Gloves are off in CCM, Chadema showdown

Change has become the buzzword in Tanzania’s presidential campaigns, with both the opposition and the ruling party promising to do things differently.

The Umoja wa Katiba ya Wananchi (Ukawa), which is the alliance of major opposition parties, is carrying on with its “Movement for Change” — known by the acronym M4C — campaign, which it started after the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) rejected the draft constitution prepared by the Constitution Review Commission.

The joint opposition candidate, ex-prime minister Edward Lowassa, who is running on a Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema) ticket, has repeatedly quoted the country’s founding president Julius Nyerere who in 1995 famously stated that Tanzanians needed change, and that if they did not get it within CCM, they would find it outside the party.

Ironically, CCM’s presidential candidate Dr John Pombe Magufuli too seems to agree that Tanzania needs change, but insists that “true change will come from CCM.”

Dr Magufuli, a doctor of chemistry, is promising to fix the country’s ailing healthcare system and to rid the civil service of lazy workers.

However, political analyst Prof Mwesiga Baregu dismisses Magufuli’s promise as mere rhetoric, arguing that true change would only be brought by a people-centred constitution, which Ukawa holds dear.

“CCM is preaching change belatedly because they have realised that the people are thirsty for change and they have no commitment to bringing about meaningful change,” he said.

However, for unexplained reasons, Ukawa has not been vocal on the stalled constitutional review, which resulted in the formation of the alliance in the first place.

Ukawa was formed after major opposition parties walked out of the Constitutional Assembly to protest CCM’s rejection of the draft constitution.

As the campaigns heat up with the election date fast approaching, Lowassa has claimed that CCM is poised to rig the elections, urging his voters to come out and vote for him and “guard” the votes on election day.

But CCM’s vice chairman for the Tanzania Mainland, Phillip Mangula, has said this is an attempt to instil fear in the citizenry and a precursor of possible election violence.

On Monday, Mr Lowassa addressed two campaign rallies in Dar es Salaam and said he is prepared to prevent CCM from stealing his votes. “Let me assure you they will never steal my votes unless we die.”

As per the rules and procedures of the National Electoral Committee, voters are required to be at least 100 metres from the polling station after casting their votes as voting continues; eventual tallying is done under police guard.

Speaking to CCM elders in the southern city of Mbeya last week, Mr Mangula said there were people out to create an environment of chaos by instructing citizens to “guard” the votes on election day, thus usurping the duty of the security organs and party agents.

This year’s election comes at a time when the shilling is struggling against the dollar, allegations of corruption in government are the talking point among the masses and the failed constitution review is hanging over the ruling party.

OP The East African