Mary Chatanda, Chairperson of the CCM Women’s Wing, has called on women to contest legislative and councillor positions in the upcoming General Election.

Chatanda made the appeal in Dar es Salaam over the weekend during a women’s event designed to foster unity, exchange ideas, and promote solidarity among women.

“This is an election year, and I encourage women to step forward in large numbers to compete for councillor and parliamentary seats. Let us also prepare to support our fellow woman, President Samia Suluhu Hassan,” said Chatanda, stressing the importance of voter registration.

“For those who have not yet registered, I urge you to participate in the ongoing voter registration exercise,” she added.

The event brought together women from diverse backgrounds—regardless of political affiliation, religion, or ethnicity—recognizing women’s pivotal role in society. According to the 2022 Population and Housing Census, women make up approximately 51 percent of Tanzania’s population.

“We represent the current generation of women, entrusted with the responsibility of guiding our sisters, daughters, and mothers toward unity for sustainable development and social well-being,” she declared.

“Tonight is about transformation. We have gathered not only for entertainment but to fulfill a crucial duty as women,” Chatanda emphasized, noting that unity among women accelerates progress.

She highlighted President Samia’s achievements, including four years of leadership guided by the 4Rs principle—Reconciliation, Resilience, Reforms, and Rebuilding—which addresses the country’s social, political, and economic challenges. Under her administration, President Samia has been recognized three times consecutively as one of the ‘100 Most Influential Women’ globally and has received numerous local and international awards.

“Among her key initiatives is the Women Development Fund (WDF), which provides business capital and interest-free loans for women, youth, and people with disabilities,” Chatanda explained.

She also noted improvements in healthcare, particularly maternal and child health, where maternal mortality rates dropped from 556 to 104 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2020 and 2024. Similarly, infant mortality rates declined from 67 to 43 per 1,000 live births.

The event was attended by prominent leaders, including Rehema Kyando, a senior Bank of Tanzania (BoT) official, who urged women to embrace a culture of saving, investing, and avoiding unnecessary luxury spending.

Other notable attendees included Manyara Regional Commissioner Queen Sendiga, Coast Region Special Seats MP Subira Mgalu, and several female artists.

In a show of support, women entrepreneurs from Dar es Salaam Region contributed 700 million Tanzanian shillings toward President Samia’s re-election campaign ahead of this year’s general election.