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Tanzania’s ruling CCM vetting drags into the night as party seeks ideal parliamentary contenders
What you need to know:
- It was the first time in nearly a decade that a national-level CCM meeting continued into the early hours, echoing an era when all-night sessions were common, particularly during presidential nomination seasons.
Dar es Salaam. The ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), extended its candidate vetting process late into the night as members of its Security and Ethics Committee scrutinised aspirants for parliamentary and representative seats.
The process, which began on Sunday, July 27, concluded at 3am on Monday, July 28—well past regular working hours. The session was aimed at reviewing the conduct and qualifications of candidates seeking the party’s endorsement ahead of the October 29, 2025 General Election.
The committee, chaired by CCM National Chairperson and President Samia Suluhu Hassan, plays a critical role in ensuring party discipline. It reviews each applicant’s record and forwards recommendations to the Central Committee for final nomination decisions.
Other key members of the committee include CCM Vice Chairpersons Stephen Wasira (Mainland) and President Hussein Ali Mwinyi (Zanzibar), Secretary General Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi, Deputy Secretaries John Mongella (Mainland) and Dr Mohamed Said Dimwa (Zanzibar), as well as several senior government officials. Images released by CCM also showed Vice President Dr Philip Mpango, Zanzibar’s Second Vice President Hemed Suleiman Abdulla, and Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa in attendance.
It was the first time in nearly a decade that a national-level CCM meeting continued into the early hours, echoing an era when all-night sessions were common, particularly during presidential nomination seasons.
Delays linked to number and calibre of aspirants
Analysts and insiders attribute the long session to the high number of aspirants and the stiff competition among them.
According to a political science lecturer at the University of Dodoma (UDOM), Dr Ajali Nguyuhambi, the committee likely struggled to distinguish between candidates due to the quality and number of applications.
“Some aspirants may have submitted their forms to gain political visibility without a serious intention to serve,” said Dr Nguyuhambi. “This forces the committee to exercise greater caution to avoid endorsing unsuitable candidates.”
Earlier this month, CCM’s Ideology, Publicity and Training Secretary Amos Makalla revealed that over 10,000 party cadres had applied to contest parliamentary and representative seats.
Dr Nguyuhambi added that the late conclusion of the meeting might also reflect shortcomings at lower vetting levels within the party, where insufficient diligence may have left the national committee with too many unresolved issues.
“In the end, the goal is to nominate candidates the party believes will secure victory,” he said.
Past all-night meetings were mostly presidential
Historically, CCM’s marathon meetings have been linked to presidential nominations, not parliamentary or representative vetting.
The 1995 multiparty elections saw one of the first such sessions, with Benjamin Mkapa, Jakaya Kikwete, Kingunge Ngombale-Mwiru, and Joseph Warioba among the contenders. The Central Committee met in Dodoma until the early hours, eventually endorsing Mkapa, who went on to become Tanzania’s third president.
In 2005, the race to succeed Mkapa featured 11 aspirants, including Jakaya Kikwete, Salim Ahmed Salim, and Anna Tibaijuka. The shortlist was finalised around 3am before Kikwete was officially endorsed.
A similar situation unfolded in 2015, when Dr John Magufuli was announced as the party’s presidential flag bearer after a tense and lengthy session that began in the morning and ended around 2am. The Central Committee reportedly sat for over 18 hours, with some members napping in shifts outside the conference hall.
Vetting process explained
A member of the Central Committee, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Citizen that late-night sittings usually reflect the complexity of decisions being made.
“The Security and Ethics Committee examines every candidate form, tracks their conduct within and outside the party, and holds detailed discussions,” the member said. “Some committee members may hold sensitive information that triggers debates or calls for evidence. If new information is tabled and verified, a candidate may be disqualified. These processes are time-consuming.”
Interestingly, the latest committee meeting was not part of CCM’s original schedule but was added following a calendar revision.
A senior CCM official, who also requested anonymity, said the week would be one of the most demanding for the party as it works to identify strong candidates.
“This week is extremely critical,” the official said. “We must proceed with professionalism and precision to ensure we field the best candidates. Through these individuals, we will get our mayors, council chairpersons, and eventually ministers and deputy ministers for both the Union and Zanzibar governments.”
“We must get it right.”
