Former Kisesa MP Luaga Mpina has announced his decision to contest the presidency under the ACT-Wazalendo ticket, ending a long political career within the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
Mpina, who has served in senior political roles since joining CCM in his youth, said his move was driven by a desire to “restore justice, equality and genuine development” in Tanzania.
He accused the ruling party of abandoning its founding principles and failing to address citizens’ concerns.
“I am a true CCM son I grew up in the party. But today, I stand before you as an ACT-Wazalendo candidate. This CCM is tired, it has lost its direction, and it has betrayed the principles of its founders by failing to curb corruption. Instead, it has become a leader in selling our national resources as if they were sweets on the street,” Mpina told supporters.
He alleged that the government has ignored pressing public issues, adopting what he described as a dismissive and unaccountable approach.
On national security, Mpina pledged to identify and prosecute those behind the acts of abduction and killings commonly attributed to “unknown people.”
“We must give citizens answers. Who are these unknown people? In my government, they will be known, and they will face justice without fear or favour,” he said.
Mpina also criticised CCM’s internal operations, claiming that key decisions are influenced by favouritism and that dissenting voices face removal from leadership or exclusion from candidate lists.
He argued that the current CCM no longer reflects the patriotic vision of leaders such as Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and said it has “slid into undermining the people’s development agenda.”
“This party no longer has direction. If it were a vehicle, it would be declared scrap metal. Sadly, those inside feel no outrage or urgency about what is happening,” he added.
Mpina’s defection places him among the most prominent figures challenging CCM’s dominance ahead of the 2025 General Election, in a political contest expected to test the ruling party’s electoral stronghold.