Manyora: There is no way Tundu Lissu would have beaten Suluhu in a fair election
By Mabonga Makhanu, November 11, 2025Seasoned political analyst Herman Manyora has stated that in a free and fair election, Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) candidate Tundu Lissu would not have beaten President Samia Suluhu, who was vying for the presidency on the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) ticket.
While speaking during an interview on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, Manyora noted that Tundu Lissu was not a threat to President Suluhu and questioned why she went ahead to imprison him.
He pointed out that Lissu had done nothing wrong to warrant his arrest and detention, which eventually barred him from contesting for the top seat.
Watch: Manyora: There is no way Tundu Lissu would have beaten Suluhu in a fair election
According to Manyora, President Suluhu’s actions have done a great disservice to CCM, as she has opened up the once-dominant party to public attack and criticism. He observed that after her leadership, CCM risks fading into political obscurity and might take decades to restore its former glory.
“Tundu Lissu would not have beaten Samia Suluhu in a free and fair election. You could not have beaten CCM She has done a great disservice to CCM, the party, because now she has opened up CCM to attack,” Manyora said.
Manyora further explained that strong political establishments like CCM thrive on their perceived invincibility, but once that image is damaged, recovery becomes difficult.
He likened such institutions to major organisations such as the University of Nairobi or the Nairobi Hospital, where their reputation remains strong in people’s minds regardless of internal challenges, but when the soft underbelly is exposed, people lose the trust they had in them.
He concluded that President Suluhu may have placed the final nail in CCM’s coffin, sending the party into political coldness that could last for a long time before its influence and prestige return.
Suluhu’s fate
According to him, Samia has put the last nail in CCM’s coffin, saying that it has now gone into a political cold which will take a long time before its glory returns.
Herman Manyora further stated that if neighbouring Tanzania does not implement measures aimed at ensuring the nation recovers from the recent elections, it risks returning to the same state.
He added that President Samia Suluhu, who was sworn in under controversial circumstances, might not complete her five-year term in office.