Zimbabwe Businessman, Wicknell Chivayo is printing the ballot papers for the Tanzania elections, together with discredited company Ren-Form. Chivayo has been visiting Tanzania regularly and has been in Tanzania to see the President 4 times in the past 6 months.
3. Wicknell Chivayo blocks Gambakwe. Wicknell Chivayo meets Samia Suluhu Hassan for the fourth time:
– On January 28, 2025, Wicknell Chivayo met Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan during the 2025 Energy Summit in Tanzania, where they held a courtesy call and discussed renewable energy and regional cooperation.
– On May 25, 2025, he paid a courtesy visit to President Samia on Africa Day.
– On May 27, 2025, Wicknell described a follow-up meeting with President Samia as an “immeasurable honour of once again meeting Her Excellency,” indicating it was at least their second encounter.
– On July 3, 2025, he met with President Samia again, describing the engagement as a “powerful” one.
Please watch the video above this post for more details
Tanzania Elections
The 2025 Tanzanian general elections are scheduled for October 28, 2025, to elect the president and members of the National Assembly. The ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), has nominated incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan as its candidate, with Emmanuel Nchimbi as her running mate. Suluhu, who succeeded the late John Magufuli, has introduced some political reforms aimed at restoring civic rights and opening political space, including lifting bans on opposition rallies and releasing some political prisoners. However, the political environment remains tense and increasingly repressive, with the government accused of cracking down on dissent and opposition voices.
A major development ahead of the elections is the disqualification of the main opposition party, Chadema, by the National Electoral Commission for failing to sign a mandatory electoral code of conduct. Chadema had demanded comprehensive electoral reforms before participating and has faced severe government pressure, including the arrest and treason charges against its leader, Tundu Lissu. These charges carry the potential for the death penalty and reflect a broader pattern of repression reminiscent of the hardline Magufuli era. The exclusion of Chadema and the suppression of opposition activities have raised serious concerns about the state of democracy in Tanzania.
Namibia is set to hold elections in October 2025.
Key events for today
1. Durban July on this weekend
2. ZANU-PF National Consultative Assembly is on today
Trending Topics
1. NSSA chairman challenges dismissal from board as his tenure is set to expire in 2028. Dr. Fundira formally challenged his dismissal on the basis that it was unlawful and procedurally flawed, arguing that the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare did not follow due process as required by the NSSA Act and related governance regulations. He contends that his four-year term, was terminated without just cause or proper consultation, and that the dissolution undermines the independence and stability of the authority’s governance.
2. Genius Kadungure, known as Ginimbi, owned an extraordinary collection of luxury cars valued at approximately $3.9 million in total. His fleet included multiple Rolls-Royce models such as two Ghosts (2016 and 2020 models) each worth about $311,000, three Rolls-Royce Wraiths priced around $330,000 each, and a Rolls-Royce Phantom valued at $450,000. He also owned several Bentleys including the Continental GT ($200,000), Continental GTC ($236,000), Bentayga, and Mulsanne ($300,000). His supercar collection featured a Ferrari 488 Spider costing about $298,000 (which could exceed $450,000 after Zimbabwean duties) and a Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster valued at roughly $460,422. Additionally, Ginimbi had a Mercedes AMG G63 ($148,000), several Range Rovers including the Vogue Autobiography ($198,000) and Sport SVR ($114,000), as well as other luxury vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMWs. At the time of his death, he was awaiting the arrival of another Lamborghini Aventador. This lavish collection reflects his flamboyant lifestyle and status as one of Zimbabwe’s most prominent socialites and businessmen
Entertainment
Madam Boss earns over $10 000 a month. Madam Boss video with Master H drops at 10:00 today. Madam Boss Scott Foundation.
Notes
The 2025 Tanzanian general election is scheduled for October 28, 2025, with President Samia Suluhu Hassan officially nominated by the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party as its presidential candidate. She is widely seen as the frontrunner in a race marked by significant political tension. The main opposition party, Chadema, was disqualified from the election after refusing to sign a mandatory electoral code of conduct, effectively barring them from participation until 2030. This move has been criticized as part of a broader pattern of repression and shrinking political space under President Samia’s administration.
Since ascending to power in 2021 after the death of former President John Magufuli, Samia initially introduced reforms aimed at restoring civic rights, such as lifting bans on media outlets and releasing imprisoned opposition leaders. However, in the lead-up to the 2025 elections, critics and human rights organizations have accused her government of a resurgence of authoritarian tendencies, including the detention of opposition figures and suppression of dissent. Several senior Chadema officials have been arrested, and reports of intimidation, disappearances, and killings of opposition members have raised serious concerns about the fairness and inclusiveness of the electoral process.
The political climate is further complicated by recent high-profile resignations within the ruling party, including the Prime Minister and Vice-President, which analysts interpret as moves by President Samia to consolidate power ahead of the elections. The government defends its actions as necessary to maintain peace and stability, but opposition groups and observers warn that Tanzania’s democratic space is shrinking, and the elections may not reflect a genuine contest of political ideas.
Ballots
While the Printing and Minting Company of Zimbabwe officially printed the physical ballot papers used in Zimbabwe’s elections, Wicknell Chivayo’s connection was primarily through his role as an agent or intermediary for Ren-Form CC, a South African company contracted by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to supply various election materials and services. These contracts included biometric voter registration kits, election equipment, and possibly some election stationery or related materials, but not necessarily the actual printing of ballot papers.
In the The 2025 Tanzanian election ballot papers are being printed by Lebone Litho Printers. According to Lebone Litho’s own statements, they are a trusted provider of secure ballot printing services across the SADC region, including Tanzania, and their legacy spans multiple countries in Africa. However, they have no History of printing ballots except in South Africa in 2010.
Uniprint Global has a strong history of printing Tanzanian election materials in the past (notably in 2015 and 2016, They will be using their new acquisition, Lebone Litho Print, for the 2025 ballots. In turn, Lebone will be using Ren-Form to print the ballots who are located in the same building. UniPrint bough Lebone in August 2023.
Additional Notes on Ren-Form:
Ren-Form has printed ballots and election materials in over 70 African elections over 20 years according to the Namibian Electoral Commission.
The company was involved in a major scandal related to alleged invoice inflation and corruption linked to the 2023 Zimbabwe elections.
Ren-Form won the tender to print Tanzania’s 2020 ballot papers and Namibia’s 2024 ballot papers.
The Zambian Electoral Commission cancelled Ren-Form’s 2026 election tender due to failure to meet requirements and concerns over past controversies.
