Lawyers representing the three petitioners in a civil case against Tanzania’s main opposition party, CHADEMA, say the court has clarified that all CHADEMA leaders at every level are banned from engaging in any political activities, including press conferences, media briefings, meetings, and similar engagements, pending a decision on the suit. This is on top of the order to prohibit the use of party assets and resources.
The clarification was sought from the High Court Registrar following what the petitioners’ legal team described as a misrepresentation of the June 10, 2025 judgment.
In the June 10 ruling, the court ordered that the Registered Trustees of CHADEMA and the party’s General Secretary are restrained from organizing or participating in any political activity until the petition is resolved. Additionally, the court prohibited the use of CHADEMA’s assets and properties by the trustees, the General Secretary, and anyone acting on their behalf, be they servants, agents, or others.
This injunction was granted following a petition by three individuals: Said Issa Mohamed, CHADEMA’s former Vice Chairperson (2010–January 2025); Ahmed Rashid, a member of the party’s Board of Trustees; and Maulidah Anna Komu, former Vice Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.
The petitioners allege unequal allocation of the party’s resources, funds, and assets between Zanzibar and Tanganyika, the two components of the United Republic of Tanzania. They further claim that members from Zanzibar face discrimination in terms of opportunities, and that bias exists based on religion, gender, and residency.
CHADEMA interpreted the court order as applying only to the General Secretary and the Board of Trustees, and also applied in stopping the use of all party resources. Consequently, some leaders continued limited activities, including hosting virtual press conferences.
However, the petitioners’ lawyers said they believed this interpretation was inaccurate. They sought clarification from the High Court Registrar at the Dar es Salaam sub-registry and received a response on July 14, 2025.
Speaking to the press, Advocate Gido Thomas Simfukwe emphasized that the clarification confirmed a comprehensive ban on all CHADEMA leaders, from the national level down to regional, district, council, and division levels across both Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania. The prohibition remains in effect until the court reaches a final decision on the petition.
Following the June 10, 2025 judgment, the next hearing was scheduled for June 24. However, the session was postponed due to the judge’s absence. On July 10, CHADEMA filed a motion requesting the judge to recuse himself from the case. The case was adjourned as the petitioners stated they were not served with the recusal application. The matter returned to court on July 14, when the judge announced he would issue a decision on the recusal request on July 28, 2025.
The president of the Tanganyika Law Society has called the injunction, “exceptional and exparte injunction ever issued in the history of countries that follow the Common Law system”.
“Ordinarily, an injunction is granted to preserve the existing state of affairs (status quo) in order to prevent further harm until justice is fully heard and determined. But the injunction being applied in this case seems not only to disrupt the status quo, but to completely erase the legitimacy, existence, and identity of a legally registered political institution,” Mwabukusi noted.
