POLICY BRIEF FES Tanzania, UWT and Omuka Hub Advancing Women’s Political Participation: Evidence from the 2024 Local Elections in Bukoba Urban, Kagera, Tanzania Key Messages 1. The 2024 legal reforms opened space for women’s po ­litical participation, but gains remain concentrated in reserved seats. 2. In Bukoba Urban, women now hold 220 of 396 local leadership seats, yet only 20% of the elected street chairpersons and 23% of mixed-member positions are women. 4. To turn descriptive gains into substantive representa ­tion in future local elections, Tanzania needs to re ­think its electoral system and institutional framework, mandate gender transformative reforms within politi ­cal parties, and ensure sustained support to women aspirants, candidates and leaders. 3. Capacity-building, party support and women’s solidar ­ity enabled progress, but institutional challenges, electoral gender-based violence, stereotypes, financial barriers and male resistance still shape nomination outcomes. Advancing Women’s Political Participation 1