Fabiola Mushi
Founder and leader of ACT-Wazalendo, one of Tanzania’s main opposition political parties, Mr Zitto Kabwe, will step down from his top leadership role in March 2024 to pave the way for others to rule the party he founded in 2014.
Mr Kabwe served as ACT-Wazalendo for almost a decade and seen the leftist party grow significantly in membership and popularity after he was elected to lead the party in March 2015 after being expelled from Chadema, where he served as deputy secretary general.
He announced his decision to step down at the ACT’s National Executive Council meeting held at the party’s head offices in Magomeni, Dar es Salaam, on February 12, 2024.
Despite being legally eligible for a 10-year tenure, Zitto says he has chosen to step down earlier to allow for the smooth continuation of party activities, including preparations for local and national elections.
“As we approach the end of my leadership, I thank you for your trust and cooperation. I have great confidence that we have strong leaders who will guide us at this stage and the next because every era has its own book,” he said.
“Thank you very much for your cooperation, and thank you for standing together in building our party,” he concluded his speech.
Since the announcement, several names have been discussed as the most likely successor of Mr Kabwe, whose leadership will be remembered for, among other things, successfully convincing the late Seif Sharif Hamad and his faction to join ACT -Wazalendo on March 18 join ACT-Wazalendo on March 18, 2018, from the Civic United Front (CUF), following internal conflicts.
Names such as Ismael Jussa, a prominent Zanzibari politician currently serving as the party’s central committee member; the party’s current deputy chairperson (Tanzania Mainland) Dorothy Semu; the party’s secretary-general Ado Shaibu; and Othman Masoud Othman, the party’s deputy chairperson (Zanzibar) and the archipelago’s First Vice President have all popped up for consideration.
Additional Source :The Chanzo
