Advocate Deogratius Mahinyila emerged as the winner in the tense election for the CHADEMA Youth Council (BAVICHA), which ran continuously for over 24 hours, from January 13 to January 14. Mahinyila secured 204 votes from delegates, surpassing his competitor, Masoud Mambo, who received 112 votes.
What was evident during this election was the tension that went beyond the two main candidates. Some members, who spoke to The Chanzo, expressed that this was their last political battle—if they lost, they would quit politics for good. The Chanzo witnessed emotional scenes in the halls of Ubungo Plaza when allegations of corruption surfaced. “I have given my youthful years to this party; I haven’t done what most girls do,” cried one emotional delegate during the election.
There was also a noticeable form of activism: forceful, undaunted, and fearless. But the key questions remained: How did this election unfold? Why was it so important to the youth? And what does it mean for the future?
Deus Soka
One name that consistently surfaced during the election was Deusdedith Soka, a 29-year-old CHADEMA politician and youth activist who was abducted on August 18, 2024, along with Jacob Mlay and Frank Mbise, two people he invited to accompany him to the police station, where he had been invited.
Soka’s name holds significant weight because the activist had planned to lead the Youth Council and had set his plan in motion by early 2024. This plan included mobilizing youth by region and forming a team of supporters with similar goals. Soka utilized digital tools, specifically WhatsApp, to organize and communicate with his team, including Shija Shibeshi, who also ran for the position but strategically withdrew at the end. Soka’s team was confident they had the momentum to win the election.
Watch: Documentary: Deus Soka; Politics, Abduction, Disappearance, and Family’s Agony
Before his abduction, Soka had also reached out to Deogratius Mahinyila, the now-elected chairperson, but then he was abducted, with many fingers pointing at state security authorities.
“When Soka was abducted, we had to find someone to take up his role, especially in preserving the movement he had built and seeking justice for him,” said Fredrick Justine one Soka’s close friend and campaign mobilisers.
Mahinyila was approached to run as a candidate under Soka’s organization. Although friends with Soka, Mahinyila chose to run on his platform. Shija Shibeshi took up the role after consultation with the group of youth who were supporting Soka.
Alliances and Strategy
As factions within the party emerged, all candidates for BAVICHA had to show their cards. Shija Shibeshi aligned with Tundu Lissu, who is running for the party’s national chairperson, while Masoud Mambo supported the incumbent Freeman Mbowe’s faction. Deogratius Mahinyila, the now-elected chairperson, ran as a non-aligned candidate, appealing to the best qualities of both sides.
“Since I announced my intention to run for the position of BAVICHA National Chairperson, I have not publicly stated who I support, and I will not disclose that until January 13, the day of the BAVICHA election. I kindly ask you to judge me based on my history and qualifications, and if you find me unworthy, do not vote for me,” Mahinyila said on January 4, 2025, while submitting his candidacy forms in Dodoma.
He added: “Endorsing someone has never been a qualification for the position of CHADEMA Youth Council Chair. It is not a mistake for a CHADEMA member to support anyone, and it is equally not a mistake not to publicly support someone.”
Both factions believed they had a fair chance of winning over Mahinyila, who appeared to have the potential to become the next chairperson. None of the three candidates had a clear lead in the election, which seems so important in the party.
At least three meetings were held to convince Mahinyila to join Shibeshi’s camp. Although the first two meetings were inconclusive, both sides presented strong arguments for maintaining their respective campaigns. Mahinyila’s non-alignment started to confuse some of his supporters, pushing him to reconsider his strategy. His alignment with Shibeshi’s camp seemed more natural at this point.
An analysis conducted between January 9 and 10, 2025 by Shibeshi’s camp, revealed that the election was going to be too close to call. As a result, the strategy shifted to supporting a single candidate. In a meeting on January 10, 2025, it was proposed that Mahinyila receive full support from Lissu’s faction, including an endorsement from Lissu himself, and that Shibeshi withdraw. However, by then, Shibeshi had already built significant momentum, particularly on social media, making it difficult to convince him to step down.
On January 11, 2025, The Chanzo and Jambo TV organized a debate for the CHADEMA Youth Council candidates. Before the debate, Mahinyila and Shibeshi were asked to discuss the issue privately to see if a solution could be found. However, no conclusion was reached.
In a moment of political ingenuity, Mahinyila used his closing remarks in the debate to request Shibeshi’s endorsement and withdrawal from the race.
“I have revealed that I don’t align with any side to allow all youth to relate to me, and I believe youth from all sides support me,” Mahinyila said. “My life story, my vision, and my policies are not different from what Tundu Lissu believes in. I could be a candidate who closely resembles Tundu Lissu in qualities, perspectives, and stance, so I implore him to say, ‘I also support Mahinyila because I believe in what he stands for.’”
Shibeshi responded, “I wouldn’t be running if Deusdedith Soka were here. So, I’d like to give you this cap inscribed ‘Free Soka.’” He then added, “I ask my supporters to support Mahinyila. I am ready to continue the struggle even when I am not a leader.” The crowd erupted in emotion.
On January 12, 2025, Lissu endorsed Mahinyila through X, writing: “Deo Cosmas Mahinyila is self-aware and recognizes the historical role of the youth of Tanzania. He is fit to be the Chairman of BAVICHA.”
The Quest for Justice
While Mahinyila focused on the political organization of the campaign, Shibeshi, who would officially withdraw on January 14, 2025, shifted to organizing efforts to protect the votes on the ground alongside campaign leaders such as Fredrick Justine. Notably, Shibeshi’s group stopped party officials from leaving the venue with ballot boxes as the final results were not announced.
Many of the youth involved in the election expressed strong emotions, particularly regarding what they saw as mistakes in CHADEMA’s policy direction. The abduction of Deusdedith Soka remains a central issue, with many asking whether the reconciliation talks aimed at preventing such incidents had been effective.
“In this struggle we are facing, our fellow youth are disappearing; our fellow youth are being killed. Do you know where Deusdedith Soka is?” Advocate Mahinyila, who filed a case in court to compel the police to release Soka, asked during his appeal to voters.
“May God keep him safe wherever he is so that he can return and join us. I had several discussions with Deusdedith Soka about this BAVICHA election, and I believe that if I win, he will have peace on the day he returns.”
One of Mahinyila’s proposals as chairperson is to have a network of lawyers ready to support CHADEMA members across the country in any political-related cases.
Mahinyila was a political prisoner after the 2020 general elections when he was just 24 years old. In that election, he contested for the position of councilor in his hometown of Berege Ward, Mpwapwa District, Dodoma Region. During that election, violence erupted after the returning officer refused to announce the results following the completion of the vote-counting process in Berege ward.At that time, he was still a student pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice at the Law School of Tanzania (LST).
He was later granted bail after spending 33 days in custody and returned to civilian life to complete his studies, which enabled him to be registered with the Bar Association. Since then, he has been involved in the legal department of CHADEMA and has served as a defense lawyer for activists and supporters of CHADEMA who have been charged with various offenses related to their political activities.
On November 9, 2024, he was elected as the Chairperson of the CHADEMA Youth Council in Dodoma Region. In the same month he was disqualified in the Local Government elections after expressing his intention to run for the position of village chairman in Berege village through his party, CHADEMA.
