Pastor Msigwa Urges Chadema to Join October Elections

Pastor Msigwa Urges Chadema to Embrace Unity, Not Boycott Elections
Thursday, March 27, 2025

Mbeya, Tanzania — Prominent CCM member and former Chadema stalwart, Pastor Peter Msigwa, has sharply criticized the opposition party Chadema’s “No Reforms, No Election” campaign, calling it a strategic maneuver to evade democratic participation. Speaking at a public rally in Mbeya, Pastor Msigwa urged Chadema to resolve internal disputes and actively participate in the upcoming general election.

Pastor Msigwa argued that the campaign reflects a reluctance by Chadema to face electoral competition. He emphasized that before demanding political reconciliation nationally, Chadema must first foster unity within its own ranks, which he described as fractured following their recent internal elections.

Chadema officially launched the campaign on March 23 under the leadership of National Chairperson Tundu Lissu. The launch featured three slogans — No Reforms, No Election, Stronger Together, and Tone Tone — during an event held at Ruanda Nzovwe grounds in Mbeya.

Addressing supporters on March 27, Msigwa said, “This campaign is a clear sign of fleeing from the general election. We in CCM welcome real competition — we don’t want parties to run away.”

He further noted that Chadema should seek reconciliation internally and focus on strengthening its foundation rather than attempting to instruct CCM on democratic practices. “President Samia Suluhu Hassan introduced the 4Rs (Reconciliation, Resilience, Reforms, and Rebuilding) to promote genuine competition. But Chadema seems more inclined to walk off the pitch with the ball in hand. Their strategy is weak and has already failed before it even started,” he said.

According to Msigwa, Chadema currently lacks the financial and human resource capacity needed to compete effectively, due in large part to internal divisions following their own party elections. “Their leader should have first focused on establishing equality within the party,” he added.

A former Member of Parliament for Iringa Urban (Chadema), Msigwa explained his departure from the party stemmed from a lack of internal justice and democracy. “I couldn’t remain in a party that is perpetually in opposition mode, always resisting but never building,” he said.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged that reforms are necessary in Tanzania, but argued that CCM has already made significant strides in development and reaching the citizens. He criticized Chadema for focusing too much on power rather than addressing core public issues.

“Development and reform are processes. CCM has achieved a great deal. Meanwhile, Chadema obsesses over power instead of presenting viable solutions for agriculture or the aviation sector. No party has exclusive rights to lead this country — that authority rests solely with the people,” he asserted.

Pastor Msigwa also pointed out that changes have been observed since the last election, particularly regarding electoral oversight, noting that regional directors oversaw the previous elections, and that future presidential voting may differ by region.

In closing, he urged Tanzanians to disregard Chadema’s boycott rhetoric and fully participate in the general elections scheduled for October 25, 2025.