DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told parliament on Thursday that the current electoral body was very independent, brushing aside calls by opposition parties to form what they described as an independent electoral body.

"The country's National Electoral Commission is independent as entailed in the constitution," Majaliwa told the House in the capital Dodoma in response to the leader of the opposition camp in parliament, Freeman Mbowe.

Mbowe, who doubles as national chairman of the leading opposition party Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), had appealed for the formation of an independent electoral body that could supervise elections in the east African nation in a credible manner.

"We had never seen the electoral body being interfered by the president. If you feel there is any problem in the running of the commission just raise it and it could be dealt with," said the premier.

On Monday, CHADEMA said it has written to President John Magufuli seeking his intervention in three key issues that will make the 2020 general elections credible, free, fair and transparent.

On Jan. 21, President Magufuli assured diplomats based in the east African nation of peaceful, free and fair October 2020 general elections.

Over 20 million Tanzanians out of a population of 55 million will vote for councilors, parliamentarians and the president in the general elections. Enditem

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