By Frank KamuntuÂ
Prominent Tanzanian politician Tundu Lissu has been elected chairman of the main opposition party Chadema, ousting long-running leader Freeman Mbowe in an intense race.
Lissu campaigned for changes in the party leadership while criticising the way it was being run, amid heated exchanges that were seen as exposing internal divisions.
He accused Mbowe of having changed, and being too reconciliatory towards the CCM party that has been power since independence, which he said had made people lose trust in Chadema.
Mbowe, the party’s chairman for more than 20 years, campaigned on grounds that he still had more work to do to strengthen the party.
He accused Lissu of making accusations against him without providing any evidence.
The party’s elections, which concluded on Wednesday morning, were seen as defining the party’s direction, with presidential elections due in October this year.
Mbowe has conceded the loss, posting on his X account that he “wholly accepted the decision of the party’s assembly” alongside a photo of himself and Lissu.
“I congratulate Tundu Lissu and his colleagues for being trusted to take the responsibility of the party leadership. I wish them all the best in moving our party forward,” he said.
In a closely fought election, Lissu garnered 513 votes (51.5%) against Mbowe’s 482 (48.3%).
As he was declared the winner, Lissu said the party had set the standard for internal democracy and called on other political parties in the country to follow their example.
Lissu is known for his fiery brand of politics that has often put him in heated arguments with fellow politicians, especially those from the ruling party.
He survived an assassination attempt in 2017 during President John Magufuli’s administration. He had more than 20 operations in hospitals abroad after having been shot at least 16 times.
He briefly returned in 2020 but lost to Magufuli in that year’s president election.
Lissu then spent years in exile until he returned in 2023, after President Samia Suluhu Hassan had taken over following Magufuli’s death in 2021.
He has since accused President Samia of repression against critics similar to that of the Magufuli era.
He has also strongly spoken out against human rights violations and recent abductions and disappearances of citizens, including opposition officials.
Lissu himself and other opposition politicians have been arrested in recent months amid a government crackdown on opposition demonstrations.
During the party contest, he framed himself as a fearless leader and his win is seen as a shift in the party’s direction to offer a strong challenge to the government as the country gears towards elections later this year.
On Sunday, President Samia was unanimously nominated as the presidential candidate of her ruling CCM party.
Chadema has not yet selected its candidate.
Tanzanian analyst Nicodemus Minde told the BBC that it was likely that either Lissu or Mbowe would be the party’s flag-bearer if there was no fallout after the party’s election.
