Stage set for final face-off

[BAK]

Stage set for final face-off

Saturday, 15 October 2011 21:53

By Bernard James The Citizen Reporter Dar es Salaam. Daggers are drawn and the stage is apparently set for a major showdown in Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), whose opposing fronts spared little detail this week to suggest the ruling party could be staring at a bitter split in its rank and file. Each of the warring factions upped their stakes in a game of wits that observers said was bound to raise temperatures ahead of a decisive National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party later this month or in early November. Sources said this week’s outburst by CCM publicity secretary, Mr Nape Nnauye, and the youth wing (UVCCM) acting chairman, Mr Benno Malisa, only served to ignite more confrontations within the rank and file of the country’s oldest political party.However, in an interview with The Citizen on Sunday, Mr Nnauye dispelled fears of a likely confrontation, saying this week’s sparring of words was healthy for CCM’s internal democracy. He was referring to his own assertion that a faction within the party was out to undermine President Kikwete, charging they were using their wealth to drive a campaign to separate his role as head of state and national chairman for the ruling party. He also defended himself against attacks by Mr Malisa, who, when addressing a public meeting in Arusha, said Mr Nnauye was dividing and sabotaging the party by riding on the decision to purge corrupt officials to wage a personal war against unnamed senior officials. Mr Malisa’s criticism was telling, as he argued that there was no way for CCM to distance itself from or run away from the current weaknesses in governance. It was this attack that Mr Nnauye branded a “rebellion” by those he saw as aligning themselves to those targeted in the corruption purge. But according to party insiders, the NEC meeting planned for Dodoma is expected to determine the fate of Mr Edward Lowassa and Mr Andrew Chenge, and thus likely to be stormy in the wake of recent acrimonious exchanges.The duo are high-raking party officials expected for some time now to announce their resignations from key CCM positions as part of an ongoing internal purge of leaders accused of involvement in corruption and soiling the party’s public image. President Jakaya Kikwete, who doubles as the CCM national chairman, presided over a meeting in April that endorsed the plan to rid the party of top officials deemed to have lost public trust and contributed to party suffering losses in the 2010 General Election. Even though no individuals were named, impressions created then indicated that among those targeted were high profile individuals implicated in several mega corruption scandals in the country. Mr Lowassa is a powerful politician and MP for Monduli who resigned in 2008 as prime minister after a select committee of Parliament implicated him in the Richmond power scandal, while Mr Chenge, who is Bariadi West MP, also quit the Kikwete cabinet amid investigation into bribery claims in the $40m radar deal. They were expected to follow suit after Mr Rostam Aziz quit CCM’s NEC and forfeited his Igunga Parliamentary seat in July. Mr Aziz, a successful businessman said, however, he had quit over “dirty politics” and blamed some top officials of using the said purge to witch-hunt others. With the clock ticking fast, and no sign that neither Mr Lowassa nor Mr Chenge would throw in the towel any time soon, sources said this week’s outburst by Mr Nnauye and Mr Malisa only served to ignite more passions. Unconfirmed reports say unlike Mr Aziz, Mr Lowassa and Mr Chenge have told close confidants that they were ready to fight from within and would not go down alone. They have personally maintained studious silence. The factions, one said to be getting President Kikwete’s ear, while the other is gravitating towards the Lowassa axis, were reportedly rallying loyal troops to face off in the ultimate showdown in Dodoma. The prize, it is said, is a head start to clinching the party’s nod to run for the presidency in 2015. Other pundits also agreed that the party officials were headed for a nasty confrontation in Dodoma. They are worried that if the crisis worsened, it could stall the nation’s progress as the infighting has much to do with personal ambition to attain power. “It is a grave mistake today to think that Tanzania is CCM’s property. Individual interests for the presidency could hurt us badly and cost the nation,” warned CCM MP for Ludewa, Mr Deo Filikunjombe. “They have forgotten their basic responsibility. They cannot distinguish between own interests and the duty to serve the people,” he said, regretting that the party’s leadership had failed to act promptly. “When the Titanic was sinking the captain of the ship was alerted several times that the vessel was grounding but he ignored the calls until the disaster happened. And this is what is exactly happening now to CCM,” Mr Filikunjombe added. For his part, Mr Nnauye says the ongoing reforms in his party were meant to bring it back on track and were not meant to attack or weaken individuals aspiring for the presidency in 2015. But African liberation stalwart and once CCM staunch supporter, Brigadier General (rtd) Hashim Mbita, said CCM was on the verge of ruin.“I think the youth are not alone. They are being used as agents ofa selfish interest. It is unfortunate that there is laxity in enforcing CCM ethics, seemingly without a common position and moral authority to counter evil. “Issues affecting the wellbeing of the party and the nation must be discussed fearlessly in formal party meetings and decisions reached implemented. The government must be accountable to the party. When this happens the factions will automatically crumble,” he said. University of Dar es Salaam law lecturer and opposition politician, Dr Sengondo Mvungi, said squabbling in CCM would cost them votes. “Tanzanians no longer expect their liberation to come from CCM,” he said. Dr Mvungi believes President Kikwete has little room and options to change his party for the betterment of the country. “Only an alternative government by the opposition could bring true change because there is no point in leading the country astray because of CCM infighting.” Saying he was merely expressing his personal views, CCM’s Dar es Salaam regional secretary, Mr Kilumbe Ng’enda, said internal wrangles in CCM need not break it. For him, what mattered most were matters affecting the function of party organs. “There could only be a problem when people boycott valid party decisions.” He said it was not right for the time being to brand anyone aspiring for the presidency a rebel so long as such advances observed party ethics. Mr Ng’enda said CCM had survived serious confrontations in the past. “I do not know how people measure the gravity of the alleged crisis, but I have witnessed even much bigger and serious differences in the past,” he said.

 

[TIMING]

BAK my bro

We have axiously witnessed newpapers selling their issues by vuvuzeling their titles and dramatising CCM meetings with no success for like 3 years now... nakumbuka butiama (nilikua musoma by then), dodoma pre-gamba meeting, dar CC meeting, dodoma another one etc. etc. etc.

these dude cant even move a needle let alone decide on anything that may hurt one of their own

My advice to all ya... lower your expectations, this is just another opportunity for a sitting allowances and ubwabwa/...I

ts gonna be another feast
View attachment 39201

 

[Mbopo]

Blowing it out of proportion. It is a storm in a tea cup!

 

[BAK]

Kikwete ahofia kung'olewa CCM • Wataka Mkapa, Dk. Salim wachukue nafasi yake na Mwandishi wetu Tanzania Daima

RAIS Jakaya Kikwete sasa anakabiliwa na wimbi zito la kujinasua kutoka kwenye mpango unaosukwa na makada wa chama hicho kumng'oa kwenye nafasi ya mwenyekiti wa Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). Makundi yanayotaka kumng'oa yanadai ameshindwa kukiendesha chama, na hali hiyo imeifanya serikali kuwa goigoi. Habari ambazo Tanzania Daima Jumapili imezipata zinadai kuwa baadhi ya wanachama wakiongozwa na wajumbe kadhaa wa Halmashauri Kuu (NEC), watokao Kanda ya Ziwa ndio wamekuwa wanaandaa mkakati wa mabadiliko ya kile wanachoita ‘kukinusuru chama.' Zinaongeza kuwa Rais Kikwete ameshindwa kukiendesha chama hicho na matokeo yake ni kuwa makundi yanayohasimiana yameshamiri na kuharibu taswira ya CCM. Tanzania Daima Jumapili limedokezwa kuwa kauli za wiki hii za Waziri Mkuu mstaafu Joseph Warioba na kada wa chama hicho Joseph Butiku, zililenga kuonyesha kasoro za kiuongozi zilizomo serikalini na kwenye chama hicho tawala. "Kwa hali ilivyo sasa lolote linaweza kutokea, maana watu wamechoshwa na mwenyekiti wetu ambaye amekuwa kinara wa kuchochea siasa za makundi," alisema kada mmoja. Taarifa hizo zinadokeza kuwa baadhi ya vigogo wa chama hicho wameanza kupata wasiwasi kuwa mpango huo huenda ukafanikiwa, iwapo jitihada za kumnusuru Rais Kikwete hazitafanyika haraka. Kwa mujibu wa makada waliozungumza na Tanzania Daima Jumapili, wajumbe hao wa NEC wamekuwa wakiwahamasisha wenzao kumpigia chapuo Rais mstaafu Benjamin Mkapa achukue nafasi ya unyekiti wa chama hicho kikongwe. Chanzo kimoja kimelidokeza Tanzania Daima Jumapili kuwa Rais Mkapa hivi sasa anaonekana kuwa kiongozi imara zaidi ndiyo maana alikabidhiwa jukumu la kuzindua na kufunga kampeni za chama hicho katika Jimbo la Igunga. Kiliongeza kuwa Rais Mkapa anaheshimika zaidi kutokana na historia ya uongozi wake kutokuwa na makundi kama ilivyo kwa uongozi wa Rais Kikwete unaoonekana kupwaya chamani na serikalini. Lipo pia kundi la wana CCM ambao wanasema iwapo Rais Mkapa hatakuwa tayari kubeba jukumu hili, wamwombe Mwenyekiti wa Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation, Dk. Salim Ahmed Salim, aongoze chama hicho. Habari zaidi zinasema baadhi yao wameogopa kumweleza Dk. Salim moja kwa moja, wamemwendea kada mwingine rafiki wa Dk. Salim, ili awasaidie kufikisha ujumbe huo kwake. Naye baada ya kuwasikiliza, akawaambia kuwa anaogopa kuonekana kituko mbele ya Dk. Salim, kwakuwa hatakubali ombi lao. Hata hivyo baadhi ya makada wanadai kwamba mpango wa kumwondoa Rais Kikwete kwa sasa si mwepesi, lakini hata kama itashindikana, atakuwa amepata ujumbe. Inadaiwa kuwa watu walio nyuma ya mpango wa kutaka mabadiliko ya uongozi ndani ya CCM wanaamini kuwa kauli ya Katibu wa Itikadi na Unezi wa chama hicho, Nape Nauye, kuwa chama hicho kimezingirwa na waasi wachache wanaotumia fedha zao kukivuruga chama imetoka kwa Rais Kikwete. Wanadai kuwa Rais Kikwete amekuwa akimtumia Nape kufikisha ujumbe wa kupambana na makada wenzake ambao amehasimiana nao kisiasa. Kwa mujibu wa chanzo kingine kimedai kuwa Katibu Mkuu wa CCM, Willison Mukama, amejiondoa katika ushabiki wa dhana ya kujivua gamba kwa madai kuwa matokeo ya uchaguzi mdogo wa Igunga ni ushahidi wa jinsi chama hicho kilivyoathiriwa na siasa za makundi. Kimeongeza kuwa kujitoa kwa Mukama kumezidisha hofu kuwa CCM itazidi kupwaya zaidi endapo hakutafanyika jitihada za kubuni namna bora ya kumaliza mpasuko unaoendelea hivi sasa katika chama hicho. Baadhi ya makada wa CCM wamelidokeza Tanzania Daima Jumapili kuwa hivi sasa kumekuwa na mvutano kuhusu undelezaji wa dhana ya kujivua gamba inayowalenga wabunge wawili, Edward Lowassa (Monduli) na Andrew Chenge (Bariadi Magharibi). Hofu ya makada hao ni kuwa kuendelea king'ang'ania dhana hiyo kutazidisha matafaruku kwenye chama hicho ambacho hivi sasa kimetawaliwa na migogoro katika kila jumuiya zake. Kwa mujibu wa kamada wa chama hicho, hoja ya kutaka kumng'oa Rais Kikwete kwenye uenyekiti huenda ikatawala kwenye kikao cha NEC kitakachofanyika wakati wowote kuanzia sasa. NEC ilikuwa ikae mwezi uliopita lakini kutokana na kuwapo kwa kampeni za uchaguzi mdogo wa ubunge katika Jimbo la Igunga na ule wa madiwani kiliahirishwa na kuna uwezekano mkubwa kikafanyika mwishoni mwa mwezi huu au mwezi ujao. Kikao hicho cha NEC kilitarajiwa kupokea taarifa za makada waliotakiwa kujivua magamba ambao ni Rostam Aziz, Lowassa na Chenge.Rostam aliamua kutekeleza kile kilichokuwa kikipigiwa kelele na Nape Nnauye kwa kuamua kuachia nafasi zote alizokuwa nazo ikiwamo ya ubunge wa Igunga. ​ ​