‘ As tax administrators, we provide an even playing fi eld for business by ensuring that all taxpayers meet their tax fi ling and paying requirements. We also balance our educational and assistance role with our enforcement role.’ Mr Harry M. Kitillya, Commissioner General


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