Tanzanian opposition unite

The coalition which comprises of Chadema, Civic United Front (CUF), NCCR – Mageuzi and National League for Democracy (NLD) parties, has decided to field "joint candidates at all levels of elections." This was announced in a public rally in Dar es Salaam on Sunday (26.10.2014).

Reading contents of the signed document before a packed audience at the rally, Chadema's Secretary General Wilbroad Slaa said the parties have decided to sign the pact to create a common front with the view to address issues of national interest.

"The agreement will allow us to work together to consolidate the four political parties' policies to better serve the interest of the people as one party," he said.

Slaa said the decision to field single candidates to represent the four parties in the upcoming elections would help them garner more political support from the people.

Under the pact, the parties have also agreed to harmonize their policies and mobilize people to reject the proposed constitution claiming that it was passed without the required quorum.

"Our own audit revealed that there was a dirty game. They didn't get the two-third fairly," said Seif Sharrif Hamad, the secretary general of CUF.

"We are now waiting for them in the referendum and I urge to vote no," Sharrif Hamad said.

Referendum on a draft constitution

The quest for a draft constitution has been an opposition agenda for decades. It was approved in April this year, but opposition members walked out of the parliament accusing the ruling party Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), which had majority seats in the drafting body, of hijacking the new draft constitution. The draft constitution, they said, intends to further the ruling party's political interests while ignoring the people's views.

The ruling CCM, which has dominated the country's politics since independence, is embroiled in corruption scandals and infighting which local analysts say the opposition could capitalize on.

"Opposition parties will likely increase their share of the vote if they unite," said Benson Bana, a political analyst in Dar es Salaam. "But they are unlikely to threaten CCM's dominance unless they completely dissolve their parties and unite to form a new political party. But I don't see this happening," Bana added.

Tanzania will hold a referendum for a new constitution in April next year. The new constitution which will replace the one passed in 1977 when the country was under one party rule is likely to trigger political division ahead of the elections next year.