ACT-Wazalendo unveils ambitious reform agenda in 2025–2030 manifesto

Key promises include the creation of 12 million formal jobs, universal access to essential services, renewed constitutional reforms, and citizen-led governance.

Unveiled at a high-profile event in Dar es Salaam, the document was described by party leaders as a “people’s manifesto,” developed through wide-ranging consultations in both urban and rural communities. It reflects ACT-Wazalendo’s vision of inclusive development, economic justice, and accountable leadership.

At the centre of the party’s economic plan is a pledge to create 12 million jobs within five years, targeting high-potential sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, fisheries, livestock, technology, creative industries, and social services.

ACT-Wazalendo has proposed a more interventionist economic approach, where the government will invest directly in productive sectors and reduce what it terms “elite dominance” of national resources.

The aim, according to the party, is to place ordinary Tanzanians at the heart of the country’s economic engine.

The manifesto outlines a comprehensive plan to deliver quality and affordable social services to all citizens, regardless of their income or location. This includes universal health insurance, free education up to university level, and reliable access to clean water and electricity.

Additional measures include subsidised access to clean cooking gas and a national social protection system that also covers informal sector workers and rural communities. The party believes such initiatives are essential to closing inequality gaps and enhancing human dignity.

ACT-Wazalendo also places strong emphasis on modernising infrastructure as a foundation for national development.

The manifesto proposes the construction of a Southern Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), rehabilitation of regional rail lines, and building of strategic roads such as the Cashew Ring Road to support coastal trade.

Upgrades to key ports—including Mtwara, Tanga, Bagamoyo, and Kigoma—are part of the plan, alongside rural electrification and expansion of water, communication, and transport networks to the last mile.

The party is calling for wide-ranging reforms in justice, governance, and human rights. This includes transforming the police into a public service-oriented force, reforming the judiciary, reviewing repressive laws, and establishing a humane criminal justice system.

A central plank of ACT-Wazalendo’s political agenda is the revival of Tanzania’s stalled constitutional review process.

Within the first six months in office, the party pledges to reopen dialogue around a new constitution that would limit presidential powers, entrench separation of powers, and create a truly independent electoral commission.

The manifesto takes a firm stance on resource nationalism, promising to reclaim grabbed land, enforce transparency in extractive industries, and ensure that Tanzanians benefit equitably from the country’s mineral, gas, land, and forest resources.

It proposes frameworks that give citizens meaningful participation and control over natural wealth, while also mandating public disclosure of all contracts signed in the extractive sector.

ACT-Wazalendo commits to expanding Tanzania’s renewable energy capacity, with a goal of generating 9,365 megawatts of electricity by 2030.

Energy sources would include hydro, gas, and solar—accompanied by a pledge to cut electricity tariffs by half.

The party also plans to strengthen environmental protection, enhance climate resilience, and promote green economic growth through community participation and innovation.

On matters of national unity, ACT-Wazalendo advocates for a three-government Union structure to ensure fairness and mutual respect between the Mainland and Zanzibar. The party also calls for a foreign policy rooted in African solidarity, multilateral cooperation, and global justice.

It vows to stand against oppression and neocolonialism in all forms, citing solidarity with global struggles in regions such as Palestine and Western Sahara.

With its wide-ranging proposals and reformist tone, ACT-Wazalendo is signalling its readiness to mount a serious challenge to the ruling party in the 2025 elections. Whether its promises resonate with voters in both the Mainland and Zanzibar remains to be seen. However, what is clear is that the party is placing people—especially the poor and marginalised—at the centre of its campaign.