BY AMINA YAHYA
4th January 2014
CCM Vice-Chairman (Mainland) Philip Mangula sounded the warning yesterday in Dar es Salaam when he spoke to reporters – but he fell short of naming the individuals on the run.
Mangula said it was against the party’s constitution for individuals to go around conducting what he described as ‘blackmailing campaigns’ through under the guise of fundraising events and donations.Mangula spoke to reporters immediately after opening the first meeting of the party’s central committee meeting for 2014 at its sub-office along Lumumba Road in the city.
He added that the party was now closely following up on its members whom he accused of illegal campaigns across the country, threatening stern action against yet unnamed people – citing generous donations at various public functions.
According to Mangula, such donations weren’t in keeping with CCM policy, and termed them ‘dirty’ games.
He explained that for any party member to make a contribution or any donation, the exercise should first be approved by the CCM Central Committee, and that such donations should be made for development activities before elections.
Mangula cited Somalia and Sudan as prime examples of state insecurity due to civil wars brought about by disunity.
Mangula claimed that “some people” had started forming ‘break-away’ groups within the party, and warned that CCM wouldn’t allow it to happen.
He also warned leaders who use their religious organisations to form campaign groups, saying those who formed such groups were ‘betraying’ the party -- and would be punished by stopping them running for any leadership position within the party.
Former premier Frederick Sumaye had once threatened to quit the ruling party if it nominated a candidate tainted by corruption in the 2015 General Election, taking an indirect swipe at his immediate successor, Mr Edward Lowassa, who also served as premier before he was forced to resign in 2008 after being implicated in the power production scandal (Richmond) -- accusing the latter of politics of deception ahead of the 2015 polls.
According to Sumaye, the Kikwete succession politics had turned nasty—shaped mainly by corruption, divisions and a media campaign targeting those seen as potential candidates.
Mr Sumaye, who was one of CCM’s top three candidates in the 2005 presidential race but lost to Mr Kikwete, warned his party that it would lose the next election if it picks a corrupt candidate.
Yesterday’s press conference came a day after Mr Lowassa, one of those said to be eyeing the presidency, lambasted the current leadership for allegedly not being bold enough. Mr Lowassa declared himself fit and ready for the top job.
But in what appeared to be a swipe at Mr Lowassa, Mr Sumaye accused the immediate former PM of misleading the public that he was behind a water project in Shinyanga.
Mr Sumaye was the Prime Minister when Mr Lowassa served as minister for Water and Livestock Development in the third phase regime.
Mr Sumaye was referring to a story that appeared in the local media to the effect that it was only President Kikwete, the then minister for foreign affairs, and Mr Mohamed Seif Khatib, the then minister in the Vice-President’s Office, who supported the project because other cabinet members lined up against it.
He accused the former PM of not telling the truth and revealing secrets of Cabinet meetings, which he termed a criminal offence.
The project to pump water from Lake Victoria to Shinyanga was initiated by the then minister for Water, Dr Pius Ng’wandu, and later taken over by Musa Nkhangaa.
According to Mr Sumaye, it was former President Benjamin Mkapa who kicked off the project when he declared that Shinyanga would get water from Lake Victoria at all cost.
He also warned Tanzania against withdrawing from the East African Community, saying it would be a big mistake at this time when other countries are pulling together in regional federations.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
No comments :
Post a Comment