Talk of tensions within the opposition party CHADEMA is no longer a secret but clear as day. On one side, it’s the party’s national chairperson, Freeman Mbowe, and on the other, it’s Vice Chairperson (Tanzania Mainland) Tundu Lissu.
This tension became more apparent following the party’s statement on November 14, 2024, which refuted several claims that Mr Lissu recently made during a press conference in his hometown of Singida, where, among other things, implicated his party with corruption and unofficial dealings with the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
Apart from corruption allegations, two other issues fuel intraparty tensions within CHADEMA: who will be the party’s presidential candidate in the 2025 general elections and differing approaches to the party’s future—issues that are exacerbated by political egos among the top officials.
Following reconciliation talks between CHADEMA and CCM, some dissident voices emerged within the former, led by Lissu, who believed the party had taken a wrong turn in deciding to engage with the ruling party.
By the end of 2023, the party’s top officials met at Mbowe’s home in Machame, Kilimanjaro, with many party observers seeing the meeting as an attempt to unite the leadership, given the growing concerns of a split.
Following the meeting, on January 13, 2024, CHADEMA announced a shift in its policy direction and called for demonstrations against proposed election laws and economic hardships.
“We are one,” Mbowe said at the meeting. “For those who think there is a division within CHADEMA, it doesn’t exist and won’t exist. We will protect and defend this party at any cost. Our unity is more important than any individual.”
“I was a strong advocate for reconciliation talks because I believed they were fundamental for the country,” Mr Mbowe added. “Even when my colleagues urged me to step away from reconciliation early on, I still believed there was room for it. Now, we must begin the struggle and be ready for whatever may happen.”
During the meeting, Mbowe also emphasised that differing opinions among party leaders should be seen as a healthy part of democratic discourse.
“I don’t see it the way you do—that having leaders with opposing views is a conflict. It’s not a conflict; it’s having diverse ideas. When you have differing views, you sit down, discuss them, and make decisions as time permits,” he explained.
In his latest remarks on November 12, 2024, while in Singida, Lissu criticised the reconciliation talks, calling them a ruse that had led the party to abandon its key agendas.
“We need to organise ourselves again,” Mr Lissu told a press conference. “We were deceived and fell for it. We were given sweet talks about reconciliation, and for a year, we were stalled. Ultimately, we abandoned key issues, including the new constitution and electoral reform.”
Mr Lissu further claimed that the party had been lured by promises of a national unity government, which would reward officials with key positions, which CHADEMA’s official statement on November 14, 2024, refuted.
“CHADEMA has never discussed or received proposals about the so-called ‘half-bread government,” a statement by CHADEMA’s spokesperson John Mrema read. “The agenda for a new constitution and the demand for an independent electoral system has never been abandoned by the party at any point in the implementation of its program.”
It continued: “We call on our members and party leaders to invest their energy in the local government elections and ignore any propaganda meant to divide the party.”
2025 presidential candidate
One major issue dividing the party is who will run as CHADEMA’s candidate in 2025. Insiders explain that when Lissu sensed the rift between him and other party officials was widening, he preemptively announced his interest in the presidential candidacy on July 26, 2024.
This came at a time when there were already complaints about the funding of his rallies. Rumours circulated that party resources were being allocated unevenly, with Lissu’s rallies receiving less financial support than those of other leaders. There is also speculation that Mr Mbowe is considering running as the presidential candidate in 2025.
Speaking to The Chanzo, Dr Azaveli Lwaitama, a prominent public intellectual and respected CHADEMA elder, argued that party members exaggerated the presidential candidacy issue and that it was essentially a non-issue.
“Lissu was asked a question about 2025, and he responded, which is a democracy,” Lwaitama, a CHADEMA’s Board of Trustees member, said. “The Chairperson [Mbowe] hasn’t said anything about running. The procedure is simple: if someone wants to run for a position, they pick up a form.”
“I don’t know where this supposed tension is coming from,” he added. “No one in CHADEMA is worried because the party doesn’t have the practice of issuing one nomination form—people compete.”
“There are party supporters who prefer this candidate or that, but this is not tension,” Mr Lwaitama explained. “Some people exaggerate the situation to suggest there is an alternative—CCM. However, upon closer examination, it’s simply a vibrant and robust debate with diverse opinions.”
Former Member of Parliament and prominent women’s leader Suzanne Lyimo also weighed in when asked by The Chanzo about the tension, emphasising that what’s happening in CHADEMA is typical politicking, which will be resolved after the party holds its meetings.
“CHADEMA is very big,” she said. “And we can’t all think the same, but after the election, we meet and shake hands. Nothing can go beyond our party.”
The differences between Mbowe and Lissu exemplify the challenges surrounding the choice of presidential candidate. Mbowe is known for being strategic, calm, and measured in his speech, and a good deal maker.
In contrast, Lissu is more outspoken, preferring to make his points with strong language, and has gained wide popularity among youth for his ability to break down complex political issues into relatable language.
Both leaders are considered heroic figures by their supporters, but Mbowe is generally considered more reconciliatory toward President Samia than Lissu.
“If Lissu becomes CHADEMA’s candidate, he will spend the entire campaign putting CCM on the defensive with his strong language,” one party strategist who preferred anonymity told The Chanzo. “This will be disruptive. To CCM, Mbowe might be a more preferable candidate to compete with than Lissu.”
Dirty money
In May 2024, Lissu raised the issue of corruption in CHADEMA’s intraparty elections, alleging that money was being used to influence party elections. He later revealed that he had been approached to receive a bribe and that several party officials had also received bribes.
Lissu also disclosed that one of the meetings to discuss the bribes was set up on November 13, 2023, by one of the CHADEMA’s officials at his home. The Chanzo has been reliably informed that the person who organised the meeting is the chairperson of one of CHADEMA’s zones and a former Member of Parliament.
When The Chanzo reached out for comment, the individual did not respond despite several follow-ups.
“If you follow the ongoing elections, a lot of money is involved,” Mr Lissu said during his November 12 press conference. “Is it ours? If it’s not ours, to whom does it belong, and whose interests does it serve? How will we confront this? The first thing to do is raise our voices.”
“Tanzanians know us in CHADEMA as a party with a strong foundation of denouncing corruption and fighting against it. If we stop addressing corruption within the party, we will stop addressing corruption and embezzlement outside the party.
“I will stand firm on this issue. I will speak out and address corruption wherever it exists and with the loudest voice possible because if we don’t, it will destroy us—it will destroy our party,” Mr Lissu explained.
In a statement, CHADEMA called for anyone with evidence of corruption to submit it to the party, which would then take action according to the party’s constitution.
Political observers have expressed concern that if CHADEMA’s integrity is tarnished among voters, it will be difficult for the party to organise or build momentum around its policy. A growing mistrust of politicians is seen as a key factor limiting stronger responses from citizens when calls to action are made.
So far, CHADEMA is the only opposition party that has maintained a consistent peak performance for over three decades. Since 2005, the party has been a significant player in national politics, while other opposition parties have struggled to remain relevant beyond a few election cycles.
This includes the Civic United Front (CUF), which declined after the 2015 election, and NCCR – Mageuzi, which only had one strong election cycle and considered its peak performance.
