Geita RCC Approves Division of Chato and Busanda Constituencies

Geita RCC Approves Division of Chato and Busanda Constituencies

 Geita March 14, 2025

The Regional Consultative Council (RCC) of Geita has officially approved the division of Chato and Busanda constituencies into four separate electoral districts to foster regional development and enhance governance.

Deodatus Kayango, the Assistant Regional Administrative Secretary for Planning and Coordination, presented the region’s proposal, which was subsequently endorsed during a special RCC session convened to deliberate on the matter.

New Constituency Structure

According to the approved plan, Busanda will be split into two constituencies: Busanda and Butundwe (Katoro). Similarly, Chato will be divided into Chato North and Chato South. These recommendations will be forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for further consideration.

Kayango emphasized that the proposal adheres to all necessary legal and demographic criteria, incorporating official reports from relevant municipal councils.

Demographic Justifications

Kayango detailed the population benchmarks required for constituency division, noting that urban constituencies must have a minimum of 600,000 residents, while rural ones require at least 400,000.

• Busanda currently has 671,761 residents, making it eligible for division.

• Chato has 584,963 residents, also meeting the threshold for separation into two constituencies.

• Nyang’hwale, with 225,000 residents, does not meet the population requirement for a new constituency, though there was a proposal for a separate Kharumwa constituency.

Economic and Administrative Considerations

From an economic perspective, both Chato and Busanda constituencies have met the necessary criteria due to their diverse revenue streams from agriculture, livestock, and fishing. Additionally, the proposed constituencies will not interfere with existing administrative boundaries, ensuring smooth governance and efficient representation.

The new constituency breakdown is as follows:

• Busanda: 11 wards

• Butundwe (Katoro): 11 wards

• Chato North: 14 wards

• Chato South: 9 wards

Legal and Governance Approval

Geita Regional Legal Officer, Sarah Mwangole, confirmed that the proposals align with Electoral Commission Act No. 2 of 2024, in accordance with the 2024 Independent Electoral Commission regulations.

Meanwhile, Geita Regional Commissioner Martine Shigela urged local authorities to remain patient as they await INEC’s final decision on the newly proposed constituencies.