Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s political actors have been urged to move beyond blame over the 2025 General Election and focus on building stronger democratic institutions capable of preventing a repeat of the political tensions and violence that followed the polls.
The call was made today as political parties, government institutions, diplomats, civil society organisations, religious leaders and other stakeholders gathered in Dar es Salaam for a two-day National Conference organised by the Tanzania Centre for Democracy (TCD).
The chairman of the National Council of Political Parties, Mr Juma Ali Khatib, said the time had come for Tanzanians to stop pointing fingers and instead agree on measures that would prevent similar problems in future elections.
“What happened has happened, we have all seen it. We are all adults; it does not please us,” he said.
“I think now is the time to sit together, as Tanzanians, and discuss the best way and strategies to ensure what happened does not happen again.”
Mr Khatib said the country needed to concentrate on building a democratic system that could deliver peaceful elections and give citizens confidence in the electoral process.
“The time for pointing fingers, I think, has no place now. The time for blaming is over,” he said.
He urged participants to exercise political tolerance and patience during the conference, noting that some contributions could be uncomfortable but would still need to be heard.
He said the discussions should ultimately help Tanzania emerge more united and capable of holding elections that do not leave citizens with pain and disappointment.
“We should think as Tanzanians about how we get out of here and build a good democratic system so that the next election does not bring pain or sadness, but becomes an election of happiness where everyone can make their choice in building our nation,” he said.
For his part, Registrar of Political Parties Judge Francis Mutungi also urged participants to approach the discussions with open minds, saying the conference should be used to find solutions rather than deepen political divisions.
He encouraged participants to listen even when confronted with views they disagreed with, saying constructive disagreement could help the country identify solutions.
“Let your hearts open so that you listen to one another and speak about what you know, with the intention that it benefits others,” he said.
He said participants should be willing to exchange views while maintaining a spirit of dialogue, tolerance and national interest.
Opening the conference, TCD chairperson Dorothy Semu said lasting democratic progress required institutions that were stronger than individuals and laws that could withstand changes in political leadership.
“We want institutions that are stronger than individuals, laws that are stronger than the whims of leaders, and a Constitution that governs and protects the rights of all Tanzanians,” she said.
Ms Semu said the conference should not be viewed as the end of the conversation but as the beginning of a broader process through which Tanzanians could reflect on the country's political challenges and determine the way forward.
She urged participants to confront the past with courage, examine the present honestly and use the lessons learnt to build the country's future.
“The conference is the beginning of dialogue, not its end,” she said.
