The Role of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) in Enhancing Women's Political Participation in Leadership Positions in Local Government Elections in Tanzania: A Case of Dodoma City

Purpose: To explore the role of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) in enhancing women's political participation in leadership positions in local government elections in Tanzania. Methodology: The study used realism philosophy through which qualitative approach was engaged. It employed phenomenology design and in-depth interview, semi-structured interview, focus group discussion and documentary review to collect data. It engaged the sample size of 30 participants who were selected by using purposive sampling techniques. In-depth interview data were analyzed with the help of content analysis and presented by means of words, phrases and quotations; the structured interview data were classified, tallied, counted and computed into percentages and presented in the form of figures, tables and percentages; and focus group discussion were analysed by establishing the criteria to be used in identifying the data. Findings: The study revealed that CCM party enhanced women's political participation for leadership positions in local government elections by recruiting, nominating and electing women candidates; and developing competency of women candidates. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: The study recommended that CCM party should enhance women's political participation for leadership positions in local government elections by creating and promoting conditions and opportunities that can lead women to aspire for political office.This study contributed to Liberal Feminism Theory by highlighting how official and non-official institutions within political parties promulgated inequalities in gender. In terms of policy, policymakers could use the results of the study to design training programmes for women candidates that incentivize gender-balanced accounts. In practice, the study equipped civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, political parties, and activists with actionable approaches to enhance women's political participation.