ACT-Wazalendo member and former West Zone coordinator Said Rashid has shifted CCM declaring his admiration for President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s leadership and development record.

Rashid, who has long been active in ACT-Wazalendo and twice contested for a parliamentary seat, made the announcement yesterday at Kigoma Ujiji Municipality’s Katosho grounds yesterday, during the climax of a two-day CCM presidential election campaign rally.

He told thhicrowd that his decision was driven by the “short-term but remarkable results” Samia has delivered in Kigoma and across the country. “I was coordinator of all ACT operations in the West Zone for years, but I have seen no clear direction. What I see in CCM, under Samia’s leadership, is a party that operates systematically and achieves tangible results,” Rashid said.

Rashid went on to describe Samia as a visionary leader with unmatched ability to steer Tanzania forward. “Even if the East African Community or the African Union were to form a United States of Africa, Samia would remain the best leader. She has changed transport, improved services, and delivered where others have failed,” he stated.

He singled out water projects as a life-changing achievement in Kigoma, noting that despite the region being surrounded by Lake Tanganyika, residents long suffered from water scarcity.
“This has now become a thing of the past thanks to Samia’s initiatives. Her government has invested in water infrastructure that has brought great relief to our communities,” Rashid said.

Reflecting on his upbringing, Rashid said he was raised by his mother after losing his father at a young age, and this background deepened his respect for women leaders. “From childhood to university, it was my mother who carried me through. I now feel proud to stand with Samia, a woman who has done marvellously for the country,” he told supporters.

Rashid stressed that his move was not an isolated one, revealing that many ACT-Wazalendo members were ready to follow him into CCM. “I am not alone. There are many who want to join, and I will bring them to this party that delivers results,” he declared.

His defection was welcomed by CCM leaders present at the rally, who said it reflected the growing confidence Tanzanians have in the party’s development agenda and in Samia’s candidacy.