Speaking in separate interviews with ‘The Guardian’ yesterday, the heavyweights however disapproved Ngombale-Mwiru’s departure, saying the grievances that prompted him to exit could have been addressed as has been the case for many years.
Former prime minister Joseph Warioba wondered why Kingunge decided to throw away the towel after serving it for 61 good years.
They were both among the five members who were fighting for changes within the party, Warioba recalled.
“You cannot mention Kingunge’s name without associating it with the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) and CCM. He was among the influential and powerful leader,” the retired Judge noted.
Judge Warioba noted that Kingunge cannot distance himself with what is going on within CCM right now as they all happened when he was still a reputable member of the party. Even though, he said, his decision will not have such a big impact because he has already retired.
Commenting on the same, former prime minister Cleopa Msuya said the reasons given by Kingunge on violation of the party’s constitution and democracy were weak.
He challenged Kingunge’s stand to be in support of current political and other changes in Tanzania, saying the government under CCM has initiated various movements with the intention of bringing about changes to the society.
“People hide behind changes, but changes are not only found in to opposition parties … CCM also wants changes,” said Msuya mentioning some of the changes that CCM engineered as the multiparty system and privatisation policy.
According to Msuya, CCM is a strong political party and shall remain powerful in urban and rural areas due to its values and status.
He said so far many people have defected to other political parties but CCM is still strong.
The Executive Director of Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation, Joseph Butiku said: “I respect his decision but I don’t concur with the main reasons that provoked him”.
Special Seats lawmaker Anna Abdallah said Kingunge made his decision voluntarily so people should respect it. She said that since he is a
veteran politician who spent most of his time working for CCM, he will choose whether or not to rejoin the party in future.
The outgoing legislator insisted that CCM will survive and continue to be strong in his absence.
The long-serving CCM leader, Kingunge Ngombale-Mwiru announced he was quiting the party on Monday in a meeting with newsmen at his residence in the city.
He declared to support the opposition’s change policy insisting that most Tanzanians support the move. Movement for Change is an imposing amorphous stand advocated by a number of opposition parties at the moment.
“I am quitting CCM but will continue to comment on various national issues, including politics because I have all the rights. I am not intending to join any party but I support changes,” said Kingunge as he spoke to journalists.
He noted that the opposition parties stand is supported by among others academicians, farmers, students, youths, elders, pastoralists and even artisanal miners. He said even the founding parties Afro Shiraz Party (ASP) and Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) were unified in a move to search for change.
Ngombale-Mwiru, who served in both TANU and CCM at various positions including that of the chief organiser and ideologue of the party, said the current system within CCM violates its constitution and democracy as youths and members are used to insult and conduct dirty politics against politicians from other political parties.
Apart from Kingunge Ngombale-Mwiru, other prominent figures who have left the party includes, former prime ministers Frederick Sumaye and Edward Lowassa who is vying for the presidence under the umbrella of Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema).
He is also supported by members of other political parties forming the Coalition of People’s Constitution (Ukawa). The parties are Civic United Front (CUF), NCCR-Mageuzi and NLD.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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