Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on August 7, 2025.
Tanzanians Debate Ndugai’s Legacy as Former Speaker Prepares for Burial in Hometown of Kongwa
The death of Job Ndugai has sparked a contentious debate over the legacy of Tanzania’s seventh National Assembly Speaker, whose sudden passing on Wednesday left the nation divided in its reactions and perceptions.
Speaker of Parliament Tulia Ackson announced the sudden death of 65-year-old Ndugai on Wednesday afternoon—just two days after the politician won the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) parliamentary primaries for Kongwa constituency.
As condolences poured in—including from President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who said she received the news with “deep sorrow”—others revisited Ndugai’s tenure as head of the legislative body, critically assessing his performance as Speaker and questioning what legacy, if any, he would leave behind.
One pivotal moment that many have revisited in assessing Mr Ndugai’s legacy was the unprecedented 2017 assassination attempt on Tundu Lissu, then serving as Singida East MP for CHADEMA, a dark episode in Tanzania’s political history.
As Speaker of Parliament, Mr Ndugai promptly addressed the nation about the incident, a brazen daylight attack near parliamentary grounds whose perpetrators remain at large to this day.
“I want to assure the public, especially Honorable Lissu’s constituents and family, that he is receiving excellent care,” Mr Ndugai told journalists in 2017. “Parliament will spare no effort to support our colleague’s full recovery and eventual return to duty.”
Yet, this was the same Ndugai who later revoked Lissu’s parliamentary seat, citing the opposition politician’s failure to formally update the legislature about his whereabouts and medical treatment for two consecutive years.
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Salum Mwalimu Named CHAUMMA Presidential Candidate for 2025
The People’ Liberation Party (CHAUMMA) has officially nominated its Secretary-General, Salum Mwalimu, as the party’s presidential candidate for the upcoming general election. His running mate will be Devotha Minja, the party’s Vice Chairperson.
The announcement came during the party’s congress held in Dar es Salaam on August 7. Of the 357 delegates in attendance, 340 cast their votes. Mwalimu received overwhelming support with 336 votes in favor and only 4 against. Minja secured 335 votes, with 6 delegates voting against her candidacy.
Mwalimu, born in 1979 in Zanzibar, joined CHAUMMA in May this year after defecting from CHADEMA along with a group of senior members known as the G55 — a bloc aligned with former CHADEMA Chairman Freeman Mbowe.
A close ally of Mbowe, Mwalimu previously held several leadership positions within CHADEMA, including Deputy Secretary-General for Zanzibar since 2014, and was a member of both the Secretariat and Central Committee.
His political journey includes multiple electoral contests: he ran for the Kikwajuni parliamentary seat in 2015 and the Kinondoni seat in a 2018 by-election — both unsuccessful bids. In 2018 he also vied for a seat in the East African Legislative Assembly but did not win.
In the 2020 general election, Mwalimu served as the running mate to presidential candidate Tundu Lissu under the CHADEMA banner. The election was won by then-incumbent President John Pombe Magufuli, who secured a second term.
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Kongwa DC ‘Shocked’ by Viral Video of Locals Celebrating Ex-Speaker Ndugai’s Death
Kongwa district commissioner Saimon Mayeka said Thursday that authorities will reach out to individuals seen celebrating the death of former Speaker of Parliament Job Ndugai to determine their motives and have conversation with them.
He was responding to a viral video circulating on social media, which showed unidentified individuals in the district cheering and celebrating shortly after Speaker of Parliament Tulia Ackson announced the death of the former Kongwa MP (CCM).
Speaking to journalists, Mr Mayeka remarked: “This is something that, first of all, has shocked us. In Tanzanian culture and norms, this matter astonishes everyone—how can someone celebrate death? We know people can have enemies; he [Ndugai] was a politician who served for many years, so he couldn’t have been without adversaries.
“But we never imagined he could have enemies who would rejoice even in his death. Personally, it has deeply saddened me. However, I believe that after laying our brother to rest, we will have the opportunity to speak with those youths and that community to show them that this is not Tanzanian civility and that it is a culture we have never witnessed in Tanzania.
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Tanzania Aims to Become Africa’s Premier Destination for Business Conferences and Events
The Tanzanian government has unveiled ambitious plans to establish the country as a continental leader in Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism, a high-value sector that promises year-round economic benefits.
At a high-profile stakeholder forum held at Dar es Salaam’s Serena Hotel on Thursday, government representative Ernest Mwamaja outlined the strategic importance of this initiative.
“The government has identified MICE tourism as a commercial product with enormous potential to increase national revenue and stimulate wider economic activity,” said Mwamaja, who was speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.
Key to this strategy is the ongoing construction of a massive 5,000-seat conference centre in Arusha, specifically designed to attract major international events. The Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) presented this development as part of comprehensive efforts to position Tanzania competitively in the global MICE market.
Mariam Ndabagenga, Director of MICE specialist firm Popular Links, emphasised Tanzania’s existing advantages.
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