CHADEMA national chairman Tundu Lissu has clarified the party’s stance on boycotting elections, outlining key conditions for the opposition party to take part in the upcoming general election.

In a speech at Namtumbo, Ruvuma Region on Tuesday, pursuing his nationwide tour for the "No Reforms, No Election" campaign, he said Chadema's participation hinges on reforms that ensure fairness and transparency.

He demanded reforming the electoral system to eliminate unopposed candidates, ensuring underage individuals are not registered as voters along with ending the disqualification of opposition candidates via technicalities.

He similarly demanded guarantees that opposition candidates are not harassed during campaigns, with party agents from all sides operating freely in counting and signing of vote counting results.

Observers noted that the opposition leader did not include constitutional demands like legal reforms where presidential election results can be contested in court, revoking the functions of municipal directors to oversee elections or presidential appointment of the chairman and commissioners of the electoral commission.

The six conditions he stated do not require legislative changes and are already presumably covered by existing electoral laws or amendments in the past few years, but the practice in the late 2024 civic polls showed that electoral management was unchanged from the 2018 and 2020 polls.

Current law mandates that those aged 18 and above can register as voters, and recent legal reforms prohibit candidates from being elected unopposed—requiring a yes-or-no vote even in single-candidate races.

Disqualifications ruined opposition chances in the three past elections and opaque counting and announcement of results where opposition agents are excluded have undermined faith in electoral organisation in the past half-decade. 

The party chairman’s demands signal a measure of willingness for the opposition party to participate in the polls but chances that the “No Reforms, No Election” stance is reversed remain marginal, as clear cut assurances are yet to be given by the electoral commission on disqualification, voting transparency as well as counting and announcement of results.

Analysts noted that expected signing of new electoral regulations on April 12 by the responsible minister, in the aftermath of electoral law reforms last year, could provide an inkling as to how far any assurances on transparency will be provided.