Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on August 6, 2025.
ACT Wazalendo Endorses Luhaga Mpina as Presidential Candidate for 2025 Election
ACT-Wazalendo on Wednesday nominated Luhaga Mpina as its presidential candidate and Fatma Abdulhabib Ferej as his running mate for the October 28, 2025, general election, just two days after the left-leaning opposition party welcomed the former Kisesa lawmaker following his defection from the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
Mpina, one of the few high-ranking CCM politicians to openly criticise the Samia Suluhu Hassan administration, defected to ACT-Wazalendo shortly after being excluded from the list of candidates for Kisesa’s parliamentary primaries.
Both Mpina and ACT-Wazalendo member Aaron Kalikawe contested at Wednesday’s party congress in Dar es Salaam, where Mpina won by a landslide with 559 votes (92.3 per cent) out of 610 total votes cast.
In Zanzibar, ACT Wazalendo’s national chairperson Othman Masoud Othman secured the party’s presidential nomination for the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, garnering 606 votes in favor (99.5 per cent) out of 609 valid votes cast.
“The candidate has been found, and as I promised, now begins the journey to uproot and completely remove Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) from power,” Mr Mpina said shortly after securing the nomination.
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Tanzania’s Ex-Speaker Job Ndugai Dies at 65
Speaker of Parliament Tulia Ackson announced on Wednesday that Job Ndugai, the outgoing Kongwa MP (CCM) and seventh Speaker of the National Assembly, passed away on August 6, 2025, in Dodoma.
“With deep sorrow, I announce the passing of our beloved colleague, a seasoned politician and former Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Job Yustino Ndugai, which occurred today in Dodoma,” Ackson, who succeeded Ndugai, said in a statement.
“I extend my condolences to the family of the deceased, relatives, and the citizens of Kongwa Constituency. May Almighty God grant them strength and patience during this difficult time,” she added.
Born on January 21, 1963, Ndugai served as Speaker of the National Assembly from November 2015 until his resignation on January 6, 2022.
Prior to this, he was Deputy Speaker (2010–2015) before ascending to the role under President John Magufuli’s administration. His 2022 resignation resulted from mounting pressure within CCM ranks, as his diverging views on national governance strategies put him at odds with President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration.
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Tanzania Directs Police to Patrol Internet As the General Election Nears
The government on Wednesday ordered police to conduct “online patrols,” claiming the measure would monitor individuals allegedly using digital platforms to disrupt peace and security in Tanzania, while also combating cybercrime.
Home Affairs Minister Innocent Bashungwa issued the directive during the inauguration of a new police station in Sanya Juu, Siha district, Kilimanjaro, as part of government efforts to enhance police infrastructure and strengthen law enforcement in the country.
Addressing Inspector General of Police (IGP) Camillus Wambura, Bashungwa warned that criminals are increasingly operating online, urging police to heighten vigilance in preventing digital crimes and maintaining law and order.
“Just as you conduct regular ground patrols, we must also strengthen online patrols to control financial theft and criminals who aim to disrupt the peace and tranquility of our country through online platforms,” the minister directed.
While Bashungwa’s directive could reflect a legitimate effort to combat Tanzania’s growing cybercrime threat, critics fear it may also serve as a pretext for tightening state control over the digital sphere ahead of the October 28, 2025 elections—potentially stifling dissent and further restricting civic freedoms.
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Op-ED: Defending Democracy: Conversations in Santiago, Chile
Back in July, on a sunny afternoon in Santiago, Chile, Brazil’s President Ignacio Lula da Silva and I danced briefly to the current Tanzanian hit song Pawa by the popular musician Mbosso.
It was an unexpected but deeply human ending to our rooftop conversation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rooftop, where dessert and coffee turned into an exchange about Tanzania. Lula quizzed me about Tanzania’s population, economic performance, social challenges and cultural diversity.
But music particularly caught his interest as he asked, “What music do you listen to in your country? Put it on for me on your phone, I want to hear it.” For a few minutes, we shared music, laughter and rhythm. Then, returning the favour, he played me his favorite Brazilian song, a samba-flavoured version of Ave Maria. The story behind his choice is one I’ll keep as a presidential confidence, but the moment was, for me, unforgettable.
It captured the humanity behind political leadership. Lula, after all, is a symbol of resilience – a man who fought for workers’ rights, survived imprisonment, endured political exile, returned, and still found the grace to dance to an East African song on a Chilean rooftop.
That very human exchange followed the Democracia Siempre (Democracy Forever) convening that brought together the presidents of Chile, Colombia, Spain, and Uruguay, along with a diverse group of scholars and activists, to wrestle with the daunting question of how do we defend democracy at a time when it seems to be under siege almost everywhere?
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