The Geographical Names Standardisation Act

1.–(1) The Committee shall consist of- (a) a Chairman who shall be appointed by the Minister; (b) such other members not exceeding seventeen as may, by notice published in the Gazette, be appointed by the Minister- (i) one member representing the Ministry responsible for education; (ii) one member representing the Ministry responsible for planning; (iii) one member representing the National Swahili Council established under the National Swahili Council Act; (iv) one member representing the Ministry responsible for minerals; (v) one member representing the Prime Minister’s Office; (vi) one member representing the Ministry responsible for foreign affairs; (vii) five members from the University of Dar es Salaam rep- resenting the disciplines of geography, research in land use, history and language respectively; (viii) five other members appointed by the Minister repre- senting such institutions in Zanzibar as the Minister may determine; (ix) one member representing a professional association of surveyors; (x) one member representing the Ministry responsible for land surveys and mapping. (2) A member of the Committee shall, unless his appointment is sooner terminated by the Minister or he otherwise ceases to be a member, hold office for such period as the Minister may specify in his appointment or, 278 ©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG. THE GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES STANDARDISATION ACT [CAP. 186 R.E. 2023] if no such period is specified, for a period of three years from the date of his appointment and he shall be eligible for re-appointment. (3) A member of the Committee may at any time resign by giving notice in writing to the Minister and from the date of the receipt by the Minister of the notice he shall cease to be a member of the Committee. (4) If any member of the Committee is without permission absent from more than four consecutive meetings of the Committee or without such permission is absent from the United Republic for a period exceeding two years, he shall cease to be a member of the Committee.

2. Where a member of the Committee ceases to be a member before the expiration of his term of office, the Minister, after consulting the Com- mittee, may appoint another person in his stead to hold office until such time as the first-named person’s term of office would have expired had he not ceased to be a member as aforesaid. Casual vacancies Vice-Chairman

3. The Committee shall elect amongst its members a Vice-Chairman who shall hold office for one year but shall be eligible for re-election. Quorum and procedure

4.–(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Committee shall meet at such times and places as may be necessary expedient for the transaction of business. (2) At any meeting of the Committee nine members shall constitute a quorum. (3) The Chairman shall preside at any meeting of the Committee, or in the absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall preside and if both the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman are absent from any meeting, the members present at the meeting shall elect one of their number to preside at that meeting. (4) In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote in addition to his deliberative vote. (5) Minutes in proper form of each meeting of the Committee shall be kept and shall be confirmed by the Committee at the next meeting and signed by the Chairman of that meeting.

5. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 4 relating to quorum, the Committee may act notwithstanding any vacancy in the membership and no act or proceeding of the Committee shall be invalid by reason only of some defect in the appointment of any member or of the atten- dance by a person who purports to be a member thereof. Vacancies not to invalidate proceedings 279 ©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG. ©2025 Government of Tanzania. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed without permission of OAG.