Tanzania’s 13th parliament convenes without official opposition as CCM consolidates power
With only 12 opposition MPs in a 396-member House, analysts warn of weakened debate and limited oversight.
Tanzania's 13th Parliament is set to convene later this week, but it will once again function without an official opposition.
Reports indicate that only 12 opposition MPs—including 10 directly elected and two through special seats—will take their seats in the 396-member House. This falls far short of the 49 MPs needed to form a formal opposition camp under Tanzania's 2023 standing orders of parliament.
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The new parliament also includes 270 constituency MPs and the Attorney General, who serves as an ex officio member, with elections in two constituencies still pending. Among the Special Seats MPs, 113 are from the ruling CCM party, while two represent the growing Chaumma party.
The previous Parliament, dissolved on August 2 ahead of the October 29 elections, similarly had no official opposition. At that time, 26 opposition MPs were in Parliament, although some reportedly joined in defiance of their party’s rules.
The Standing Orders specify that a party must hold at least 12.5 per cent of all MPs to form an official opposition—a threshold the current opposition cannot meet.
Local media report that Chaumma's two Special Seats MPs, Devotha Minja and Sigrada Mligo, signal the party’s growing influence. The duo were appointed on November 7 following the general election, where Chaumma’s presidential candidate, Salum Mwalimu, finished second.
Minja has previously served in Parliament with Chadema, while Mligo, a former official of the Chadema women’s wing, is entering Parliament for the first time.
Analysts warn that the absence of a formal opposition could limit structured debate in Parliament. However, independent MPs and parliamentary committees are expected to play a key role in holding the government accountable and providing oversight.
Observers note that without an official opposition camp, much of the responsibility for challenging government decisions will fall on independent voices and parliamentary committees.
The composition of the 13th Parliament reflects Tanzania's political landscape under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, whose tenure has focused on consolidating CCM’s dominance and ensuring continuity following the recent general elections, which were marked by violent protests.
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