Dar es Salaam. Elections bring several advantages. Beyond providing the opportunity to choose leaders, they also reveal personalities and talents, generate fresh ideas on governance, and ensure representation at constituency and ward levels.
During general elections, political parties unveil manifestos. From one document to another, across different parties, varying visions of governance are outlined.
At times, rival parties share positions, reflecting how deeply those concerns resonate with citizens.
The abundance of manifestos benefits the nation. A victorious party or candidate may pursue their own pledges, but they can also borrow ideas from rivals and, if valuable, adopt them for the national interest.
In the 2025 General Election, 17 politicians have declared their intention to contest for the presidency of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Among them is the National Reconstruction Alliance (NRA), seeking voters’ mandate to lead the Union government.
Mr Hassan Kisabya Almas is the NRA’s presidential flagbearer. He campaigns on the party’s manifesto, which he insists contains solutions for a better life in the next five years, claiming it scientifically addresses critical sectors that unlock national growth.
The NRA manifesto outlines 23 priorities, including a comprehensive national policy, free healthcare, free education, subsidised tap water, compulsory public safety, protection of public property, and adherence to the Constitution and the law.
Through Mr Almas, the NRA pledges to guarantee equality and justice before the law, launch programmes for women’s and youth empowerment, ensure fair employment, and form a lean cabinet of no more than 10 ministries.
One such ministry would oversee corruption and ethics, called the Ministry of Nonsense, Theft, Negligence and Laziness.
Other commitments include ending the withholding of corpses in hospitals, guaranteeing dignity in death, safeguarding worship rights, promoting press freedom, protecting democracy, and strengthening the Union.
At 41, Mr Almas is the youngest of the 17 aspirants. His age, he says, strengthens his resolve, anchored in leadership knowledge and genuine intent.
He recalls the famous words of the nation’s founding father, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, that the nation needs courageous youth to manage its affairs.
This, he says, inspired him to run for president, convinced he has the patriotism and knowledge to lead.
“When Nyerere spoke of courageous youth, he did not mean violent or reckless individuals, but young leaders determined to govern firmly, without fear,” says Mr Almas, adding that he is precisely what the Father of the Nation envisioned.
His second inspiration came from Tanzania’s fourth President, Mr Jakaya Kikwete.
Upon winning office with the slogan Ari Mpya, Nguvu Mpya, Kasi Mpya (New Zeal, New Strength, New Speed), Kikwete declared that youth must be entrusted with responsibility.
According to Almas, the combination of Nyerere’s call and Kikwete’s faith in youth shaped his boldness, motivating him to enter the race early and set a record as the youngest presidential aspirant in the 2025 polls.
He also credits retired Colonel Idd Kipingu, former headmaster of Makongo Secondary School in Dar es Salaam, for nurturing his confidence. While studying there, Mr Almas says, Mr Kipingu instilled belief and leadership qualities in him.
Who is Almas?
Mr Almas was born on January 1, 1984. His Western zodiac sign is Capricorn, while in Chinese astrology, he is a Rat. He is the seventh of 10 children of Shauri Almas Manyundo.
He was born at Maweni Regional Referral Hospital in Kigoma. In 1993, aged nine, he enrolled at Kiezya Primary School in Kigoma Municipality, completing in 1999.
Strong performance earned him a place at Kigoma Secondary School, Bangwe, from 2000 to 2001. Gifted in football, he transferred in 2002 to Makongo Secondary in Dar es Salaam, then famous under Colonel Kipingu for nurturing sports talent, especially promising footballers.
He completed Form Four in 2003 with strong results and advanced to A-Level studies at Makongo High School from 2004 to 2006.
In 2006, Mr Almas joined the State University of Zanzibar (Suza) for a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, but discontinued in 2007 after one year.
He speaks Kiswahili and English. In 1998, he undertook English and essay-writing training at the Youth Development Centre, Kigoma (Brothers of Charity).
In 2004, he trained as a Peer Educator under the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva.
Other training includes anti-corruption with the PCCB, election cost management, women’s empowerment with the Tanzania Gender Networking Program (TGNP), and electoral security under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), among others.
Almas and politics
Mr Almas has previously contested unsuccessfully. In 2020, he vied for councillor in Mianzini Ward, Mbagala, Dar es Salaam.
In 2015, he ran for Kigoma Urban MP, later contesting for Speaker of the National Assembly.
Now seeking the presidency, Mr Almas says he is driven by the desire for Tanzanians to be governed by leaders with integrity, competence, and patriotism, free from partisan interests.
He explains that this underpins the NRA slogan: “Nation First, Parties Later.”
He envisions Tanzania thriving in justice, peace, unity, and development.
Personally, he pledges free education, water, and healthcare for all, while supporting citizens’ authority over their nation, rights, and recognition of dual citizenship.
Mr Almas is married to Aisha Saud Abdallah, and they have four sons: Shauri, Iqraam, Iqbal, and Sameer. He describes himself as passionate about conflict resolution, peace, the rule of law, socio-economic development, civic engagement, investment, and agriculture.
He also claims expertise in financial and asset management, information systems, human resources, negotiation, communication and marketing, research, and network administration.
Outside politics, he is a farmer.
Tanzania is set to elect the Union President, the Zanzibar President, Members of Parliament, Representatives of the Revolutionary Council, and Councillors in the highly anticipated polls scheduled for October 29, 2025.
While campaigning for the General Election, overseen by the Independent National Electoral Commission, began on August 28, the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) was expected to complete the nomination of candidates and thereby grant political parties the green light to launch their election campaigns.
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