Fingers now pointed at ruling party secretariat
THE CITIZEN
Makamba and some other members of the ruling party's secretariat have come under particularly sharp criticism in the aftermath of last week's controversial party national executive committee (NEC) meeting in Dodoma.
A number of political analysts interviewed separately by THISDAY have singled out the negative influence of money in politics as the behind-the-scenes driving force in the dramatic events that unfolded at the August 16-17 NEC meeting, highlighted by an abortive attempt to unseat the Speaker of the National Assembly, Samwel Sitta.
The CCM secretariat under Makamba's leadership is especially accused of allowing a small group of individual NEC members to dictate the meeting proceedings by diverting from the original agenda and instead pushing ahead with the plot to oust Speaker Sitta and get him expelled from the party.
Insiders say a group of politicians within CCM, each of whom has been publicly tainted with serious corruption allegations in recent years, is maintaining a powerful influence over some senior members of the party secretariat, hence undermining the legitimacy of the party as a whole.
�Financing politics is considered a very good investment in Tanzania. The CCM secretariat currently relies on this small group of wealthy politicians-cum-businessmen to finance party meetings and elections. The same wealthy individuals now influence most of the major decisions of the party,� said a CCM stalwart on condition of not being attributed to the statements to avoid reprimand.
The CCM secretary general (Makamba) is also chairman of the NEC secretariat.
Other prominent members of the secretariat include the party's national publicity secretary, Capt. (rtd) John Chiligati, and national treasurer, Amos Makala.
Both Makamba and Chiligati have vehemently defended what reportedly transpired during the latest NEC meeting in Dodoma, including the decision to �discipline� CCM members of parliament who publicly question the records of party leaders tarnished with corruption allegations.
By contrast, Makala - who took over from business tycoon-cum-politician Rostam Aziz as CCM national treasurer - has remained relatively low-key in the aftermath of the NEC meeting.
The CCM secretariat is the permanent bureaucracy of the ruling party, and is largely responsible for preparing all high-level party meetings. Its roles include making personnel decisions, managing the work of the NEC, coordinating the complete party machinery, and supervising day-to-day running of the party.
Although all key party decisions are ultimately made by the NEC and the central committee, the secretariat carries significant weight in charting out policy.
It has come to light that the clique of CCM politicians tainted by corruption allegations, managed to hijack the proceedings at the NEC meeting for two entire days, turning an agenda on the 'State of Politics in Tanzania' into a virtual crucifixion of Speaker Sitta.
A senior NEC member told THISDAY: �Without following due process, some of my colleagues heavily influenced by bribes turned on Sitta and started roundly attacking his performance as National Assembly Speaker.
It was clear that they were aiming to get him removed from the Speaker's position...and even expelled from the party. Fortunately it didn't work, the NEC member said.
According to several CCM insiders, the party's guidelines dictate that the Speaker should have first been briefed in writing of the purported allegations against him, and asked to defend himself before the party's own disciplinary committee.
Should the CCM disciplinary committee fail to resolve the matter, it is required to be forwarded to the party's central committee, which is in turn required to bring it before the NEC for final decision-making - if necessary.
Said one CCM insider: It is unprecedented for the NEC to start discussing the Speaker and even recommending his expulsion from the party without following this process.
In this context, the ruling party secretariat has been roundly faulted for allowing things to go out of hand at the Dodoma NEC meeting, and calls are on the increase for CCM chairman President Jakaya Kikwete to overhaul it (the secretariat).
What transpired in Dodoma, especially since they were contrary to the party's own regulations, amounted to a major scandal for CCM. As such, changes are needed within the secretariat...for the good of the party as a whole, a senior NEC member asserted.
When contacted by THISDAY yesterday for his response to the increasing public criticism of the CCM secretariat in the wake of the Dodoma NEC meeting, Makamba curtly declined comment.