By Adonis Byemelwa
Dar es Salaam—Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi has thrust Tanzania’s long-stalled constitutional debate back to the centre of national politics after urging citizens to press for the adoption of a new constitution before the 2030 General Election, a call that has exposed competing visions within the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) over how political reforms should proceed.
Speaking at the annual meeting of the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC) in Dar es Salaam on July 24, Dr Nchimbi argued that a broadly accepted constitution would provide the foundation for resolving many of the country’s governance, justice and democratic challenges.
Rather than pursuing numerous reforms separately, he said, the country should prioritise one overarching goal: replacing the current constitutional framework with one built on broad national consensus.
“If I had one thing to tell Tanzanians, it would be to fight for a new constitution,” Dr Nchimbi said, describing constitutional reform as the most effective route to addressing long-standing institutional weaknesses. He argued that a new supreme law would automatically require inconsistent legislation to be reviewed, creating a more coherent legal and governance system.
The Vice President also asserted that President Samia Suluhu Hassan possesses the political will to complete the constitutional process. He recalled that while serving as CCM Secretary-General during preparations for the party’s 2025 election manifesto, he sought the President’s commitment after consultations showed constitutional reform remained a major public concern. According to Dr Nchimbi, the President assured party leaders that the pledge would be implemented.
His remarks came against the backdrop of renewed government commitments to constitutional reform. During the 2025 election campaign, CCM promised to restart the constitutional review process within its first 100 days in office.
Following the post-election political crisis, President Samia stated that reconciliation efforts and constitutional reforms would resume after the government received recommendations from the commission established to examine the disturbances surrounding the October and November 2025 elections.
Dr Nchimbi endorsed the commission’s reported recommendation that a new constitution be completed in time for the 2029 civic elections and the 2030 General Election. He appealed to CCM members, opposition parties and civil society organisations alike, arguing that constitutional reform should be viewed not as a partisan project but as an investment in future generations.
His speech immediately transformed an issue that had largely been confined to political negotiations into the country’s dominant public debate. It also drew attention because such an unequivocal public appeal came from the country’s second-highest office-holder and one of the ruling party’s senior leaders, prompting renewed scrutiny of how constitutional reform is being managed within government.
While many welcomed the Vice President’s endorsement of constitutional reform, reactions revealed widespread scepticism about whether political commitments would translate into concrete action.
Several citizens interviewed by Tanzanian media argued that meaningful constitutional reform would require a political environment in which people could freely express differing opinions without fear of intimidation or legal consequences.
Others questioned whether the existing civic space was sufficiently open to allow an inclusive constitutional process. Recent arrests of activists and opposition figures on terrorism-related charges have intensified concerns among human rights organisations, although the government maintains that the prosecutions are being conducted under the law and are unrelated to legitimate political participation.
The constitutional debate has also unfolded amid wider discussions over political reconciliation. Government officials have repeatedly stated that restoring national unity remains a priority after the tensions that followed the 2025 elections, while opposition parties and civil society organisations continue to argue that accountability, expanded political freedoms and institutional reforms are necessary for durable reconciliation.
Dr Nchimbi addressed those concerns directly by calling for a Tanzania in which political disagreement does not undermine national identity. He said ideological, religious and political differences should coexist within a society governed by justice, mutual respect and equal citizenship, describing justice as the essential foundation for lasting peace.
His reference to activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai attracted particular attention. Recalling that they attended the same church during childhood, Dr Nchimbi said he hoped Tanzania would become a country where government leaders and critics could discuss national issues without hostility.
The remarks were widely interpreted as an appeal for greater dialogue between the state and civil society at a time of heightened political polarisation.
Ms Sarungi welcomed the Vice President’s recognition of the importance of justice and constitutional reform but argued that reconciliation would remain incomplete without accountability for alleged abuses linked to the 2025 political crisis.
She also renewed calls for greater transparency regarding unresolved allegations surrounding deaths, disappearances and the detention of opposition figures. The government has consistently stated that legal processes concerning criminal investigations remain before the courts and should be allowed to proceed independently.
Another prominent activist, Mange Kimambi, questioned whether Dr Nchimbi’s intervention reflected a genuine shift within CCM or an attempt to rebuild public confidence in the ruling party. While acknowledging that his language differed markedly from previous official statements, she argued that many Tanzanians would judge reform efforts by subsequent government actions rather than political speeches.
The opposition also interpreted the Vice President’s intervention as significant. Chadema Vice-Chairperson John Heche argued that Dr Nchimbi’s insistence that citizens should continue pressing for constitutional reform suggested that obstacles remained despite repeated assurances from senior leaders that the process enjoyed executive support.
Government officials have not publicly identified any institutional barrier preventing implementation of the constitutional timetable outlined in the ruling party’s manifesto.
Political analysts say the speech has acquired additional significance because it emerged during a period of heightened discussion over succession politics ahead of the 2030 election cycle. Although President Samia remains focused on implementing the current government’s agenda, debate has increasingly turned to the future direction of CCM once her constitutional term concludes.
Within days of the speech, the constitutional debate split into a broader discussion about political succession and party discipline. Although he did not mention Dr Nchimbi by name, Information, Culture, Arts and Sports Minister Paul Makonda warned that individuals positioning themselves for the 2030 presidency would fail, remarks widely interpreted by political commentators and local media as a response to the Vice President’s intervention. Makonda did not elaborate on whom he was referring to, leaving room for competing interpretations.
Political attention shifted to the ruling party after Information Minister Paul Makonda warned against premature positioning for the 2030 presidency, remarks widely interpreted by political observers as a response to Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi’s constitutional appeal.
Speculation over internal tensions intensified after Makonda and several senior CCM figures were absent during Nchimbi’s inspection of AFCON 2027 infrastructure in Arusha, although neither the government nor the party linked the absences to political differences.
Senior CCM leaders quickly defended the party’s official position. UVCCM Chairman Mohammed Ali Kawaida cautioned leaders against using the constitutional debate to build personal popularity, insisting that reforms should proceed through collective party decisions.
He maintained that the 2025 CCM election manifesto already commits the government to delivering a new constitution before 2030 through established institutions. Rajabu Maganya, chairman of the party’s Parents’ Wing, similarly argued that no party organ had abandoned the constitutional agenda and urged supporters to respect the agreed timetable.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan later reaffirmed that constitutional reform and national reconciliation remain government priorities but stressed that the process would follow lawful and consultative procedures involving political stakeholders.
Constitutional scholars note that any renewed process must address unresolved questions surrounding the 2014 draft constitution while ensuring broad public participation and political consensus. The Commonwealth has also encouraged inclusive dialogue, urging measures that strengthen public confidence and support a credible constitutional reform process before the 2030 General Election.
