Another opposition MP defects to CCM

Dar es Salaam. Who’s next? That was the inevitable question when yet another opposition lawmaker defected to the ruling CCM yesterday.

Liwale MP Zuberi Kuchauka decamped from CUF and became the latest among the dozens of opposition politicians who have jumped ship since the 2015 General Election.

This means that yet another parliamentary by-election is in the offing, to be paid for, of course, by the taxpayer.

So far, at least 100 opposition politicians, including councillors and MPs, have defected to CCM, with Chadema bearing the brunt of the exodus after at least 50 of its cadres and prominent members joined the CCM ranks. Other affected opposition parties are ACT-Wazalendo and CUF. Mr Kachauka’s defection came just three days after Mr Julius Mtatiro, who was the de facto chairman of the CUF faction aligned with Mr Seif Shariff Hamad, crossed over to CCM.

Mr Kachauka, apart from claiming that he was satisfied with President John Magufuli’s leadership, said he was fed up with the conflict that had split CUF into two feuding factions.

“When you introduce yourself as a CUF member you also have to state which faction you belong to. This is a burden that’s too big to bear. I’ve decided to walk away from endless conflicts,” he said in the presence of CCM secretary-general Bashiru Ally and ideology and publicity secretary Humphrey Polepole.

Mr Kachauka became the fifth opposition MP to join CCM since the 2015 General Election. Other defectors are Mr Julius Kalanga (Monduli-Chadema), Mr Mwita Waitara (Ukonga-Chadema), Dr Godwin Mollel (Siha-Chadema) and Mr Maulid Mtulia (Kinondoni-CUF).

On the other hand, only one CCM lawmaker went the opposite direction when former Singida North MP Lazaro Nyalandu (Singida North) defected to Chadema. Not surprisingly, CCM described him as a “liability” who was about to be expelled from the party.

Those who have defected to CCM can be divided into three categories. There are those who say they are satisfied with President Magufuli’s performance, adding that it is difficult to support him while still in the opposition. Mr Mtulia and Dr Mollel are in this group, which constitutes many of those who have ditched the opposition for CCM.

Some, including Mr Waitara, claim that they were being undermined “from within” in their endeavour to work with the government in bringing development in their constituencies. Mr Nyalandu is alone in the third group, which claims it is driven by the need for Tanzania to have a new constitution.

The opposition has maintained all along that its cadres who have defected to CCM have been “bought off”, a claim which has been vehemently denied by the ruling party.