Dar es Salaam. Residents from Tanzania’s commercial capital have described the multi-party political system as a good thing for the country to have, as it allows citizens to decide who their representative should be, but it also helps to keep those in power on their toes.
These residents gave their opinions during conversations with The Chanzo when we visited them in their work areas, with many of them hoping that the system continues to exist due to its benefits, and that the shortcomings facing it are corrected for the broader public good.
“I benefit, because, for me to choose a President that I like, each party must present a Presidential candidate, each party must present an MP candidate, each party must present a councilor candidate, so I can choose the President I want, choose the MP I want, choose the councilor I want,” said Mama Mudi from Msasani.
“Compared to if you present candidates by saying maybe one party presents one candidate, another party presents another, then I don’t benefit from them, because every citizen chooses the leader they prefer,” added this mother who works as a food hawker, known locally as mamantilie.
Jumanne Husseni Bigo, a resident of Manzese who runs a newspaper vending business, says that the multi-party system has great benefits because it wakes up those who were entrusted with forming the government in the previous election.
Challenges to incumbents
“Those people of the ruling party,” says Bigo, “who somewhat felt like they were the only ones there, but because there are many [parties], it has brought challenges.”
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The multi-party system in Tanzania was reinstated in 1992 after Tanzania followed a single-party system for many years. Tanzanians participated in the first multi-party election in 1995, with the most recent election being the one in 2020.
On October 29, 2025, Tanzanians will participate in the seventh multi-party election, where they are expected to go and elect a President, MPs, and councillors.
Since its reinstatement, various challenges related to elections, including claims of election management bodies favouring the ruling party, Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), have been facing the multi-party system in the country.
Due to this situation, some citizens have been questioning the benefits of this system, especially when opposition party candidates fail to be declared winners, despite evidence showing they won in those elections.
However, the citizens that The Chanzo spoke to showed that they have faith in this multi-party system, while wanting those shortcomings to be corrected so that the system can help them properly.
Freedom to choose
“We benefit because the multi-party system gives us the freedom to choose the party we want,” said one citizen from Msasani who identified herself with the single name Diana. “What I will look at are policies. When I am pleased with policies, that’s it, we look at policies.”
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Lucas Majumbi, a resident of Manzese, believes that the participation of multiple parties in elections has many benefits.
“First, it brings motivation to the leaders who got leadership through maybe the CCM party, or CUF, or CHADEMA or TLP,” said Majumbi.
“When they are in power, many tend to forget themselves a lot, even the things they promised, they can’t fulfil,” he added. “But when there is multi-party participation in the election, it brings them a challenge.”
For his part, Mohammedi Saidi from Msasani, says the multi-party system is good because it helps a citizen get a good leader.
“Even another leader we choose ends up striving to bring development because he knows if he messes up, we will not choose him again,” added Saidi. “That is why multiple parties exist.”
“Multiple parties give you the freedom to choose the person you want,” emphasised Saidi. “That, this leader is suitable to lead us in the constituency, or in the street, or as President, it benefits us in that way.”
‘We’re suffering’
When asked what their expectations are for the election of October 29, 2025, many citizens said they hope the exercise will be conducted peacefully, freely, and fairly, without any violence or misunderstandings.
Citizens also said that they hope whoever gets the mandate to form the government does not forget the common citizens who have said they are going through difficult living conditions.
“Look at the way we citizens are suffering,” said Hamisi Makabuli, a resident of Manzese. “We citizens are suffering a lot. We are in very poor conditions.”
“We work, but incomes have become very small,” added Makabuli. “Therefore, we ask those who will be in power to try and fulfil all those promises they make so that life becomes better for the citizens.”
Hija Selemani is a writer for The Chanzo from Dar es Salaam. He’s available at hijaselemani9@gmail.com.
