Africa-Press – Tanzania. AT 63 years old, Twalib Ibrahim Kadege is contesting for the Presidency of the United Republic of Tanzania under the United People’s Democratic Party (UPDP) in the 2025 General Election.
His life story, marked by resilience, service and determination, begins in Kingongo village, Kilwa District, Lindi Region, where he was born and raised as the lastborn in a family of six children.
From his early days in the rural setting of Lindi, he learned the values of hard work, humility and perseverance, lessons that would shape his long journey into politics. After completing his primary and secondary education, Kadege began working in a textile factory as a junior technician.
It was here that his curiosity and commitment to learning pushed him to pursue a three-year course in Textile Technology, which earned him a professional certificate in garment production.
In 1983, while still employed at a textile factory, he successfully sat for his secondary school examinations as a private candidate. For him, education was never something to be taken for granted and his determination to keep advancing despite challenges became a hallmark of his character.
Unfortunately, the wave of privatisation that swept across Tanzania at the time denied him the chance to continue his studies further, cutting short his ambitions of pursuing higher education.
Yet rather than viewing this as defeat, Kadege transformed it into an opportunity to turn to public life. Kadege’s political career began within the ruling CCM, where he worked as a youth mobiliser. His role involved engaging young people, inspiring them to play a part in the country’s political and social development.
He later crossed over to NCCRMageuzi, where he served as Chairman in Ubungo constituency and then to the Tanzania Labour Party (TLP), where he rose to the position of constituency Chairman and became a member of the party’s Central Committee.
These experiences across different parties gave him deep insight into the political system, the frustrations of ordinary citizens and the weaknesses in how leadership often failed to deliver on promises.
In 2009, Kadege made a decisive move by joining UPDP, a party that he felt resonated with his values of inclusivity, accountability and people-centred leadership.
Within UPDP, he quickly rose to become a member of the Central Committee and his leadership qualities soon earned him the position of campaign manager during the 2010 and 2015 elections.
It was through these campaigns that he solidified his reputation as a strategist and organiser who understood not only the political machinery but also the heartbeat of the people.
In 2020, Kadege stepped into the national spotlight by carrying UPDP’s flag as its first-ever presidential candidate for the Union. For the party, this was a historic moment, as it also fielded a candidate in Zanzibar, expanding its reach and visibility.
Although he did not win, his candidacy marked the beginning of a broader recognition of UPDP as a party ready to challenge the status quo. In April 2025, he was nominated once again to represent UPDP in the Union presidential race, a second bid that underlines his resilience and unwavering commitment to bringing change.
Kadege is well known for his bold positions on healthcare, taxation, land rights, minerals and policies for special groups. On healthcare, his message is clear and uncompromising.
“No Tanzanian will be denied treatment because they lack money. Under a UPDP government, the state will cover all costs, from dispensaries to referral hospitals,” he declared. He believes that healthcare is the foundation of life and that a government which neglects it is failing its citizens. On land, he is equally direct.
“Every Tanzanian has been given land by God. No one was born in the sky. Land is a right for everyone. When an investor comes, they should agree directly with the people, not have the government take their place,” he insists, making it clear that under his leadership, communities will have greater power over their resources.
Kadege also places strong emphasis on empowering vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities, youth and women. He rejects tokenism and symbolic gestures, calling instead for meaningful financial support.
“We want to build an enabling government, not one that suppresses citizens. Even a person with a disability will receive a consolation stipend of five hundred thousand shillings every month, while youth and women will be supported with at least five million shillings, not the tiny loans that crush their dreams,” he says.
These promises, though ambitious, are framed within his conviction that the state must act as a facilitator of opportunity rather than a barrier. When asked why he is running in 2025, Kadege answers with passion and clarity.
“I have seen there is still a huge gap between the government and the people. UPDP wants to bridge that gap. We want to build a government that works hand in hand with its citizens, that empowers them and that defends justice for all. Our slogan is ‘Speed ahead until we arrive, peace and stability always.”
His vision is centred on bringing citizens closer to decision-making and dismantling the sense of alienation many feel towards government institutions.
With his background in industry, technical education, long political journey across several parties and leadership roles at the national level, Twalib Ibrahim Kadege enters the 2025 presidential race with confidence that he can influence the political system and improve the daily lives of Tanzanians.
For citizens, his candidacy under the UPDP symbolises more than just a choice of party; it symbolises a chance for inclusive governance, economic empowerment and leadership rooted in service rather than control.
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