The Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Manifesto for the 2025 General Election presents a robust plan to strengthen Tanzania’s economy, ensuring it is inclusive, competitive, and sustainable, in alignment with the National Development Vision 2050. With a focus on economic empowerment, the manifesto targets the creation of 350,000 new jobs in Zanzibar by 2030, building on past achievements like a 44% increase in irrigated farmland (from 681,383 to 983,466 hectares) and a rise in food security from 114% to 128% between 2020 and 2024. By promoting private sector investment, advancing the blue economy, and providing affordable loans to youth and cooperatives (e.g., training 2,500 cooperatives in Zanzibar), CCM aims to foster equitable growth. Infrastructure projects, such as the 341-km Mwanza–Isaka Standard Gauge Railway, enhance competitiveness, while sustainable initiatives like national food and fuel reserves ensure long-term stability, aligning with NDV 2050’s vision of a prosperous and self-reliant Tanzania.

Strengthening the Economy: Key Strategies

The CCM Manifesto prioritizes building a robust, inclusive, and competitive economy through targeted interventions across various sectors. The document highlights the following strategies:

• Economic Growth Targets: The manifesto aims to increase Tanzania’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and per capita income. For Zanzibar, it specifically targets an increase in per capita income in US dollars by 2030. While exact figures for per capita income growth are not specified, the manifesto emphasizes annual GDP growth, with Zanzibar’s economy projected to grow through sectors like the blue economy, industry, agriculture, and services.
• Investment Promotion: The manifesto commits to increasing investment projects to boost economic output. This includes attracting private sector investments in key sectors such as the blue economy, industry, and agriculture, with a specific focus on Zanzibar’s trade value enhancement and industrial contribution to GDP.
• Inflation Control: To ensure economic stability, the manifesto pledges to reduce inflation rates annually, particularly in Zanzibar, to maintain affordability and enhance purchasing power. This is critical for inclusivity, ensuring that economic growth benefits all citizens, including low-income groups.
• Job Creation: The manifesto sets a target of creating at least 350,000 new jobs in Zanzibar by 2030, spanning both formal and informal sectors. This focus on employment aims to empower youth and reduce unemployment, fostering inclusive growth.
• Agricultural Productivity: The manifesto highlights past achievements (2020–2024) and future plans to enhance agricultural output. For instance, irrigated farmland increased from 681,383 hectares in 2020 to 983,466 hectares in 2024, and food security improved from 114% to 128% sufficiency over the same period. Future plans include expanding irrigation and fertilizer use to sustain food security and boost exports.
• Blue Economy and Industrial Growth: In Zanzibar, the manifesto emphasizes the blue economy, targeting a contribution of 300,000 units (likely economic output or jobs, though units are unclear due to repetition in the document) by 2030. It also aims to increase the industrial sector’s contribution to GDP.

Inclusivity in Economic Growth

Inclusivity is a core pillar of the manifesto, ensuring that economic benefits reach all segments of society, particularly marginalized groups such as youth, women, and low-income communities. Key initiatives include:

• Economic Empowerment through Loans and Technology: The manifesto pledges to provide affordable loans and promote technology adoption to enhance economic participation (Page 56). For example, in Zanzibar, it plans to offer loans for livestock (e.g., two cows per youth per region annually) to boost income-generating activities.
• Support for Cooperatives and Training: The manifesto commits to training cooperative societies to improve their productivity and market access, with a target of supporting 2,500 cooperatives in Zanzibar. This empowers small-scale producers and entrepreneurs, ensuring broader economic participation.
• Job Opportunities for Youth: The focus on creating 350,000 jobs in Zanzibar by 2030 targets youth, a demographic critical to inclusive growth. The manifesto also plans to enhance employability through skill-building programs for graduates and private sector partnerships.
• Digital Transformation: By promoting digital technologies, such as e-governance and digital content for cultural products, the manifesto aims to expand economic opportunities in rural areas and for youth, ensuring access to information and markets.

Competitiveness and Sustainability

The manifesto emphasizes competitiveness and sustainability to ensure long-term economic resilience:

• Competitiveness through Infrastructure and Technology: Investments in modern infrastructure, such as the Standard Gauge Railway (e.g., Mwanza–Isaka, 341 km; Tabora–Kigoma, 506 km) and new ports like Bagamoyo, aim to enhance trade and connectivity, making Tanzania’s economy more competitive regionally and globally. The manifesto also promotes emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and satellites to improve productivity.
• Sustainable Economic Practices: The manifesto prioritizes sustainable sectors like the blue economy and green initiatives, such as planting trees to create a “green Zanzibar”. It also plans to establish a national food reserve and a fuel reserve in Zanzibar to mitigate price fluctuations and ensure resource availability.
• Private Sector Collaboration: The manifesto encourages private sector investment in key industries, such as the blue economy and manufacturing, to drive sustainable growth. This reduces reliance on public funding and fosters economic resilience.

Alignment with National Development Vision 2050

The NDV 2050 envisions a Tanzania that is prosperous, equitable, and self-reliant, with a strong economy, social equity, and sustainable development. The CCM Manifesto aligns with these goals as follows:

• Prosperity and Economic Growth: The manifesto’s focus on GDP growth, investment promotion, and job creation (e.g., 350,000 jobs in Zanzibar) directly supports NDV 2050’s goal of a prosperous economy. The emphasis on sectors like agriculture (e.g., irrigation expansion from 681,383 to 983,466 hectares) and the blue economy aligns with the vision’s aim to diversify economic activities.
• Equity and Inclusivity: NDV 2050 prioritizes equitable development, which the manifesto addresses through affordable loans, cooperative training, and youth employment initiatives. The commitment to empower marginalized groups, such as youth and women, ensures that economic growth benefits all citizens, aligning with the vision’s social equity objectives.
• Sustainability: The manifesto’s focus on sustainable practices, such as the blue economy, green initiatives, and food and fuel reserves, mirrors NDV 2050’s emphasis on sustainable development. Investments in renewable energy, like large-scale gas storage in Zanzibar, further support environmental sustainability.
• Self-Reliance: By promoting local production (e.g., clove and coconut production in Zanzibar) and reducing import dependency through food security measures (128% sufficiency in 2024), the manifesto supports NDV 2050’s goal of self-reliance.

Figures Supporting Economic Strategies

The manifesto provides specific figures to illustrate past achievements and future targets:

• Agricultural Growth: Irrigated land increased by 44% (from 681,383 to 983,466 hectares) between 2020 and 2024, and food security rose from 114% to 128% sufficiency.
• Job Creation: A target of 350,000 new jobs in Zanzibar by 2030, with specific initiatives like providing loans for two cows per youth annually.
• Infrastructure Development: Investments in railway projects (e.g., Mwanza–Isaka, 341 km) and port development (e.g., Bagamoyo) to enhance trade.
• Cooperative Support: Training for 2,500 cooperative societies in Zanzibar to boost productivity.
• Blue Economy: A target contribution of 300,000 units (likely economic output or jobs) by 2030 in Zanzibar.

Challenges and Considerations

While the manifesto’s strategies are ambitious, some challenges remain:

• Clarity of Targets: Some figures, such as the repeated “300,000” for the blue economy, lack clear units (e.g., jobs, economic output, or investment), which may complicate implementation and monitoring.
• Resource Mobilization: The manifesto does not detail funding sources for large-scale projects like railways and ports, which could strain public finances if private sector investment falls short.
• Regional Disparities: While Zanzibar-specific targets are clear, the manifesto could provide more detailed plans for equitable resource distribution across mainland Tanzania’s diverse regions.

Conclusion

The CCM Manifesto for 2025 proposes a multi-faceted approach to strengthen Tanzania’s economy by focusing on GDP growth, investment, job creation, and agricultural productivity, with specific targets like 350,000 jobs in Zanzibar and increased irrigated land (983,466 hectares by 2024). It ensures inclusivity through affordable loans, cooperative training, and youth empowerment, while promoting competitiveness via infrastructure and technology investments. Sustainability is addressed through the blue economy, green initiatives, and resource reserves. These strategies align closely with NDV 2050’s goals of prosperity, equity, and self-reliance, though clearer metrics and funding plans could enhance implementation. By building on past achievements (e.g., 44% irrigation growth, 128% food security), the manifesto lays a strong foundation for sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Table summarizing key figures related to economic growth and inclusivity from the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Manifesto for the 2025 General Election, as outlined in the provided document. These figures highlight past achievements (2020–2024) and future targets (2025–2030) to strengthen Tanzania’s economy, ensuring it is inclusive, competitive, and sustainable, with alignment to the National Development Vision 2050.

Notes:

1. Clarity of Figures: Some figures, such as the “300,000” for the blue economy, lack clear units (e.g., jobs, economic output, or investment), which may require further clarification for precise analysis.
2. Scope: The table focuses on economic growth and inclusivity metrics, with an emphasis on quantifiable data from the manifesto. Some targets (e.g., GDP and per capita income growth) are mentioned but not quantified with specific figures.
3. Zanzibar Focus: Many specific figures pertain to Zanzibar, reflecting the manifesto’s dedicated section for the region. Mainland Tanzania’s targets are less detailed in the provided document excerpt.
4. Alignment with NDV 2050: The figures support the manifesto’s alignment with NDV 2050 by targeting prosperity (e.g., GDP growth, job creation), equity (e.g., cooperative training, youth loans), and sustainability (e.g., blue economy, food security).