Dodoma. Opposition Chadema has appointed former Arusha Urban Member of Parliament Mr Godbless Lema, to lead its Central Zone as part of efforts to strengthen the party in the area.
The party said Mr Lema had been assigned a special role to revitalise Chadema in the zone, which has for some time struggled due to what party leaders described as weak leadership.
Addressing party members and supporters at Mtekelezo grounds in Dodoma on Sunday, May 24, 2026, the party’s Unguja Zone chairperson, Mr Hashim Juma, described Mr Lema as a political heavyweight capable of rebuilding the party’s influence in the region.
Mr Juma said Mr Lema’s appointment had been endorsed by the party’s Central Committee and that he would oversee efforts to strengthen the Central Zone, which comprises Dodoma, Singida, and Morogoro regions.
The position of Chadema Central Zone chairperson has remained unstable since the resignation of former holder, Mr Lazaro Nyalandu, who later returned to CCM.
Following Mr Nyalandu’s resignation, the post was held by former vice chairperson, Ms Asha Luja, who has been living in the United States.
In the previous internal elections, Ms Devotha Minja was elected zone chairperson, but later defected to Chaumma, where she became a running mate in the presidential race before later securing a special seats parliamentary position.
“We are announcing publicly and without hesitation that Mr Lema is coming to lead this zone. He has been given a special assignment to strengthen the party and will work with a strong team to support him,” said Mr Juma.
Mr Lema’s appointment is expected to test Chadema’s ability to regain political ground in the Central Zone, particularly in Dodoma Region, where the party has never won a parliamentary seat.
However, Chadema previously secured a combined total of three parliamentary seats in Singida and Morogoro regions.
