Lissu Reaffirms 'No Reform, No Election' Stance

Lissu Asserts 'No Reform, No Election' Ahead of 2025 Polls
Sunday, March 2, 2025

Tundu Lissu, Chairman of the opposition party Chadema, reiterated the party's firm stance on electoral reforms, declaring that without changes to the current electoral system, there will be no elections in Tanzania. His remarks came during a meeting with members of the Tanzania Editors' Forum (TEF) at Chadema's headquarters in Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam.

Lissu explained that the "No reform, no election" slogan adopted by Chadema was a strong message aimed at highlighting the need for a more inclusive and fair electoral system, one that is more accommodating to opposition parties. He emphasized that the current framework is not conducive to fair competition.

The statement was made on Sunday, March 2, 2025, during a dialogue between senior leaders of Chadema and TEF members. The primary purpose of the meeting was to clarify the significance of Chadema's "No reforms, no election" campaign, which is calling for electoral reforms ahead of Tanzania’s scheduled general elections in October 2025.

The campaign was endorsed by the party's Central Committee during its meeting in December 2024, chaired by Freeman Mbowe, and was further supported by the party's General Assembly on January 21, 2025. During the latter meeting, Lissu was elected as party leader, securing 513 votes compared to Mbowe's 482 votes. Mbowe, who had led the party for over two decades, also supported the reform agenda.

Lissu pointed out that previous commissions formed by former Tanzanian presidents, such as the ones led by Judge Francis Nyalali and Judge Joseph Warioba, had recommended the need for electoral reforms. He stressed that Chadema is not calling for an outright boycott of the elections but instead aims to prevent what it views as an unjust system from continuing.

Recently, senior officials from the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), including Vice-Chairman for the Mainland, Stephen Wasira, asserted that the October 2025 general election will proceed as planned. Wasira stated that no governmental body has the power to halt the elections, rejecting Chadema's position.

During a public meeting in Mwanza on February 11, 2025, Wasira invited Tanzanians to prepare for the upcoming elections, regardless of the opposition's stance. He pointed out that the Independent Electoral Commission (NEC) holds the constitutional authority to announce the election dates, as stipulated by Article 41 of the Constitution.

In addition to Wasira's comments, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, while on a visit to the Tanga region, encouraged citizens to continue registering for the permanent voters' roll and to turn out in large numbers when it's time to vote.