ACT up in arms after Mpina disqualified from elections again

“The Electoral Commission made its decision by relying on the ruling of the Registrar of Political Parties, a decision against which our party and candidate filed an appeal in the High Court under case number 23428 of 2025 at the Main Registry in Dodoma.

According to the law, the Commission had no mandate to use the Registrar’s ruling to decide against our candidate until the matter is heard and determined by the Court,” he said.

The statement was in reference to a petition the opposition party filed against the Registrar of Political Parties and which was set for hearing before Judge Wilbert Chuma yesterday.

By press time yesterday, the outcome of the hearing had not been determined.

The controversy follows INEC’s acceptance of an objection submitted by Attorney General Hamza Johari, challenging Mr Mpina’s nomination. According to INEC, the commission convened on Monday to consider a total of four objections.

“Of these, three objections submitted by other presidential candidates, including Almas Hassan Kisabya of NRA, Kunje Ngombale Mwiru of AAFP, and Mpina himself against Samia Suluhu Hassan of CCM, were rejected.

However, the objection submitted by the Attorney General against Mpina was upheld, resulting in his name being removed from the list of presidential candidates,” INEC said in a statement.

ACT-Wazalendo’s stance

ACT-Wazalendo has described INEC’s move as a politically motivated act, warning that it undermines the credibility of the electoral process and the country’s democratic principles.

“We disagree with INEC’s decision, as it does not respect the foundations of the law and denies justice to our candidate and party. The removal of our presidential candidate on legally unfounded grounds is a clear example of a political conspiracy,” the statement said.

The party said INEC’s decision, taken while a High Court case is pending, amounts to contempt of the judiciary and violates the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania.

ACT-Wazalendo further stated that the party’s leadership, under National Party Leader Dorothy Semu, has convened an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee to deliberate on the matter and decide the next steps, including both legal and political responses.

The statement also called on political leaders and candidates across the country, at parliamentary and local government levels, to remain steadfast and continue their campaigns to win voter support, despite the ongoing challenges.

Mr Mpina, a prominent member of ACT-Wazalendo who recently decamped to the opposition following his axing by the ruling CCM to vie re-election for the Kisesa Parliamentary seat, filed his nomination to contest in the 2025 presidential election.

His candidacy, however, faced objections, including one from the Attorney General, who argued that Mr Mpina did not meet certain requirements under the electoral law.

Previously, three other presidential candidates had filed objections against the nomination of Samia Suluhu Hassan of CCM.

These objections were all rejected by INEC, leaving only the Attorney General’s objection against Mr Mpina upheld.