Dar es Salaam – Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for Policy, Parliament, Coordination and Persons with Disabilities, Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi, has urged Tanzania’s political leaders to respect one another and avoid language that could deepen divisions in the country’s multiparty political system.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, during the launch of the Sixth Council of Political Parties, Prof. Kabudi said multiparty democracy should not be viewed as a platform for hostility, threats or political conflict, but rather as an opportunity for Tanzanians with different views to come together and discuss issues of national importance.
He particularly criticised the use of the term “kiongozi haramu,” which can be translated as “illegal leader,” to describe elected political leaders, saying the word carries a particularly harsh meaning in Kiswahili.
“Where there are differences, you can say a leader is not legitimate, but not ‘illegal’. The word ‘haramu’ in Kiswahili carries a very strong meaning,” Prof. Kabudi said.
He argued that describing another person as “haramu” goes beyond political disagreement and risks dehumanising them.
“When you start calling your colleague ‘haramu’, it means you have started viewing that person as an animal. And when you view someone as an animal, it means you have offended God who created that person,” he said.
His remarks come amid continued political disagreements following Tanzania’s October 29, 2025 general election. The leading opposition party, CHADEMA, did not participate in the election after adopting its “No Reforms, No Election” position, demanding fundamental electoral reforms. The party had cited what it described as systematic irregularities in the electoral process during previous elections, including the 2019 and 2020 polls, the 2024 local government elections and by-elections held since 2016.
The party subsequently declined to recognise the political leadership that emerged from the election, which was marred by unprecedented unrest, and has used the term “haramu” to refer to the current leadership.
CHADEMA was also absent from Wednesday’s launch of the Sixth Council of Political Parties, which was accompanied by the unveiling of the council’s new logo.
Prof. Kabudi said President Samia Suluhu Hassan had continued to provide an opportunity for political parties to express their views and participate in dialogue.
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Political Parties Registrar Francis Mutungi similarly said the presence of Haji Omar Kheir, the President’s Adviser on Political Affairs, at the event demonstrated the government’s commitment to dialogue and reconciliation.
Mutungi said the council provides political parties with a platform to listen to one another, seek solutions to disagreements and build trust despite political competition.
He said the forum could also help address political grievances and challenges before they escalate into serious conflicts.
“The council has strengthened its activities by providing space for parties to listen to one another and seek solutions to issues where they have different views,” Mutungi said.
He said Kheir had attended the meeting after being directed to do so by the President, which he described as an indication of the importance attached to political dialogue.
Deputy Registrar of Political Parties Mohamed A. Ahmed said the recent meeting of the Tanzania Centre for Democracy (TCD), together with the launch of the new council, reflected continued efforts by democracy stakeholders to engage through dialogue.
“These platforms mean that democracy stakeholders are telling the President that they are ready to support dialogue in conducting the politics of this country,” Ahmed said.
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He added that despite differences in opinions, feelings and political perspectives, Tanzanians could continue sitting together and discussing issues affecting the country.
The launch brought together government officials, police representatives, political parties and democracy stakeholders, including the Tanzania Centre for Democracy, the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA), the Tanganyika Law Society, and civil society organisations representing youth, women and persons with disabilities.
Participants stressed the need for the council to serve as a platform for dialogue, resolving political disputes and addressing challenges within Tanzania’s multiparty political system.
