A democracy is built on dissent — the right of citizens to question, criticise, and disagree within acceptable limits with the decisions made by their representatives.
Dissent thrives on free expression. It empowers the people to hold duty bearers accountable and to voice concerns without fear. It also finds a home in the arts — in writers, poets, and creatives who dare to question power without the fear of the midnight knock.
Yet, leaders often abhor dissent because it exposes their assumed infallibility, highlights their inadequacies, and injures their fragile egos. History is replete with examples of those who have suffered for daring to speak out.
At the heart of dissent lies the call for open, transparent, and accountable governance systems that respond to the people’s needs. Dissenters often act in the nation’s best interest. As former Czech President Václav Havel observed, they seek to look out from the “window of the airplane” and see the broader effects of leaders’ decisions. But because those in power dislike being questioned, they often work tirelessly to silence dissent — sometimes through imprisonment or even death.
Writing about Parliament and Accountability in Tanzania, opposition leader Tundu Lissu notes that successive Tanzanian governments have viewed a people-driven constitution as a “foreign ideology.” From Julius Nyerere to Samia Suluhu Hassan, the executive has maintained that it does not need to borrow from other nations’ institutional models, even when those models have served others well. Nyerere himself championed a homegrown constitution designed for the people of Tanganyika.
Although efforts to democratise Tanzania have been made — through participatory, national processes — these initiatives have often been frustrated by those in power. Attempts to introduce checks and balances on the “imperial presidency,” such as requiring parliamentary vetting of presidential appointments, have been thwarted by the executive.
Instead, the state has responded to public agitation with arbitrary arrests, detention, repression, abductions, torture, extrajudicial killings, and crackdowns on both the opposition and the media.
With the October 29, 2025 elections, the chickens have come home to roost. Citizens have declared that enough is enough. While the state may reorganise and respond with further repression, the message is clear: the people have reached their limit. The old tactics of fear and intimidation no longer work. Today’s generation — the Gen Zs — are more informed, vocal, and action-oriented than ever before.
The state has a moral obligation to protect life and property, but it must also open dialogue with the opposition to chart a collective way forward. After all, both the CCM-led government and the CHADEMA opposition share a common goal — the development and stability of Tanzania.
The 2007 Kenyan “Nusu Mkate” coalition government and the Zimbabwean truce between Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai offer valuable lessons in statesmanship over ego. Competing against oneself and gloating over victory is a hollow exercise that robs both the president and the ruling party of legitimacy. Embracing the opposition, on the other hand, is an act of political maturity that serves both unity and posterity.
By Ayub Mwangi
