Dar es Salaam. A joint agreement between the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Government of Tanzania and the Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC) has reinstated four candidates, including Anthony Mtaka, who had previously been disqualified from contesting in the upcoming TOC General Election.
A total of 28 candidates have been cleared to contest various leadership positions in the election. Four candidates will vie for the presidency, three for the vice-presidency, while 21 candidates are competing for five executive committee positions.
The reinstatement of Mtaka, who also serves as the Njombe Regional Commissioner, has intensified the race for the TOC presidency. He will compete against outgoing TOC Vice-President Henry Tandau, former National Sports Council (NSC) Secretary General Leonard Thadeo, and Hassan Khairalla Tawakal from Zanzibar.
The other reinstated candidates are Rahim Kalyango and outgoing Deputy Secretary General Suleiman Mahmoud Jabir, both contesting for the vice-presidency, and Donald Massawe, who is seeking an executive committee position. The four had initially been disqualified by the election commission during the vetting process.
TOC President Gulam Rashid said the agreement between the IOC, the Government and TOC leadership was reached following prolonged uncertainty that had led to the postponement of the election several times since 2024.
"As part of the agreement, we also resolved to reinstate the four candidates who had initially been disqualified during the vetting process," Gulam said.
Earlier, TOC Secretary General Filbert Bayi confirmed that, following the agreement, the election will now be held on July 5, 2026, at Peacock Hotel in Mnazi Mmoja, Dar es Salaam.
Bayi said 42 delegates will cast their votes in the election, comprising 39 representatives from national sports associations and three members from the TOC Athletes' Commission.
