DODOMA, Tanzania – Tanzania’s 12th Parliament will be formally dissolved on June 27, paving the way for the country’s general elections slated for October 28, 2025, according to an official announcement made on Tuesday by Deputy Speaker Mussa Zungu.
The dissolution comes on the heels of the completion of the current budget session and signals the end of the legislative calendar for the current cohort of Members of Parliament (MPs), many of whom are preparing for re-election campaigns or retirement from public service.
“This is in accordance with the country’s constitutional timeline,” Zungu told reporters in Dodoma.
“Parliament will stand dissolved on June 27, 2025, to allow for preparations toward a free and fair election.”
The move, while routine, comes at a time of increased political sensitivity. The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party remains dominant but faces growing criticism from opposition parties, especially over recent arrests of high-profile figures from the CHADEMA party, including secretary general John Mnyika and legislator John Heche, who were detained en route to a court hearing earlier this week.
The dissolving of Parliament marks the start of a crucial political transition period. In the coming months, political parties are expected to unveil their manifestos, nominate candidates, and begin nationwide campaigns.
Electoral preparations will be overseen by the National Electoral Commission (NEC), which has assured the public of its readiness to conduct transparent and timely elections.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is seeking a second term, is widely expected to be endorsed as CCM’s presidential flagbearer.
Her administration has emphasized infrastructure growth, digitalization, and education, though critics have flagged shrinking political space and press freedom concerns.
Analysts say the months ahead will test the government’s ability to balance electoral fairness with state control, as international observers begin to focus on what could be one of East Africa’s most closely watched elections this year.
With the Parliament’s dissolution date now set, Tanzania enters a new electoral season that could reshape the nation’s political dynamics—and perhaps, its democratic credentials.
