DAR ES SALAAM, (Reuters) Tanzania’s main opposition party, Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), has been disqualified from participating in the 2025 general elections after failing to sign the Electoral Code of Conduct, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
INEC Director of Elections, Ramadhani Kailima, announced on Saturday that the disqualification is in line with the Elections Act, which stipulates that any political party that does not sign the code will be barred from the upcoming general elections and any subsequent by-elections for a period of five years.
Eighteen registered political parties, including the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), signed the code during a ceremony held in Dodoma, the country’s capital.
However, CHADEMA Secretary General John Mnyika said the party declined to sign the document due to INEC’s failure to address key reform proposals submitted earlier. Mnyika noted that CHADEMA had sent a letter to INEC on December 29, 2024, outlining concerns and recommendations for vital electoral reforms.
“This silence reflects an absence of genuine commitment to inclusive and transparent dialogue on the electoral process,” Mnyika said in a statement.
The development is likely to heighten political tensions in Tanzania as the country prepares for its 2025 elections, with concerns already mounting over fairness, transparency, and inclusivity in the electoral process.
