Ujengelele
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- Jan 14, 2008
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2009-12-31 10:08:00
President Jakaya Kikwete's son, Khalfan, 11, was on Tuesday elected a member of the CCM youth wing (UVCCM) national council representing CCM young pioneers.
In the election that took place in Morogoro, Halfan emerged victorious by garnering 301 votes out of 357. The son of the ruling party's national treasurer, Mr Amos Makala, master Gabriel Makala, was also elected chairman by getting 300 votes out of 357 cast, defeating seven other contestants.
The junior Kikwete's victory brings to two, the number of the President's sons who are currently sitting in the UVCCM national council. Another son, Ridhiwan, is a UVCCM national council member.
The election was attended by some government and ruling party big wigs, including deputy minister Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi whose son, John Nchimbi, was the campaign manager of one son of CCM's heavy weights.
But reports from the scene have it that the heavy weights� sons were on the verge of losing the election until some of their parents intervened and used their political clout to influence voters.
Commenting on the elections, University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) lecturer, Dr Azaveli Lwaitama, said it is an indication that the oldest party in the country is no longer the oldest as it behaves as if it was launched yesterday.
"It is as if the party has no elders and since the remaining ones were recently embarrassed, CCM now runs on an auto pilot,"he said.
Elaborating, he said there was no crime for the children to contest for the leadership posts, but the intervention of their parents has made the whole exercise lose its meaning.
He called on the party to intervene and nullify the results following allegations of corruption.
For his part, former UDSM lecturer, Prof Mwesiga Baregu, said he was shocked that people now broom children as party members.
"These are primarily Tanzanian children who have not reached a voting age. They should be allowed to grow up and choose the kind of party they want when they mature," he said.
He claimed that CCM has now become a religion where children are receiving confirmation as in christianity.
He said CCM is losing the sense of what a political party is all about and that the worst scenario in the matter is the involvement of corrupt practices.
"They should realise that we all have a collective responsibility to bring up good citizens of Tanzania. These children who are of a primary school age will now start identifying themselves at school along party lines," he said.
Other CCM stalwarts who attended the young pioneers event include Mr January Makamba, who is President Jakaya Kikwete's personal assistant and the son of CCM secretary general Yusuph Makamba, the Dar es Salaam CCM regional chairman, Mr John Guninita, the CCM finance and economy secretary, Mr Amos Makala, as well as the Morogoro regional commissioner, Mr Issa Machibya.
Additional reporting by Ray Naluyaga
Kikwete son, 11, voted into CCM youth bodyBy Lilian Lucas and Samuel Msuya, Morogoro President Jakaya Kikwete's son, Khalfan, 11, was on Tuesday elected a member of the CCM youth wing (UVCCM) national council representing CCM young pioneers.
In the election that took place in Morogoro, Halfan emerged victorious by garnering 301 votes out of 357. The son of the ruling party's national treasurer, Mr Amos Makala, master Gabriel Makala, was also elected chairman by getting 300 votes out of 357 cast, defeating seven other contestants.
The junior Kikwete's victory brings to two, the number of the President's sons who are currently sitting in the UVCCM national council. Another son, Ridhiwan, is a UVCCM national council member.
The election was attended by some government and ruling party big wigs, including deputy minister Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi whose son, John Nchimbi, was the campaign manager of one son of CCM's heavy weights.
But reports from the scene have it that the heavy weights� sons were on the verge of losing the election until some of their parents intervened and used their political clout to influence voters.
Commenting on the elections, University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) lecturer, Dr Azaveli Lwaitama, said it is an indication that the oldest party in the country is no longer the oldest as it behaves as if it was launched yesterday.
"It is as if the party has no elders and since the remaining ones were recently embarrassed, CCM now runs on an auto pilot,"he said.
Elaborating, he said there was no crime for the children to contest for the leadership posts, but the intervention of their parents has made the whole exercise lose its meaning.
He called on the party to intervene and nullify the results following allegations of corruption.
For his part, former UDSM lecturer, Prof Mwesiga Baregu, said he was shocked that people now broom children as party members.
"These are primarily Tanzanian children who have not reached a voting age. They should be allowed to grow up and choose the kind of party they want when they mature," he said.
He claimed that CCM has now become a religion where children are receiving confirmation as in christianity.
He said CCM is losing the sense of what a political party is all about and that the worst scenario in the matter is the involvement of corrupt practices.
"They should realise that we all have a collective responsibility to bring up good citizens of Tanzania. These children who are of a primary school age will now start identifying themselves at school along party lines," he said.
Other CCM stalwarts who attended the young pioneers event include Mr January Makamba, who is President Jakaya Kikwete's personal assistant and the son of CCM secretary general Yusuph Makamba, the Dar es Salaam CCM regional chairman, Mr John Guninita, the CCM finance and economy secretary, Mr Amos Makala, as well as the Morogoro regional commissioner, Mr Issa Machibya.
Additional reporting by Ray Naluyaga
