Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on August 11, 2025.
Tanzania’s Police Assure Government on Election Preparedness: ‘We Are Not Going to War, But to Maintain Security, Peace, and Tranquility Before, During, and After the Election’
Speaking on Monday, August 11, 2025, during the annual retreat of senior police officers, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Camillus Wambura assured the Tanzanian government that the police are well-prepared to ensure calm and order during and after the upcoming election.
The event, held at the Police School in Moshi, was graced by Tanzania’s Vice President, Philip Mpango. The IGP began by describing the country’s security situation, noting that it remains calm. However, he acknowledged recent challenges involving certain political actors, which the police have since addressed.
“Recently, there has been a situation where certain groups of people, under the banner of politics and activist-style democracies, began causing unrest by engaging in acts that breach peace through making inflammatory statements on various platforms, with the intention of disrupting the peace of our country,” IGP Wambura said.
“The Police Force has already taken appropriate legal measures to curb these criminal acts, and the situation is now calm and continues to remain calm,” he added.
Reflecting on their performance during the 2024 civic elections, the police noted that the process was smooth and orderly nationwide. He told the Vice President that they are now focusing on strategies for the upcoming general election.
“Any major and important activity must have specific plans—well-organized plans aimed at accomplishing that activity with great care. Normally, no war is fought on the battlefield; every war is fought first at the table, and it is at the table where strategies are planned,” IGP Wambura explained.
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‘We’re Being Kicked Out Like Chickens’: Mbagala Residents Decry Forced Evictions
Dozens of families in Mbagala Rangi Tatu, Dar es Salaam, are facing the threat of losing their homes after receiving demolition notices without consultation, compensation, or relocation plans, as municipal authorities press ahead with a proposed bus terminal project.
The Temeke Municipal Council maintains that the targeted land is public property and accuses the residents of being illegal occupants, despite some saying they have lived in the area for decades. The residents, however, insist they legally acquired their homes and have been paying property taxes to the municipality for years.
This documentary captures the voices of widows, elders, and families who fear displacement without due process, amid an ongoing court case scheduled for hearing on August 12, 2025. It also documents rising tensions as municipal authorities place demolition markings and caution tape on the properties — despite a court order halting any action.
Watch full documentary here
President Samia to Headline CCM Fundraising Event on Tuesday
Samia Suluhu Hassan, the Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) presidential candidate, is expected to lead a fundraising drive for the ruling party to ensure its successful and effective participation in the October 29, 2025 general election.
CCM secretary-general Emmanuel Nchimbi announced to journalists in Dar es Salaam that the fundraising event will be held on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at Mlimani City in Dar es Salaam.
“The [party’s] central committee decided that we should hold a fundraising drive. This is a fundraising initiative that we plan to conduct [on Tuesday]. Tomorrow is the official fundraising event at Mlimani City Hall, where the guest of honour will be CCM chairperson, President Samia Suluhu Hassan,” Nchimbi, who’s Samia’s running mate, told a press conference.
“So, we have invited you here today to help us inform the public and CCM supporters that tomorrow is the day for all devoted CCM members—those who care deeply about their party and are passionate about seeing our nation progress rapidly under the leadership and stewardship of Chama Cha Mapinduzi—to demonstrate their commitment and strength,” he added.
The CCM Special National Congress on January 19, 2025, endorsed incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan as the party’s presidential candidate for the October 29 general election, with Nchimbi selected as her running mate.
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Op-Ed: Humphrey Polepole: Political Tantrums and Unaccountability in Contemporary Tanzanian Politics
It is strikingly blunt whitewashing for one of the perpetrators to now come out publicly attacking the very status quo his ejusdem generis cartel created. This sudden moral awakening comes from a series of public addresses by former Balozi Humphrey Polepole, delivered over three consecutive weeks—and it continues.
Many of us are left wondering—what exactly is he trying to achieve? To others, he is a hero of their lifetime and religiously staunch, seeing him as Saul, who became Paul in the Bible.
The large crowd’s eager anticipation soon met with disappointment, as Polepole’s words failed to address the pressing concerns many expected him to tackle. His public addresses followed immediately after his resignation as Tanzania’s Ambassador to Cuba. Instead of confronting urgent issues like abductions, disappearances, and citizens’ welfare, his speeches focused mainly on routine topics within a CCM reform agenda.
Polepole’s accusations appear to stem less from genuine public concern and more from a personal grudge—frustration at no longer being “in the kitchen” of power—and an attempt to sow discord. Recently, he has shifted his rhetoric to lean towards die-hard CHADEMA supporters, who have been visibly supporting him on social media platforms like X, in an obvious attempt to broaden his base.
His heroism is recognised for his courage in addressing issues others would avoid, such as irregularities in CCM’s internal presidential campaign process. One might assume he is advocating for the awakening of a politically, socially, and economically distressed nation. Perhaps he is; however, his approach focuses on individuals rather than the entrenched system that perpetuates these injustices.
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