uhalali

How to say it

Meaning

The quality of being lawful, rightful or genuine: whether an election, a document, a claim or an action is accepted as valid by law or by the people.

Good to know

U class noun with no plural; from halali, lawful. It is common in politics and law: uhalali wa uchaguzi, uhalali wa vyeti, and kuhoji uhalali, to question the legitimacy.

Examples

• Wapinzani wanahoji uhalali wa matokeo ya uchaguzi.The opposition is questioning the legitimacy of the election results.
• Maafisa walikagua uhalali wa vyeti vya waombaji wote.Officials checked the validity of all the applicants’ certificates.
• Serikali mpya inatafuta uhalali mbele ya wananchi.The new government is seeking legitimacy in the eyes of the people.