Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania over the weekend.
Tanzania Hosts 27th SADC Organ Meeting on Political, Defence and Security Affairs
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is set to hold the 27th Ordinary Meeting of the Ministerial Committee of the Organ (MCO) on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from July 21 to 25, 2025.
The five-day meeting, taking place at the Julius Nyerere International Conference Centre (JNICC), will bring together over 300 delegates, including ministers and senior officials responsible for defence, security, and foreign affairs from SADC member states.
Tanzania currently chairs the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, a position it assumed during the 44th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government held on August 18, 2024. This one-year chairmanship will run until August 2025.
The event will begin with the meeting of the Permanent Committee of Principal Secretaries on July 21 and 22, chaired by Ambassador Dr. Samwel Shelukindo, the Permanent Secretary of the Tanzanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.
The ministerial segment of the meeting will follow, to be presided over by Honourable Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo (MP), Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, who currently leads the MCO.
Police Investigate Mysterious Disappearance of CHADEMA Youth Leader in Geita
The Tanzania Police Force have announced an investigation into the mysterious disappearance of Mbeshi Paulo, 30, the Chairperson of the main opposition party CHADEMA Youth Wing (BAVICHA) for the Geita Rural constituency, who was reportedly taken by individuals claiming to be police officers.
The incident was first reported by the national BAVICHA Chairperson, Advocate Deogratius Mahinyila, through his X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, July 19, 2025. Other CHADEMA leaders also shared the information.
According to their reports, on the evening of July 18, 2025, around 7:00 PM, in Luhala village, Kakubilo Ward in Geita District, Mbeshi was with a colleague on a motorcycle when three men emerged from a white vehicle and took him away.
The Geita Regional Police reported that they received information about Mbeshi’s disappearance on the morning of July 19, 2025, at around 11:00 AM from CHADEMA leaders in Geita District. However, police noted the report was delayed because the motorcycle rider and another individual who was with Mbeshi did not immediately notify authorities, preventing a quicker response.
“A thorough investigation into the incident began as soon as we received the report and is ongoing. The investigation involves cooperation from members of the public and other security agencies in order to determine the whereabouts of Mbeshi Paulo and the reasons behind his disappearance,” the police statement read.
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CCM Postpones Decisive Meeting Responsible for Nominating Candidates for Party Primaries
Tanzania’s ruling party, CCM, has postponed the Central Committee meeting responsible for naming the top three candidates to advance to the party primaries. In the primaries, the candidate who receives the most votes will become the party’s candidate in the upcoming general election.
The news of the postponement broke this morning following the leak of a letter addressed to the Central Committee members. The letter cited a technical glitch as the reason for the delay. It was dated July 18, 2025, the same day most members were expected to have arrived in Dodoma.
“I take this opportunity to inform you that, due to technical reasons, the national CCM meetings scheduled for July 18–19, 2025 (Security and Ethics Committee – Central Committee) have now been postponed until further notice,” the letter, which was signed by the Secretary of the Secretariat, Mr. Salum Khatib Reja, reads.
On July 15, 2025, the party had released a statement confirming that the Central Committee meeting was scheduled for July 19, 2025, at around 10:00 a.m. The party stated that the meeting would be preceded by a session of the National Executive Council Secretariat, which was reviewing the names of the aspirants. At the time, the review was said to be ongoing.
Following the circulation of the postponement letter, CCM Secretary for Ideology, Publicity, and Training, Amos Makalla, held a press conference in response to multiple calls from journalists. Makalla announced that the new date for the Central Committee meeting is July 28, 2025.
“The final meeting for the selection of candidates will be held on the 28th [of July], the Central Committee, this is the meeting of the Central Committee which was supposed to make the appointment today, the 19th [of July],” Makalla told journalists.
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Freeman Mbowe and the Optics of Absence and Presence
In the theatre of politics, silence is as important as speech, and absence can be equally important as presence. But when a politician of the stature of Freeman Mbowe is seen at a government function after a long absence, then speculation arises.
And when President Jakaya Kikwete cracks a joke around you, and the state sings praises in your honour, it leaves tongues wagging. Freeman Mbowe, whom his loyal supporters call Mwamba, has remained silent since his emotional and solemn farewell speech to CHADEMA supporters on January 22 at Mlimani City.
Remarkably, he hasn’t spoken a word in public since his humiliating defeat to Tundu Lissu in January. A lot has happened since then. Lissu, who defeated him for the Chairperson position, was arrested and charged with treason. He has been in custody since April, over three months now.
Since his first court appearance on April 10, which has been attended by diplomats and ambassadors, foreign human rights activists, friends, and comrades, there have been about eight other appearances. However, Mbowe’s absence has been the most noticeable.
Mbowe’s appearance at the launch of Vision 2050 was always going to raise eyebrows. Mbowe, in his usual poise, walked into the Jakaya Kikwete Convention Centre in Dodoma and went to sit in his designated position. But what really explains his public presence a day after the court hearing, Lissu’s case was once again postponed? Was Mbowe just attending a national event, or was his appearance a strategic and calculated move?
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