The dramatic scenes came a day after INEC’s Director of Elections, Ramadhan Kailima, formally notified the party that Mpina would not be allowed to take part in the nomination exercise scheduled for August 27.
Dodoma. The presidential bid of ACT–Wazalendo candidate Luhaga Mpina suffered a major setback on Wednesday after his motorcade was blocked from entering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Dodoma.
Mpina, who was expected to submit his nomination papers, arrived at the commission’s offices at around noon. However, plainclothes and uniformed police officers locked the gate, preventing him and his delegation from accessing the premises.
The dramatic scenes came a day after INEC’s Director of Elections, Ramadhan Kailima, formally notified the party that Mpina would not be allowed to take part in the nomination exercise scheduled for August 27.
In a letter addressed to ACT–Wazalendo’s Secretary-General, Kailima cited earlier correspondence dated August 15, 2025, and referred to a decision by the Registrar of Political Parties to nullify the party’s General Assembly of August 6, 2025. That meeting had endorsed Mpina as the party’s presidential candidate.
“The Commission has received a copy of a letter from the Registrar of Political Parties stating that the decision of ACT-Wazalendo’s General Assembly has been annulled because the candidate lacks the qualifications to be nominated for that position,” the INEC letter, which has circulated widely on social media, reads in part.
The electoral body went further to instruct ACT–Wazalendo to nominate another candidate who meets the legal requirements in order to keep the party in the race ahead of the 2025 General Election.
“The party is urged to put forward another qualified nominee so that the process can continue in line with the election timetable,” the letter stated, while making clear that Mpina himself should not present himself at the Commission’s offices.
The development places ACT–Wazalendo in a tight corner just a day before the close of nominations for presidential, parliamentary, and councillor candidates. With the clock ticking, the party must urgently decide whether to challenge the decision or field an alternative flagbearer.
Political observers say the standoff highlights the high stakes of the 2025 elections and the legal hurdles that can alter the political landscape overnight.
For ACT–Wazalendo, the coming hours may determine whether the party remains in contention for the country’s top office.
