Tundu Lissu, the leader of Tanzania’s opposition, has stated that he is ready to return to the country and cooperate with President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Since losing the presidential election to the late President John Magufuli last year, the Chadema vice chairman has been living in exile in Belgium.
Mr Lissu said he had already called the new Tanzanian leader and requested a meeting while speaking in Nairobi on Saturday at the launch of his new book on East African democracy.
Should Mr Lissu be able to meet with President Samia in person, he said his main focus will be on expanding the democratic space.
He believes that for the new President to succeed, a shift in the constitutional order, allowing more freedom to competing voices with differing viewpoints, is critical, and that this is a sacrifice that the new leadership can make for everybody.
“I did place a call to President Suluhu two days after she was sworn in and the call was picked by her personal assistant, whom I asked to inform the President that I would be happy to sit down with her and discuss the way forward for Tanzania and how we can reform our country. But I am still waiting for a response.
“Even our party leadership of Chadema, led by the chairman, placed a request to the President, which was replied after a week, but we are still waiting for a response for a meeting,” he said.