Tanzania successful political rallies focus on the future

Opposition parties must have credible  alternatives to issues affecting people’s lives

The return of political rallies held by opposition parties is exciting many in the places where these rallies are held or scheduled to be held. After all, political rallies themselves are entertainment enough given their vibrancy and colour. Instinctively, the rallies that have been held so far or those that are planned to be held by opposition parties are in “friendly” areas, that is, areas where opposition parties have significant support on the ground. For political parties to sustain the interest of others more than their supporters, they should have an eye to the future.

Understandably, opposition parties have opted for places where they have significant support for two reasons: one, it is about reconnecting with their supporters and basking in the energy of such support without any doubts about the commitment of those in the crowd. It provides a sympathetic ear. This is a testing ground to sense the mood of their supporters and the issues they are passionate about. Two, it is about explaining, in case of Chadema, their side of the story as to why they opted for talks with the ruling CCM, to dispel the rumours which had swelled of their leaders being ‘sellouts’ or ‘traitors’.

This is crucial to retaining the support of members who had despaired because of these rumors. It gives leaders a chance to put the record straight while at the same time sidestepping the question of transparency within our political parties and the nature of how important decisions are arrived at by the leaders of these political parties.

Going by the few rallies that have been held so far, much of what has been said so far has been about the near past, precisely the time when such rallies were banned. Demands for a new constitution have been roped into the conversation as the panacea to the ills that transpired during the referred timeframe.

However, this will come to present some uncomfortable realities for opposition parties because this narrative does not do enough to put the many political challenges into proper perspective. By limiting their narrative to just a few years, it could lead to challenges in convincing those who do not belong to any political parties and earning their support.

What has been said on political podiums so far does little to nothing to change anyone’s mind about which party they should support. Opposition parties need to invest more time to this end, enough to convince some, whether few or many, of their credibility in delivering this country from its current state, where it is stuck or making little progress compared to its potential, to what it could achieve if its full potential was unleashed.

They will need to do more than just present past injustices for any continued support or even attention from the rest of the country.

The country has a long list of challenges it is going through that have little to nothing to do with their grievances or a new document to govern the country, like the spiraling living costs, which have been blamed on many things, especially the ongoing war in Ukraine after Russia invaded the country last February. With that war about to enter its second year, for ordinary men and women that reason no longer holds water.

Opposition parties must have a credible way of providing an alternative to the many issues affecting people’s lives on a daily basis. They must present the country with their versions of solutions and explain why they are better alternatives to the current party in power.

So far, this has been lacking on political podiums. However, opposition parties can bank on the fact that regardless of whether they offer alternatives or not, they will make political gains by 2025 for reasons beyond their own influence or control. There are regions where opposition parties will make huge political gains because of the political casualties occasioned by CCM’s internal political dynamics, which have little to do with opposition parties.

This has been a pattern in the past with opposition parties where, regardless of the quality of the policies they offered, they ended up winning political support because there are those who are so frustrated with the long-ruling party and will never contemplate supporting it at the polls.

The opposition parties must convince young people, who are the majority in this country, that they have a better plan for their future than those in charge of the country now. The past just won’t cut it.