Intelligence Brief | Tanzanian MP-cum- Bishop Gwajima Challenges President Samia Ahead of 2025 Elections
Ujasusi Blog’s East Africa Monitoring Team | 🗓️16 August 2025 | 🕜0110
🧭 Executive Summary
On 15 August 2025, Bishop Josephat Gwajima, leader of Ufufuo na Uzima Ministries and a CCM Member of Parliament for Kawe, delivered a rare, defiant, and deeply strategic speech that challenged Tanzania’s political status quo. In it, he called for minimum electoral reforms, the release of Tundu Lissu, and a reconsideration of CCM’s pre-election posture, warning of grave consequences for legitimacy and security if ignored. His intervention straddles religious mobilisation, electoral critique, and a prophetic call for national healing ahead of the 2025 general election.
Gwajima highlighted widespread public resentment, low candidate likability within CCM, and growing mistrust from the religious community. He warned that suppressing dissent—particularly through church closures, detentions, and failure to address historical grievances—could backfire. His message was also directed at security agencies, urging them to speak the truth to power.
This brief outlines the key themes of Gwajima's address, their implications for internal security and regime legitimacy, and a roadmap for political de-escalation.