Dar Es Salaam, Nov 27 : Tanzanians on Wednesday cast their votes to elect members and leaders of local authorities.

The civic polls were preceded by seven days of campaigns for the local government leaders from various political parties, including the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi.

Posts being vied for included 12,280 village chairpersons, 4,264 street chairpersons, 63,886 hamlet chairpersons, 230,834 village council members, and 21,320 street committee members.

Among the voters were President Samia Suluhu Hassan who cast her ballot in the Chamwino district of the Dodoma region, and Vice President Philip Mpango who voted in his native village of Buhigwe in Kigoma region, western Tanzania.

Other leaders, including Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, and Deputy Prime Minister Doto Biteko, voted in their native regions, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Tuesday night, Hassan addressed the nation on the eve of the civic polls, saying local governments played a crucial role in building a strong nation with sustainable development.

"Through the leaders we elect, we establish a foundation for accountability, quality service delivery to citizens, and proper management of public resources," she said. "This is an opportunity to ensure we build a society characterized by stability, unity, and progress."

In late October, Mohamed Mchengerwa, minister of state in the President's Office responsible for regional administration and local governments, said at least 31,282,331 Tanzanians, equivalent to 94.83 percent of eligible voters, had registered to vote in civic elections.

/IANS