Controversy as new party attracts 'bigwigs'

Dar es Salaam. A new political party, which is seeking provisional registration from the registrar of political parties, is attracting public interest with unconfirmed reports suggesting that some high profile individuals could be behind it.

Pictures of individual - wearing T-shirts that are purported to be promotional materials for Umoja Party - have been making rounds in various social media platforms for several days now.

The gray and blue T-shirts are spiced up with the party’s name and emblem on the left hand side of the one wearing it and the picture of the late John Magufuli on the right hand side of the person wearing it.
This sends a message that those behind the party could be some CCM members who are disgruntled with the state of affairs within the ruling party, mostly likely after the death in office of former President John Magufuli.
However,  while the names of prominent individuals behind Umoja Party remain everybody’s guesswork, the deputy registrar of political parties, Mr Sisty Nyahoza said yesterday that those wearing the T-shirts were going against the law.
“The office of the political parties registrar wishes to remind those producing and wearing the T-shirts as well as Tanzanians in general that it is going against the law for any institution to conduct political activities without being registered,” Mr Nyahoza said, quoting a clause in the Political Parties Act Cap 258.
Section 7 (3) of the Political Parties Act Cap 258 which Mr Nyahoza quoted reads: “No organisation shall operate or function as a political party unless it has first been registered in accordance with the provisions of this Act”.  He, however, noted that Umoja Party has applied for provisional registration to the registrar of political parties and trashed reports that the registration has actually been granted.  In October last year (2021), the office of the registrar of political parties announced that it had received application for the registration of Umoja Party.
In its public notice, which was published in newspapers, the registrar’s office noted that the application was well in line with the law and called upon those with reasons on why registration would not be granted to go forward and submit their petitions.  
“Anyone who has objections to the name, symbol, colour of the party or any other matter regarding the party, should submit his or her to the registrar office within 21 days from the date of the advertisement,” the registrar said in October last year.