Mtei’s significant contribution to political pluralism in Tanzania

The commission, chaired by the then Chief Justice Francis Nyalali, had been established in 1991 by former president Ali Hassan Mwinyi to collect citizens’ views on the political system they preferred.

Among its key proposals were the reintroduction of multiparty politics and the repeal of 40 laws it described as oppressive. Writing in his 2009 autobiography, From Goatherd to Governor, Mtei recalled that he welcomed the call for constitutional amendments, regarding it as a decisive turning point in his political engagement.

As Parliament debated the proposed amendments, Mtei and a group of like-minded individuals began informal discussions about forming a new political party. He chaired the preparatory committee.

Mtei wrote that he “guided the drafting of the party’s constitution, its objectives and its policy positions, seeking to ensure that the emerging organisation was firmly anchored in democratic principles while remaining attentive to Tanzania’s development needs.”

By April 1992, constitutional amendments and new laws governing political parties had been enacted, allowing for provisional registration from July 1 that year. Mtei, and Edward Barongo, a former CCM official, submitted Chadema’s application for provisional registration.

The party articulated a pragmatic economic outlook, supporting market mechanisms while insisting that indigenous Tanzanians should meaningfully benefit from national resources, a policy orientation Mtei termed ‘Indigenisation’.

The choice of the party’s name was itself a statement of intent. After prolonged debate, the founders settled on Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo—literally, the Party for Democracy and Development, signalling their belief that inclusive governance was inseparable from sustainable national progress.

Following provisional registration, Chadema embarked on an intensive membership drive across mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. The party quickly met the legal threshold of 200 members in at least ten regions. By January 1993, it was fully registered, alongside NCCR and the Union for Multiparty Democracy (UMD), while CCM retained automatic recognition.

Mtei’s leadership style was notably hands-on and self-sacrificing. He travelled extensively to establish party branches, mobilise resources and coordinate volunteer staff, often under difficult conditions and using a Land Cruiser he had procured personally.

Financial constraints were persistent, but the party relied heavily on public goodwill, donations and voluntary service, with supporters running regional and district offices. For six years, Mtei devoted both time and personal resources to laying the party’s foundations.

The first major test of the multiparty experiment came with the 1993 by-elections in Ileje and Kigoma Urban constituencies. Chadema sought to forge coalitions with other opposition parties, but faced fierce competition from CCM, which deployed extensive state resources in support of its candidates.

Despite legal disputes and electoral irregularities, Chadema persevered. In Kigoma Urban, Dr Amani Walid Kabourou, backed by Chadema, eventually secured a decisive victory after the High Court nullified the initial results over irregularities related to voting procedures and candidate eligibility.

As the party strengthened its grassroots presence, it also cultivated international links with sympathetic parties and institutions in Germany, the United States and the wider European Union.

These relationships facilitated civic education and training programmes for young activists, enhancing Chadema’s organisational capacity.

The 1995 General Election marked Chadema’s first nationwide contest. Mtei had hoped to persuade Augustine Lyatonga Mrema, a former CCM minister, to stand as the party’s presidential candidate. However, constitutional and logistical constraints prevented Chadema from offering him the party chairmanship.

Mrema instead joined NCCR, though Chadema initially pledged support within a proposed opposition coalition. Competition among opposition parties ultimately split the vote. While CCM’s Benjamin Mkapa won the presidency, Chadema emerged as the third-largest party in Parliament, establishing a platform for future expansion.

In the aftermath of the election, Mtei turned his attention to generational renewal. The party constitution was amended to grant Members of Parliament automatic seats on the Central Committee, a move designed to strengthen institutional continuity and empower younger leaders.

In 1998, Mtei stepped down as chairman and was succeeded by Bob Makani, while retaining life membership of the Central Committee.

Chadema continued to consolidate its presence into the 2000s. During the 2000 General Election, the party attempted cooperation with the Civic United Front (CUF) behind presidential candidate Ibrahim Lipumba.

However, competition for parliamentary and local government seats again fragmented the opposition vote. Chadema won four parliamentary seats and gained control of three district councils on the mainland.

By 2005, the party had developed more robust internal systems and clearer democratic procedures for candidate selection. Six presidential aspirants toured the country, presenting their platforms at zonal conventions before members cast their votes.

Freeman Mbowe emerged as the party’s flag-bearer, with Jumbe Rajabu Jumbe named as his running mate. Shortly before polling day, Jumbe fell ill and passed away, leading Anna Valerian Komu to step in as Mbowe’s running mate.

Her role during the final campaign phase underscored Chadema’s commitment to inclusive leadership and gender representation.

The 2005 campaign reflected Chadema’s evolution from a fledgling opposition movement into a disciplined national force. Its slogan, Mabadiliko ya Kweli, Uhuru wa Kweli (Real Change, Real Freedom), resonated with voters weary of prolonged one-party dominance.

The party focused its efforts on constituencies with strong grassroots networks, relying on volunteer polling agents and innovative outreach methods, including helicopter-assisted tours to remote areas.

Despite confronting an entrenched ruling party backed by state resources and legally sanctioned incentives such as takrima, Chadema sustained a consistent message centred on national renewal, transparency and economic opportunity.

Through decades of struggle, grassroots mobilisation, coalition-building and principled leadership, Mtei and Chadema played a significant role in laying the foundations of multiparty democracy in Tanzania.

While electoral gains were gradual, the party’s growth mirrored a broader transformation in political culture, one in which alternative voices increasingly challenged entrenched power and expanded citizens’ choices.

Yesterday Chadema’s Director of Communications and Publicity, Ms Brenda Rupia, announced that the party would observe seven days of mourning, during which its flags would fly at half-mast.

Mtei’s fourth child, Melyi, said the former Bank of Tanzania governor would be laid to rest on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at the family home in Tengeru, on the outskirts of Arusha.

“Father passed away last night. He was elderly, and we expect to lay him to rest here on the farm in Tengeru on Saturday,” she said.