Joseph Isangura
The opposition party ACT Wazalendo has yet to declare whether it will participate in Zanzibar’s Government of National Unity following the October 2025 General Election, choosing instead to maintain a cautious silence as political consultations continue.
Speaking to journalists in Dar es Salaam on Monday, January 19, 2025, the party’s Vice Chairperson for Mainland Tanzania, Isihaka Mchinjita, said recent deliberations by the party’s Central Committee had clarified that ACT Wazalendo’s current political position is not centred on whether or not it joins the Government of National Unity in Zanzibar.
According to Mchinjita, the unity arrangement enshrined in the Zanzibar Constitution of 2010 was never intended to serve as a political shield for disputed electoral outcomes. He argued that the spirit of the arrangement was to foster reconciliation among Zanzibaris, not to legitimise what the party claims to be the systematic theft of citizens’ votes during elections.
He maintained that inviting an opposition contender—who alleges electoral malpractice—into government after a disputed poll risks undermining democratic accountability rather than strengthening national cohesion. In his view, such a process could blur the line between reconciliation and political expediency, weakening public confidence in electoral institutions.
Mchinjita also conveyed the Central Committee’s appreciation to Zanzibari voters for what the party described as strong electoral support during the October 2025 polls.
Also Read; Museveni Declared Winner Of Uganda Presidential Election
He specifically acknowledged the backing received by the party’s former presidential candidate for Zanzibar and Chairperson of the Revolutionary Council, Othman Masoud Othman, alongside other ACT Wazalendo candidates who contested parliamentary, House of Representatives, and local council seats.
Despite the unresolved questions surrounding the unity government, the party sought to reassure both Zanzibaris and Tanzanians more broadly that its engagement in ongoing political processes is driven by a broader reform agenda. ACT Wazalendo insists that its participation in talks and consultative mechanisms aims to address what it describes as a serious constitutional and political crisis stemming from alleged violations of the right to vote and to be elected.
Party leaders argue that these rights form the cornerstone of democratic governance and that any sustainable political settlement must prioritise their restoration and protection. In that context, the Central Committee has authorised the party’s negotiation team to continue engaging with stakeholders to push for reforms it believes will safeguard electoral integrity and ensure genuine respect for the will of the people.
Observers note that ACT Wazalendo’s measured approach reflects a wider debate in Zanzibar politics, where unity governments have historically been promoted as tools for stability, yet remain controversial when elections are fiercely contested.
