Official Statement: Several CHADEMA Leaders from Eight Zones Announce Defection from the Party

Dar es Salaam, 

May 10, 2025 – Jingu Jackson, former Deputy Chairperson of CHADEMA’s Central Zone, made a surprising announcement today, revealing that several leaders from eight different zones across mainland Tanzania have decided to leave the party due to a range of concerns, including dissatisfaction with the current leadership and alleged violations of the party’s constitution.

The announcement comes as CHADEMA faces both internal and external challenges, including the cancellation of its registration for the 2025 general election by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) for failing to sign the code of ethics agreement. This has been compounded by internal party strife, such as the treason charges against key leaders like Tundu Lissu, who was elected as party chairman in January 2025.

Jackson explained that the decision to defect stemmed from issues such as a lack of accountability and disregard for the party’s founding principles, which they believe have hindered CHADEMA’s ability to achieve its core mission. “We have reached a point where we feel that CHADEMA is no longer operating in line with the values and rules it was built on, and this concerns us as leaders and members,” said Jackson during a press briefing.

The internal crisis within CHADEMA has been further intensified by statements from former leaders like Godbless Lema, who claimed that the party's progress has been undermined by selfishness among its top leadership. This growing discord may significantly impact CHADEMA’s political relevance, especially as the country nears a general election.

Jackson’s announcement comes at a time when CHADEMA is grappling with the aftermath of its 2020 election defeat and ongoing leadership disputes, which could seriously threaten the party’s unity and effectiveness in shaping national political discourse.

Observers now await to see the fallout of this decision, particularly whether the defecting leaders will join other political parties or initiate new political movements. The development underscores the critical importance of transparency and representation within political organizations and may serve as a wake-up call for other parties in Tanzania.