Tanzanian opposition leaders call for electoral reforms ahead of polls

Dar es Salaam. Chadema leadership contestants have called for significant electoral and constitutional reforms to make the forthcoming General Election free and fair.

The contestants—incumbent chairman Freeman Mbowe, who is seeking re-election, Vice Chairman for Mainland Tanzania, Tundu Lissu, who is challenging Mr Mbowe and Odero Charles Odero—made the call during their addresses to the women’s wing, Bawacha, national conference on Thursday, January 16.

The trio also urged Bawacha members to make Chadema a brothers’ keeper party in which members help one another during family and social problems.

The Bawacha delegates from across the country gathered at the Ubungo Plaza Conference Hall in Dar es Salaam to elect new national leaders for the next five years.

These elections followed the youth (Bavicha) and elders (Bazecha) elections held on Monday and Tuesday.

The national leadership elections will culminate in the party’s general assembly on 21 January 2025, when the national chairman and vice chairmen for Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar will be elected.

The leadership contest has drawn considerable attention from observers, political analysts and stakeholders, mainly due to the public bickering between Mr Mbowe and Mr Lissu.

In his address, Mr Lissu noted that women make up the majority of Tanzania's population and are reliable voters.

However, he pointed out that women face significant barriers in the current electoral system, with only a small percentage of them succeeding in being on the ballot as candidates.

In the 2020 General Election, for instance, he said only six percent of women were directly elected in constituencies as Members of Parliament (MPs).

Mr Lissu called for constitutional reforms to address the inequality, arguing that the number of special seats allocated to opposition parties, particularly for women, remains disproportionately low.

"If we want to increase the number of women in Parliament, we must reform our electoral system," he said, adding that a better system would result in greater female representation in both the Parliament and councils.

Mr Lissu pointed to the recommendations of the now-defunct Constitution Review Commission (CRC), led by retired judge Warioba, which proposed a 50:50 gender representation in Parliament.

"We must fight for constitutional reforms that increase the number of women in leadership roles. We should ensure that the CRC’s recommendations are implemented,” he added.

Officiating the opening of the event, Mbowe emphasised the importance of addressing social issues at the grassroots level to strengthen the party.

"Chadema’s true strength lies in our ability to reach millions of women in households, neighbourhoods and villages. We must build the party from the bottom up, rather than relying on top-down approaches,” he said.

Mbowe urged delegates to prioritise addressing the real-life challenges faced by citizens, rather than responding solely to political issues.

"Leaders elected for the next five years must not only address political challenges but also respond to the social and economic challenges that people face in their everyday lives," he added, insisting that Chadema needs to be a party that lives and works for the people every day.

He warned against viewing Bawacha solely as a platform for securing special seats in Parliament or local councils.

"Bawacha should not be seen merely as a stepping stone for personal political aspirations. It should be about building a society that recognises the importance of women in strengthening our communities," he insisted.

Mr Odero called on party members to resolve their grievances through internal party channels, rather than airing their differences publicly.

"We must respect internal procedures when addressing issues," he said, stressing the importance of maintaining unity within the party. This statement may have referred to Mr Lissu's decision to publicly address the party's internal issues, accusing it of losing focus and condoning corruption in its internal elections.

For her part, outgoing Bawacha acting chairperson Sharifa Suleiman Suleiman reflected on the challenges faced during her tenure, particularly the political turbulence following the removal of 19 special seat MPs and the difficulties created by the administration of former President John Magufuli.

Despite these obstacles, she expressed her confidence in the council’s future.

"During this time, we have worked hard to implement inclusive policies, oversee party activities in both urban and rural areas, and encourage women to pursue leadership positions," she said.

"We have also resolved conflicts within the party and mobilised women to engage in political leadership,” she added before announcing her resignation to allow for new leadership to emerge, as she seeks election as Bawacha chairperson.