Tanzania Elections 2025: Four Controversial Campaign Promises Stir Public Debate

As Tanzania moves closer to the October 2025 General Elections, campaign promises are growing louder and increasingly unconventional. Several pledges made by presidential candidates have sparked heated debate among voters and analysts, who are questioning their feasibility, legality, and the potential implications for governance in the country.

A similar situation unfolded in Kenya during the 2022 general elections, where Roots Party presidential candidate George Wajackoyah proposed radical economic reforms. His platform included commercial marijuana cultivation, snake farming for venom export, and the sale of dog and hyena meat to bolster national revenue.

Wajackoyah claimed that marijuana alone could eliminate Kenya’s national debt and fund major infrastructure developments. He also vowed to free all inmates convicted of cannabis-related offenses and financially compensate them. Although he did not succeed in his bid, his proposals sparked significant public discourse.

Now, Tanzania is experiencing comparable political theatrics. Below are four campaign promises currently generating national debate:

1. Crocodile Pit at State House to Fight Corruption

Kunje Ngombale Mwiru, presidential candidate for the African Farmers Party (AAFP), announced in Dar es Salaam that he would construct a large crocodile-filled moat at the Presidential Palace to tackle corruption. “Anyone convicted of corruption will be thrown into the crocodile pit,” he declared, adding that the offenders’ clothes would be displayed as evidence of their fate.

He further stated that his signature walking stick would be used to physically discipline suspects before they face punishment. “Even if I have a scheduled foreign trip, I will postpone it until I deal with a corrupt individual,” he said.

The pledge has drawn both outrage and laughter, with critics dismissing it as extreme populism.

2. Legalizing Marijuana Cultivation

Said Soud Said, a presidential candidate from Zanzibar representing the Alliance for African Farmers Party, promised the youth that his government would legalize commercial marijuana farming. “Marijuana will be grown here and exported to Europe for foreign exchange,” he said. “Young people will work and profit from this high-value crop.”

The proposal is divisive, as cannabis remains illegal in Tanzania and many countries due to health and social concerns. However, Business Insider reports that as of October 2024, nine African nations allow marijuana cultivation for industrial or medical purposes.

3. Rice Before Medicine in Hospitals

At a CHAUMMA campaign rally, the party’s deputy presidential candidate, Devotha Minja, pledged that patients would receive soft cooked rice and massages upon arrival at hospitals before receiving any medical treatment. “Our politics prioritize food,” she said. “A hungry patient needs rice so that the medicine can work effectively.”

CHAUMMA has long been associated with food-driven campaigning. In 2020, Tanzania’s anti-corruption bureau halted some of its rallies over food distribution, labeling it voter bribery. This time, the party insists the proposal forms part of its health policy agenda.

4. Monthly Cash Payments for Every Zanzibari Citizen

Makini Party presidential candidate for Zanzibar, Ameir Hassan Ameir, promised that each Zanzibari citizen would receive 500,000 Tanzanian shillings (approximately USD 200) per month if he assumes office. He also vowed to raise the minimum public sector salary to 1.5 million shillings.

The pledge has gone viral on social media, where many have questioned the government’s capacity to finance such a program. Skeptics have widely described the proposal as “too good to be true.”

Caution Ahead of the Polls

Political analysts argue that election periods often produce ambitious promises that may be unrealistic or lack clear policy frameworks. Many candidates have yet to explain how they would fund or legally implement their proposals, several of which would require major constitutional or budgetary changes.

As Tanzanians prepare for the polls, hope remains balanced with skepticism. The reality of politics, as many voters note, is that promises are plentiful. Whether they will be fulfilled remains uncertain until after the ballots are cast and leadership is confirmed.