How CCM keeps ‘No reforms, No election’ debate alive

Introduced by Chadema as a protest against holding the 2025 General Election without key constitutional, legal, and electoral reforms, the campaign has gained considerable traction online and within national political discourse.

Yet CCM, which insists that elections are a constitutional requirement, has remained adamant that no single party can halt the electoral process.

In repeated public addresses, CCM’s Secretary for Ideology, Publicity and Training, Mr Amos Makalla, has labelled the campaign as unlawful, claiming it constitutes a criminal act aimed at disrupting the democratic order.

“Under existing laws, elections must be held as scheduled. No party has the authority to stop them. Anyone attempting to do so is in direct violation of the law,” he said during a press briefing with editors and journalists in Dar es Salaam.

However, by persistently responding to Chadema’s call—not only through press conferences but also at political rallies, social media platforms, and parliamentary proceedings—analysts argue that CCM is inadvertently lending the campaign more relevance and airtime.

“There is a clear paradox in CCM’s approach. While publicly condemning the ‘No Reforms, No Election’ stance, their consistent engagement is keeping the issue alive. In political communication, repetition functions as reinforcement, turning marginal ideas into mainstream ones,” said a political analyst from the University of Dar es Salaam, Dr Onesmo Kyauke.

Another political expert at UDSM, Dr Richard Mbunda, agreed that CCM’s strategy risks amplifying the message rather than silencing it.

“The more they push back against the campaign, the more they legitimise it in the public eye. What they’re resisting is not disappearing—it’s gaining strength,” he said.

According to Dr Mbunda, CCM’s communication pattern echoes a common political paradox: that persistent denial often serves to validate the concerns being dismissed.

“The media follows controversy. If the ruling party keeps engaging Chadema on this issue, then the electorate will keep hearing about it. Over time, this transforms the campaign from fringe rhetoric to a serious topic of national discourse,” he shared.

The ruling party’s leadership has attempted to portray Chadema’s position as a convenient distraction from its alleged internal challenges, particularly disputes over leadership and electoral strategy. “They are divided and not ready for the 2025 elections. This campaign is simply a cover-up to mask their lack of preparation,” said Makalla during a tour in Morogoro.

But this narrative, according to analysts, may be undermining CCM’s own messaging.

“If Chadema were truly fractured and insignificant, why does CCM feel compelled to respond to them at every turn?” posed a political science lecturer at the State University of Zanzibar (SUZA), Prof Makame Ali Ussi.

He added: “The contradiction is telling—it suggests the campaign is finding some resonance among Tanzanians “

Professor Ussi further argued that CCM’s vigorous rebuttals point to unease within the ruling party. “The very urgency with which they are reacting shows that the campaign has struck a nerve. Even if they do not say it outright, their actions reveal a level of anxiety.”

The campaign has taken on a life of its own on social media platforms such as Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, TikTok, and in WhatsApp discussion groups, where hashtags and comments ‘No Reforms, No Election’ continue to trend.

However, CCM have tried to downplay the movement by reinforcing constitutional principles and pointing to electoral timelines.

“We asked for five years to lead, and we’ve delivered. There’s no justification for postponing the election. If they want to boycott, let them do so alone—we are going ahead,” said CCM Vice Chairman for Mainland Tanzania, Mr Stephen Wasira, at a rally in Ruvuma.

But such remarks, while dismissive in tone, serve to bring the spotlight back onto the issue. Analysts say this tactic risks boomeranging.

For his part, a political scientist from the University of Dodoma (UDOM), Dr Paul Loisulie, warned that CCM’s strategy may have unintended consequences.

“The more they comment, the more curious the average Tanzanian becomes. Political messaging isn’t always about logic—it’s about emotion and visibility. And this campaign is gaining both,” he said.

He added that Chadema’s messaging has been deliberately ambiguous but emotionally compelling.

“They are not explicitly saying they will boycott—but they insist there will be no election without reforms. That kind of vagueness invites debate, and debate ensures sustained relevance,” he said.

As the country moves closer to the October 2025 elections, the political atmosphere is becoming increasingly charged. Chadema continues to insist that without comprehensive constitutional and legal reforms—including a truly independent electoral commission and guarantees of political freedoms—participating in the elections would be tantamount to endorsing a flawed system.

CCM, however, maintains that the time for reform has passed. “There is no emergency or crisis that justifies delaying the election. Let them sit out if they want. The rest of us are preparing,” said Makalla in Morogoro.

In a similar tone, Wasira stressed during a tour in Dodoma that the constitutional window for legal amendments has closed. “Parliament is about to be dissolved. There is no time or space for the kinds of sweeping reforms Chadema is demanding. This is a moment for contesting policies, not crying foul.”

Makalla, during another rally, reiterated that Chadema’s call is unrealistic and urged its supporters not to “lose their democratic rights by blindly following calls to boycott”. “Let them wait for 2030,” he quipped. “We are marching on with 2025.”

In some circles, as the clock ticks down to October 2025, Chadema faces a decision: whether to hold firm on its demands and risk marginalisation, or engage the public and political institutions more proactively to achieve incremental change.