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At a press conference while on a visit to Bukoba district of Kagera region yesterday, the party top executive said that CCM has no mandate to suppress public discussions convened with a view to weigh the strengths and abilities of presidential aspirants to see if they are able to contribute to this or any other development issue.
“I have been contacted today by presidential aspirants who wanted to know why they are barred from participating in these public discussions after having confirmed their participation to organisers of the meetings by letter, aware that this would help voters to weigh their strengths and abilities,” he said.
He said he had thought over the matter in his capacity as chief executive and decided to allow them to participate in whatever discussion and without any preliminary conditions as CCM does not organise the meetings nor participate as an organisation.
He further noted that when presidential hopefuls announced their quest to contest for the highest post in the land they said many things and also talked to journalists when they went to pick up forms.
By the time they are required to look for sponsors they would be required to explain their stand, similar to participating in such discussions, he pointed out.
He said the ruling party cannot suppress such discussions because in this way people would understand the abilities of the various aspirants, their policy strategies or priorities and what they think about the future of the country.
“The position they are contesting for is the highest in the land, and therefore Tanzanians have a right to know their views and understand them in detail through these meetings. In view of this, there is no need to suppress them because this is the only way people could understand them,” he affirmed.
The secretary general also urged those who organise such meetings to exercise utmost fairness and build good relationships among participants to avoid misunderstandings that might hamper proper conduct of the nomination process and elections.
Mohammed Seif Khatib, the NEC secretary for Organisation, told reporters at CCM headquarters in Dodoma that party members taking the presidential nomination forms should not be involved in any debate.
“We have got information that some people outside the party are planning to conduct debates for presidential candidates---we do not allow those who have just taken nomination forms to participate till when we nominate the party’s presidential flag bearer,” he was quoted as saying.
In another development cadres of the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) have increased the pace of picking presidential nomination forms making the number rise to 15 as of yesterday.
Deputy Finance Minister, Mwigulu Nchemba and advocate Godwin Mwapango picked their nomination forms on Saturday.
Today Natural Resources and Tourism minister, Lazaro Nyalandu and Peter Nyalali collected their nomination forms making the number of aspirants reach 17. Neither aspirant responded to questions on their own background and expectations, reserving that for other occasions.
More party cadres are expected to pick forms ready for the nomination to run for the presidency, and return the forms before July 12 when other stages of the nomination process will commence.
Speaking to reporters immediately after picking the forms at CCM headquarters in Dodoma on Friday, Nchemba said the fourth phase presidency will be the last to lead poor Tanzanians.
He revealed that the fifth phase will lead the nation into becoming a middle income country, making the nation self-reliant.
Advocate Mwapango said he will fight corruption with all his energy and determination and not by empty worlds.
Meanwhile, Joctan Ngelly reports from Kigoma that five people cheated death when a vehicle belonging to presidential aspirant Charles Makongoro Nyerere overturned at 10.30 in the morning at Mwilanvya in Kasulu district in the region.
Regional Police Commander Ferdinand Mtui said the vehicle T 188 BXG, a Toyota Land Cruiser hardtop was being driven by Julius Makongoro, son of the aspirant, who was injured in the head.
He was accompanied by his next of kin Evance Magige and other passengers, including Fikiri Marumba, a publicity secretary for CCM who was injured on his left ear.
Others were Ally Tesha, a resident of Arusha, and Cyprian Musiba, a reporter for Channel Ten who was injured on the shoulder.
All of them were discharged at the Kasulu district hospital after being treated, the RPC noted.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
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