The opposition party CHADEMA has warned its members against participating in any activities related to the 2025 General Election, stating that taking part in the exercise would be against the party’s ‘No Reforms, No Election’ stance.
CHADEMA has instructed all members who received invitations to participate in election planning activities – including scheduling meetings or other electoral commission engagements – to abstain from participation.
Instead, Zacharia Obad, CHADEMA’s Victoria Zone chairperson (encompassing Mwanza, Kagera, and Geita), called on members to organise locally and pressure for key reforms before the scheduled October 29, 2025, polls.
“We still have enough time [to fight for reforms],” Obad told a press conference on Saturday. “In faith, we still have plenty of time. For God, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.
“So, anything can happen between now and then. These leaders have ears, they have flesh, they have minds—they hear and they see. We must not waver from our ‘No Reforms, No Election’ stance.”
READ MORE: High Court Orders Witness Protection in Treason Case Against CHADEMA Leader Tundu Lissu
CHADEMA will boycott the 2025 general election under the current political and legal framework, which the centre-right party argues unfairly favours the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM)—in power for nearly six decades.
Among its key preconditions for electoral participation, CHADEMA demands an authentically independent electoral commission—one not accountable to the sitting President, who is also a candidate in the upcoming election.
The party further demands that national security agencies and law enforcement play only a minimal role in electoral processes, preventing interference with citizens’ constitutional right to freely choose their leaders.
CHADEMA further demands legal reforms to permit judicial review of presidential election results, a recourse currently unavailable under Tanzania’s existing electoral laws.
These unresolved issues prompted CHADEMA’s boycott of the Electoral Code of Conduct signing ceremony for the 2025 General Election on April 12, 2025. While eighteen other political parties endorsed the document in Dodoma, the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) construed CHADEMA’s absence as voluntary disqualification from the electoral process.
READ MORE: The Weight of Political Silence: Questions Surrounding Mbowe’s Role Post-CHADEMA Defeat
CHADEMA’s warning to its members comes as the opposition party faces significant challenges that risk demoralising its support base. The party is now working vigorously to maintain morale among its members and followers during this difficult period.
These challenges include the high-profile prosecution of party leader Tundu Lissu on charges of treason and publishing false information. Arrested on April 9, 2025, Lissu remains in remand prison as his case awaits judgment at Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court.
The court additionally barred CHADEMA from conducting any party activities pending resolution of a lawsuit filed by some party members from Zanzibar, who alleges unequal distribution of party resources between mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.
Facing these challenges, Mr Obad used his Saturday press conference to urge CHADEMA members and supporters to maintain hope for a better future, while reaffirming the party’s commitment to its reform agenda.
“I want to encourage our grassroots leaders – we are doing very well,” he assured the party’s base. “The ‘No Reforms, No Election’ position is the stance that will bring us a new constitution and other significant changes in our nation.”
READ MORE: CHADEMA Criticizes INEC’s Voter Statistics
“In CHADEMA, we believe our nation’s leaders must truly reflect the people’s will. We demand accountable governance – where Parliament and local councils can effectively oversee the government,” Obad added.
“But this is impossible when votes don’t matter, when shadowy figures determine who becomes an MP or councilor. That’s why we fight for reforms that will benefit all Tanzanians – not just our members.”
