Dodoma. Luhaga Mpina’s quest for the presidency has suffered a major setback after the High Court dismissed a constitutional case he had filed together with the ACT-Wazalendo Board of Trustees.
The ruling, delivered yesterday, has prompted the opposition party to announce plans to challenge the decision in a higher court as part of its continued legal and political push for constitutional and electoral reforms.
In a statement released by the Office of the Party’s legal department, ACT-Wazalendo said it would continue to work with both local and international partners in advancing its pursuit of justice and fair democratic participation.
The party called on its members and supporters to remain calm, united and focused on the broader struggle for democracy and the rule of law, reaffirming its slogan, “Tubaki wamoja, safari inaendelea” (Let’s remain united, the journey continues).
“We entered this legal process seeking justice and transparency and have consistently called for equal participation in democratic processes, including elections,” the statement said. “Even though the court did not hear our petition on its merits, we shall continue to seek justice and defend the values of democracy in our country.”
According to ACT-Wazalendo, the court’s decision was based on technical legal grounds raised by the government, which questioned the court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter. The judges ruled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is legally protected from interference over decisions made in good faith, effectively striking out the case.
Mr Mpina and the party’s Board of Trustees had challenged INEC’s decision to disqualify him from contesting for the presidency, arguing that the decision violated internal party procedures.
The judgment, in case number 24022, was delivered at the High Court’s Dodoma Main Registry by Justice Fredrick Manyanda, who led a three-judge panel that also included Justices Sylvester Kainda and Abdallah Gonzi.
Justice Manyanda said the Constitution bars any institution from interfering with INEC’s mandate, noting that the commission acted within its authority.
The decision narrows Mr Mpina’s chances of appearing on the 2025 presidential ballot unless an appeal reverses the ruling and orders INEC to reinstate him in the race. Earlier, INEC had blocked Mr Mpina from submitting his nomination forms, prompting him to seek court intervention. The court ruled in his favour, directing INEC to allow him to file his papers.
However, after he submitted the forms and was initially cleared, the Attorney General lodged a new objection that INEC accepted, leading to his disqualification and the subsequent legal challenge that has now been dismissed.
With Mpina’s exclusion, the number of presidential candidates in the 2025 General Election now stands at 17, although ACT-Wazalendo maintains a strong presence in parliamentary and councillorship contests across the country.
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