ACT-Wazalendo endorses Mpina and Othman for 2025 presidential race

What you need to know:
- Mpina, a former Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament for Kisesa, secured 559 votes, representing 92.3 percent of ballots cast. His only challenger, Aaron Kalikawe, garnered 46 votes, or 7.7 percent.
Dar es Salaam. Opposition party ACT-Wazalendo has formally endorsed Luhaga Mpina and Othman Masoud as its presidential candidates for the Union and Zanzibar elections, respectively, setting the stage for a high-stakes contest in Tanzania’s upcoming general election.
The endorsements were confirmed during a Special General Assembly held on August 6, 2025, where party delegates overwhelmingly approved the two candidates to fly the ACT-Wazalendo flag in the October polls.
Mpina, a former Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament for Kisesa, secured 559 votes, representing 92.3 percent of ballots cast. His only challenger, Aaron Kalikawe, garnered 46 votes, or 7.7 percent.
In Zanzibar, First Vice President Othman Masoud, who stood unopposed, received 606 affirmative votes, amounting to 99.5 percent support. The internal vote recorded three "no" votes and one spoiled ballot.
Announcing the results, the party’s Electoral Committee Chairperson Mbarala Maharagande said 610 delegates participated in the vote for the Union presidency. Of those, 605 votes were deemed valid, while five were spoiled.
The Assembly’s main agenda was to confirm presidential nominees, but it also discussed other internal party matters ahead of the October elections.
ACT-Wazalendo’s ticket brings together two seasoned politicians. Mpina, who defected from the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) who has defected , is expected to bolster the party’s visibility on the mainland. Othman, meanwhile, retains a strong following in Zanzibar, where ACT-Wazalendo is a key opposition force.