TEMCO is a domestic election observation group consisting of about 182 members, drawn largely from the civil society organizations on both Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar. The members include the (i) faith based organizations such as National Muslim Council of Tanzania (i.e. BAKWATA), Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) and Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT); (ii) professional organizations, i.e. Tanganyika Law Society (TLS), Zanzibar Law Society (ZLS), Tanzania Home Economic Association (TAHEA) Christian Professional of Tanzania and Tanzania Muslim Professional Association; (iii) networks of civil society organizations, i.e. Association of Non-Governmental Organizations in Zanzibar (ANGOZA) and NGO Network for Dodoma Region (NGONDEDO) and (iv) trade unions, including Tanzania Teachers Union (i.e. CWT), Association of Journalists and Media workers (AJM) and Tanzania Journalists Association (TAJA);

Other TEMCO member organizations include (v) academic and research institutions such as Research and Education for Democracy in Tanzania (REDET) programme; the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Institute of Development Studies and School of Law at the University of Dar es Salaam, Open University of Tanzania, University of Dodoma and Mzumbe University; (vi) women-based professional organizations such as Zanzibar Female Lawyers Association (ZAFELA), Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) and Tanzania Women Lawyers Association (TAWLA); (vii) youth based organizations, including Tanzania Youth Aliance (TAYOA), Tanzania Youth Vision Association (TYVA), Youth Service Volunteers Society and Zanzibar Democracy School Alumni (i.e. JUWADEZA) and Muungano wa Vijana Tanzania (MUVITA) (viii) associations of the people with disabilities such as Chama Cha Walemavu Tanzania-Kigoma, Zanzibar National Association of the Blind and Zanzibar Association of the Disabled; (ixi) policy advocacy organizations, including, African International Group of Political Risk Analysis (PORIS), Campaign for Good Governance and Hakielimu; and (x) business associations, including the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation.

TEMCO’s operational philosophy and practice hinge upon a set of mutually supportive values, the major ones being, impartiality, objectivity, credibility, accountability, integrity, transparency, professionalism and legality. The lead agency of TEMCO is one of its key founder members that is the Research and Education for Democracy in Tanzania (REDET) which is a national, regional and continental one stop centre and repository of the knowledge on democracy dispensation in Tanzania and beyond.

TEMCO was found in 1994 by like-minded civil society organizations interested in building and consolidating democratic norms in Tanzania. Its knowledge base largely emanates from the immense expertise of the political scientists, lawyers and other social scientists found at the University of Dar es Salaam.

TEMCO’s election observation mission consists of both the Long Term Observers (LTOs) and Short Term Observers (STOs). The domestic election observation group has monitored and observed all electoral processes since Tanzania reverted to multiparty politics and inclusive elections in 1992. TEMCO observed Tanzania and Zanzibar elections in 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015 as well as Zanzibar Referendum in 2010 and by-elections. TEMCO membership size has been increasing considerably from 22 civil society organizations in 1994 to 182 in January 2016.

TEMCO collaborates with several local and international organizations. The local organizations include LHRC the lead agency of TACCEO. The international organizations which TEMCO has links with include NDI, IRI, IFES, GNDEM, SADC-ESN, ECF-SADC, SADC-CNGO, NED and IED. TEMCO has benefited from the generous support from the American people through USAID as well as DANIDA, and UNDP. The headquarters of TEMCO is at the University of Dar es Salaam. The daily activities of the committee are undertaken by the Secretariat under the able leadership of its Chairman.