ACT Wazalendo reflects on the next 10 years

Kigoma. The 10-year journey since the establishment of the opposition ACT Wazalendo Party is celebrated on Sunday, May 5, 2024 with its leaders reflecting on the party’s next ten years.

In the leaders’ reflections, the party will take the reins of government leadership in the next 10 years, symbolising youth involvement in politics and the real image of opposition politics.

The leaders' views resemble the opinions of scholars, who say the party’s pace of growth is clear evidence that it will bring about changes in Tanzanian politics.

READ: Why ACT-Wazalendo is on a roll

The party was founded on May 5, 2014, under Anna Mghwira as chairpeson, who decamped to CCM three years after being appointed by the late John Magufuli as Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner.

The late Mghwira became the Regional Commissioner few years after representing the party as the presidential candidate in the 2020 general election. She died on July 22, 2021.

Speaking to The Citizen in an exclusive interview, ACT-Wazalendo leader Dorothy Semu said her leadership is commencing a journey of building the party’s trust in the next 10 years.

The basis for this trust, as she explained, is that in the last 10 years, the party has proven to be the voice of the people.

From her perspective, ACT Wazalendo will hold the nation’s top leadership positions after being voted for by a large number of citizens.

“Not only are we expecting to win civic polls, but also councillorships, legislatures, and even higher positions, including the presidency for both the Union and Zanzibar," she said.

She noted that during the period, Tanzanians will witness significant institutional changes, both in Parliament and in the government.

She explained that the party's great desire after laying the foundation in the last 10 years is to win various positions within the government.

How will they get there?

The secret to this success, she claimed, is the presence of a self-assessment mechanism, which has been operating since the conclusion of the 2020 General Election.

During that period, the party was under the leadership of former Kigoma Urban legislator and her predecessor, Zitto Kabwe.

After those elections, she said ACT-Wazalendo assessed their strengths and weaknesses as they designed short- and long-term strategies.

"We have had a strategy that has taken us from 2020 to 2025, and as part of our strategy, the results have been seen in our general meeting held this year," she said.

In that meeting, she said delegates from all constituencies in the country attended, compared to 2020 when only 70 percent attended.

Further, she said the attendance signified that the party had representatives from every level all over the country.

Its difference from other political parties

The difference between ACT Wazalendo and other political parties is the experience of its founders, who gained it from various political parties in the country.

The party’s vice chairman, Issihaka Mchinjita (Mainland), said the party has a wealth of members who defected from other opposition parties, especially CUF and Chadema, where they gained significant experience.

"These members have outstanding experience with the strengths and weaknesses of the main opposition parties in the country,” he said.

For that reason, she said, her party remains focused on building strong internal leadership systems.

According to her, ACT-Wazalendo has the good system of generating, producing, and changing leadership as compared to any opposition party in the country.

Read: Zitto steps down as ACT-Wazalendo leader after eight years

"Mr Kabwe has stepped down from the party leadership and has been succeeded by Ms Semu. So, we have a better system of leadership changes than any other opposition party in this country,” he said.

Change in the political system

Further, Mr Mchinjita said ACT Wazalendo has initiated alternative politics among opposition political parties instead of mere criticism.

"Often opposition political parties criticise the government without providing alternatives, something ACT-Wazalendo has differentiated from others,” he said.

The root of this, he said, is research, which the party usually does before making important decisions involving various internal and external experts.

Trust in the youth

The party’s deputy spokesperson, Mr Shangwe Ayo, said trust in the youth is what makes the party their refuge.

An example of this, he said, is his history within the party, saying he joined a year ago but has been trusted and given a national leadership position.

"Usually, many youths are denied opportunities in other parties, but ACT Wazalendo’s philosophy is that a member who joins the party today and the one who has served in the last ten years have equal rights and opportunities," he said.

He explained that the said party's procedure increases the youth’s eagerness to join, believing they will equally enjoy and grab the available opportunities to demonstrate their leadership abilities.

Scholars' perspective

A political science lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Dr Matrona Kabyemela, said there is a perception that ACT Wazalendo will grow even more after the next 10 years.

She said that often, when political parties are established, people expect them to die, but ACT Wazalendo has distinguished itself from others in this regard.

"As we know, it is now the main opposition party on the Zanzibar side and is currently in the Government of National Unity (GNU). On the mainland, it is still growing, but it shows great strength," she said.

According to Dr Kabyemela, the move to keep up with the times is another thing that sustains the party's existence, explaining that it has invested in educated youths and uses them appropriately.

The 10th-anniversary

The party is expected to celebrate its 10th anniversary on Saturday in every region countrywide through various activities.

The climax of the commemorations will take place in Kigoma Region, where orphanages will be visited and provided with assistance including being marked with public cleanliness and blood donations.

Leading up to these celebrations, the party supporters have gathered at the ACT Wazalendo’s office in Kigoma Region to prepare for the event.

The party flag has been hoisted in different parts of the country, and a new emblem has been unveiled, indicating ACT Wazalendo's transformation.