In a landmark ruling, Tanzania's high court has said that independent political candidates can run for national office.
The ruling by a three-judge panel Friday reversed a constitutional amendment enacted by parliament, which required that political candidates belong to a party.
In its ruling, the court said the amendment placed "unnecessary and unreasonable restrictions on the fundamental rights of citizens."
The court took up the issue in response to a lawsuit filed by a leading opposition leader, Christopher Mtikila.
The ruling comes less than a month after the high court struck down a provision in the electoral code that allowed candidates to hand out food and water to prospective voters [a practice known in Tanzania as "takrima"].
Tanzania held its first multiparty elections in 1995.
Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.