A new era for ACT Wazalendo

A seismic change is expected at the ACT Wazalendo party in the first week of March 2024. The party’s face since its inception ten years ago, Zitto Kabwe, is stepping down as party leader, paving the way for someone else to come in and steer the ship. It is also expected that the party chairman and veteran politician, Juma Duni Haji, will also vacate his position in a month.

In the history of multiparty politics, this will be a first on many fronts. In most cases, political parties are seen as the “private properties” of their leaders, and that’s why most of the leaders of the opposition have remained in their positions for more than 20 years now. Only death—or sometimes old age and poor health—forces the leaders to quit.

In ACT Wazalendo’s case, the youthful Zitto is not even 50 years old. Duni (73) is older, but he is still in good health and not suffering from old age complications. For one leader to quit, it’s a rare occasion, but for two top leaders to quit at the same time, that is almost unheard of in Tanzania, and the party will now be moving into uncharted territory.

But change is an inevitable part of life, and in politics, it becomes even more necessary for parties to adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving environment. It is good that Zitto and Duni will be witnessing the change from the outside and having other people drive the agenda of the party in their own way.

Also read: Zitto: Here's why I chose to join ACT

The ACT Wazalendo has already made its mark on how they do their politics. The blueprint for the party whose policies and proclamations are based on research, facts, professionalism, and patriotism is already there. Whoever comes in place of Zitto and Duni will know what the party represents.

There are rumours that Zitto and Duni will be replaced with Dorothy Semu and Othman Masoud Othman, respectively. Semu is the current Vice Chair of the party, while Othman is Vice President of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar. The successors have all the attributes to replace the outgoing leaders.

Semu, with her sound political acumen and track record of public service, possesses the qualities necessary to fulfil this role. Her appointment will bring a fresh outlook to the party and captivate the public’s attention.

Othman, having served as the former attorney general of Zanzibar, brings extensive experience from within the government. His younger age, sharper decision-making, and wisdom make him a suitable candidate for the role of party chairman.

Zitto is a generational leader whose absence will be acutely felt by the party. When he became a party leader for the first time, he was already a veteran of 15 years in Parliament, having also been a Deputy Secretary General of Chadema. Adding to his years of activism and political connections across the political divide in the country, he was a special leader for the party.

Having Seif Shariff Hamad as the party chairman later gave Zitto the advantage of having someone who knows the government, has been there, and has the experience to handle pressure at the very top. It was a wise decision by the party to appoint Duni in his position when Maalim Seif died because of the experience he has.

If Dorothy becomes the leader of the party and Othman the chair, it will be almost the same thing. Othman comes in with experience working at the very top in government and politics. Dorothy, being a major part of what ACT is now known for but not having the experience that Zitto had when he became party leader, will benefit from having Othman by her side.

Dorothy will keep ACT in its lane as the most innovative party in the country, while Othman will be the steady captain of the ship. It helps that their average age is younger than their predecessors in a country where more than seventy percent of the population is below 35 years of age.

The other advantage of Othman is that he has worked with the likes of Maalim Seif and Amani Karume in the past and knows how they operated and what works and doesn’t work in the local political arena. He will be like the glue that bridges the generational gap.

The change, though risky, will demonstrate that ACT Wazalendo is committed to embracing change while acknowledging the invaluable contributions of its former leaders. This transition of power will generate headlines, capture the public’s attention, and renew their faith in the party’s ability to adapt to new realities and remain relevant.

 As ACT Wazalendo undergoes a transformative period with Zitto Kabwe’s leadership coming to an end, it is crucial to recognise the importance of Juma Duni’s departure alongside Kabwe and to elect a younger individual like Othman Masoud as the party chairman.

 If Duni leaves the stage as expected, he will be expected to play a role played by the likes of the late Shaaban Khamis Mloo, who resigned from active politics but were key players in behind-the-scenes politics within the Civic United Front (CUF), Duni’s former party.

As the party’s elder statesman, Duni will also be like an ace, waiting to be deployed in any capacity that requires his skillset post-2025 election in Zanzibar with the Government of National Unity (GNU).

By embracing change and balancing the inadequacies of Dorothy Semu’s leadership, ACT Wazalendo will position itself positively in the public eye. This transition of power will symbolise the party’s commitment to effective leadership, unity, and continuous progress.

The writer is a journalist and political analyst based in Dar es Salaam.