FOUR Cabinet Ministers in the fourth phase government have confirmed that they will join the newly formed Chama Cha Jamii (CCJ) within a short time to come, in a wave of showing dissatisfaction with their party CCM.
1. Speaking on condition of strict anonymity, a cabinet minister from the Lake Zone, who was once prominent in the third phase government, said that he has reached a point where he can no longer tolerate the CCMs dilly-dallying.Yes it is true that I will not be with the Chama Cha Mapinduzi for long because it does not serve the citizenry any more, it is for the rich people. I was so eager to continue serving under the same CCM banner, but I think at this juncture I must call it quits.
It is now clear that this shift of allegiance will abruptly shake the CCM top echelons, who have already announced that they are not scared by any crossing over to the Opposition.
This was after Kishapu MP Fred Mpendazoe decided to relinquish his post and surrender his terminal benefits on Tuesday this week. It was earlier speculated that there are CCM bigwigs, vigogo, who will soon join the CCJ.
2. Another minister who is expected to join hands with the round of joining the CCJ is one from Southern Tanzania who said that he will not stand on the CCM ticket because of the fact that the party has lost what he termed vision and appeal to the rank-n-file citizenry.The minister, who once stood for the presidency, said that he has been frustrated by the operations of his party when it comes to dealing with serious cases like corruption and negligence, characteristic of the single era.
I am fed up, I would rather go back to my former career because there I had a lot of respect and I could easily maintain my ethics, now I cant, I have to defend a contaminated system, he confirmed.
3. Another prominent minister who has decided to follow suit is one who in several corners has been closely associated with the former prime minister, who also had once stood for the presidency.
The minister, whose gender and region of origin are kept secret for the time being, claims that this phase has turned some of them redundant for reasons that are not clear. As you can see the Cabinet has been turned into a toothless lion due to internal party frictions that have ravaged it over the past four years, this is unhealthy for my political future, said the minister.
4. A former university lecturer and distinguished academic is one minister who has decided to call it quits with the CCM. He said that he does not receive the same respect from fellow academics due to a number of misdemeanors that his party and government have committed.
But probably most interesting is the fact that one MP, closely associated with the Richmond probe committee, is amongst those who have decided to join hands with the newly founded party.
The MP, who was seen on Monday night this week with Mpendazoe a few hours before he declared his decision to cross over to CCJ, said he has nothing to lose if he was to join the opposition.
He said that he would rather go back to his former career or even establish his own business. I am a professional with distinguished academic qualifications, I can open my own business and earn my daily bread through my profession, I can create a lucrative business, he said and hung up.