Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania over the weekend.
Tanzanian Opposition Candidate Faces Fresh Legal Challenge Despite Court Victory
Tanzania’s opposition presidential candidate Luhaga Mpina faces a fresh legal challenge to his candidacy, with the government and two rival political parties lodging formal objections just days after the High Court ordered his reinstatement for October’s general election.
The Attorney General, along with presidential candidates from the Alliance for African Farmers Party (AAFP) and the National Reconstruction Alliance (NRA), filed objections on September 14, claiming Mpina is ineligible to contest the presidency because he lacks proper political party sponsorship.
The objections centre on the same procedural irregularities that led to Mpina’s initial disqualification in August – allegations that his nomination by the ACT Wazalendo party violated internal party rules. Under Tanzanian electoral law, presidential candidates must be sponsored by a registered political party, with independent candidacies prohibited.
Mpina’s candidacy appeared secure following a landmark High Court ruling on September 11 that declared his disqualification unconstitutional. The court found that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had violated Mpina’s right to be heard and acted beyond its authority by following directives from the Registrar of Political Parties.
Following the court order, INEC formally nominated Mpina and his running mate, Fatma Abdulhabid Ferej, on September 13. However, the fresh objections now threaten to derail his presidential ambitions once again, just weeks before the October 29 election.
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Tanzania’s Frail Opposition: State Suppression or Self-Inflicted Wounds?
A senior official from Tanzania’s ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), has dismissed the notion that it is responsible for propping up the country’s opposition, arguing that their weaknesses are self-inflicted.
The comments from Nasra Mohamed Ramadhan, Chairperson of the CCM Youth Wing (UVCCM) in Dar es Salaam, come as Tanzania prepares for a general election where President Samia Suluhu Hassan is seen as having no formidable challenger, despite 18 parties being registered to compete.
In an exclusive interview with The Chanzo’s Khalifa Said, Nasra shifted criticism away from CCM and toward the opposition’s own “internal deficiencies and flaws.” She argued that blaming the ruling party is a short-term tactic for gaining public sympathy that ultimately prevents them from getting their own houses in order.
“The question is, what kind of strength are we talking about?” Nasra stated. “Is it strength being undermined by CCM, or strength a party builds for itself? Let’s be clear: we do not have the power to weaken CHADEMA, nor ACT, nor TLP. They have their own internal conflicts, created by themselves. How is CCM involved in that?”
While Nasra’s comments reflect a common CCM talking point, a significant body of research and reporting from local and international organisations, as well as academic institutions, paints a more complex picture.
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Mwinyi and Othman Gloves Off for Zanzibar President
Zanzibar’s two main political parties, CCM and ACT Wazalendo, officially launched their presidential campaigns on Saturday, September 13, 2025, in separate rallies on the twin islands of Unguja and Pemba, which make up the semi-autonomous archipelago.
On the CCM side, the party kicked off its campaign in Unguja at Mnazi Mmoja grounds, where various CCM leaders addressed supporters. The party’s presidential candidate and incumbent President Dr. Hussein Mwinyi rallied his followers by emphasizing his party’s manifesto priorities, including maintaining peace and driving economic development across Zanzibar.
Meanwhile, ACT Wazalendo’s presidential candidate, Zanzibar’s First Vice President Othman Masoud Othman, launched his campaign at the party’s stronghold in Pemba at Tibirizi grounds. His campaign message spotlighted major issues such as the Union between Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania, and called for greater transparency and accountability in government.
Although the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) has cleared 11 candidates to contest the presidency, the fiercest competition is expected between these two parties, which currently share power in Zanzibar’s Government of National Unity.
Netflix Series Beauty and the Bester Reveals Tanzania Police Found It Easy to Arrest Thabo Bester and Dr. Nandipha After a Failed South African Manhunt
It took only 53 words for Tanzanian police to announce the arrest of Thabo Bester, a South African fugitive, and his accomplice, Dr. Nandipha Magudumana, on April 8, 2023. The news was already a trending and sensational story in South Africa, across Africa, and around the world. More details about the arrest are now featured in the Netflix mini-series Beauty and the Bester.
Beauty and the Bester is a three-part investigative series released on Friday, September 12, 2025. It explores Bester’s escape from prison, the subsequent manhunt, and the ordeal from the perspectives of Magudumana’s and Bester’s friends and family, law enforcement officials, journalists, and other experts.
Bester and Magudumana attempted to block the release of the series, but a South African court ruled that their application “lacked urgency” and that the material, including details of Bester’s 2012 rape and murder conviction, was already in the public domain.
The final episode of the series focuses on their arrest in Tanzania. An unnamed Tanzanian detective revealed that the operation was straightforward; “like catching a chicken.” According to the series, their car was stopped by Tanzanian detectives, who took them into custody. The arrests followed an unsuccessful manhunt in South Africa.
In their brief 53-word statement on April 8, 2023, Tanzanian police confirmed the arrest of the pair, along with another person, who was later learned to be from Mozambique.
“The Tanzania Police Force would like to provide clarification after various inquiries from people about reports of the arrest of a South African citizen in the country,” the April 8, 2023, Tanzanian police report reads.
“It is true that our detectives have arrested Thabo Bester, Dr. Nandipha Magudumana, and Zakaria Alberto, and they are being held by the Police Force. Procedures for completing both domestic and international legal communications are ongoing,” the report concluded.
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