Ignore fake press release claiming Tanzania's ruling party will replace president Hassan as election flagbearer
IN SHORT: A document circulating on Facebook claims that the Chama Cha Mapinduzi, Tanzania's ruling party, is planning to select a new presidential candidate for the October 2025 elections. However, the party has rejected the claim.
A document circulating on Facebook claims that Tanzania's ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), has announced plans to select a new presidential candidate.
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This implies that the party is preparing to replace president Samia Suluhu Hassan ahead of the general elections in October 2025.
The press release seems to bear the signature of CCM's secretary of ideology and publicity, Amos Gabriel Makalla.
Part of it reads: "Chama cha Mapinduzi kinapenda kuwatangazia wanachama wake wote kuwa kinatarajia kuanza mchakato upya wa kupata mgombea mwingine kwa nafasi ya urais."
This translates as: "Chama Cha Mapinduzi wishes to inform all its members that it expects to begin a fresh process to get another presidential candidate."
The statement also confirms that the nomination of parliamentary and ward candidates will proceed as planned, and urges party members and supporters to remain calm and follow official channels for updates.
The letter began circulating while the CCM was still nominating its parliamentary and ward candidates.
Although Hassan is eligible to run for a second term, this document implies that she may not be the party's presidential candidate in October. It also comes at a sensitive time, as Tanzania prepares for the elections.
In January, the CCM announced Hassan as its presidential candidate for the October election. Any unverified claims about leadership changes could cause tensions in the party.
The document has been published here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
But is it legitimate? We checked.
Fake press release
We searched for this announcement on CCM's official Facebook and X accounts, and its official website. But we could not find it.
No credible Tanzanian news outlet has reported this alleged development yet, although it would be significant news if confirmed.
A closer examination of the QR code embedded in the document further undermines its credibility. Scanning the code takes users to a CCM message dated 8 June, which expresses sympathy for the deaths of 28 people in a road accident. This crash was completely unrelated to presidential nominations.
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The reuse of a QR code from an unrelated message strongly suggests that the document has been altered or created using parts of older, authentic communications, which is a common tactic in political misinformation campaigns.
On 20 July, the CCM dismissed the circulating information, calling it fake.
The fake press release was also published here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
