b) The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ROPP) in the Prime Minister’s Office, under the 1992 Political Parties Act (Section 4), is headed by the Registrar of Political Parties, appointed by the President of Tanzania, and assisted by the Deputy Registrar of Political Parties and Assistant Registrars. Its mandate is primarily to register political parties, as provided for under the 1992 Political Parties Act, and to supervise and coordinate elections expenses, under the 2010 Elections Expenses Act. 190. Courts of law are ousted from jurisdiction over the NEC decisions, according to the 1977 URT Constitution. Similar provisions apply to the ROPP, under the 1997 Political Parties Act and the 2010 Elections Expenses Act. 191. Since Tanzania’s return to a multi-party state, the country has been witnessing robust competitive electoral politics. As the Report of the United Republic of Tanzania General Elections of 2010 by the Legal and Human Rights Centre and Tanzania Society Consortium for Election Observation (TACCEO) [page 27] noted, there continues to be “a widening of space for citizens’ participation in political processes…demonstrating growth in democracy…and indication of achievement of free and fair election standards.” The high number of registered voters during the 2010 elections attests to this. Table 3.5: Participation Of Political Parties In General Elections (Election Results 1995 To 2010) 1995 No. No. of Members Councillors of Parliamentl ya Wabunge 2000 No. of votes No. No. of Presidential Members Councillors elections of Parliamentl ya Wabunge 2005 No. of votes No. No. of Presidential Members Councillors elections of Parliamentl ya Wabunge 2010 No. of votes No. No. of Presidential Members Councillors elections of Parliamentl ya Wabunge No. of votes Presidential elections AFP - - - - - - - - - - 0 0 APPTMAE NDELEO - - - - - - 18,783 0 1 96,933 0 3 4,026,422 168 2,965 5,863,201 202 2,327 9,123,952 206 2,371 5,276,827 186 2,803 CHADEMA CCM - 3 27 - 4 48 668,756 5 61 2,271,941 23 326 CHAUSTA - - - - - - 0 0 - 0 0 418,973 24 29 1,329,077 17 51 1,327,125 19 61 695,667 24 126 - - - - - - 17,070 0 0 - 0 0 CUF D. MAKINI DP - - - - - - 31,083 0 0 - 0 1 FORD - - - - - - - 0 0 - - - JAHAZI ASILIA - - - - - - - 0 0 - 0 0 NCCR-M 28 1,808,616 16 18 - 1 20 55,819 0 12 265,388 4 NLD - - - - - 0 21,574 0 0 - 0 0 NRA - - - - - 0 - 0 0 - 0 0 PONA - - - - - 0 - - - - - - SAU - - - - - - 16,414 0 0 - 0 0 TADEA - - 2 - - 2 - 0 0 - 0 0 192. While the table shows the commanding CCM lead in both sets of elections, it is also clear that its share of valid votes cast in presidential elections has been fluctuating: rising from 61 per cent in 1995 to 71.74 per cent in 2000, and then to 80.28 per cent. However, there was a drop to 62.83 per cent in 2010. 193. For National Assembly elections, the CCM also has a commanding lead over the other parties in the number of votes cast and seats won. From an initial 59.22 per cent share of votes cast in 1995, there was a rise to 65.19 per cent in 2000, and on to 69.99 per cent in 2005. The share of seats won in direct elections to the assembly was 186 seats in 1995; 202 in 2000; 206 in 2005, with a sharp decline to 186 seats in 2010. 57