Malecela opens up on battle for the top office

Dodoma. Former Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) vice chairman John Malecela is pressing the party secretariat to impose tough measures against cadres who engage in preelection campaigns.

He said some CCM members have started visiting different parts of the country in a bid to seek wananchi’s support in the upcoming presidential election contrary to the ruling party’s practice.

Addressing journalists at his residence, Mr Malecela said most new members, particularly the young, need to strive to understand the party ethos, something that seems to have evaded many leading to the current loss of sense of direction.

Mr Malecela argued that early campaigning by some members only serves to create divisions among party members, noting that if appropriate measures are not taken to rectify the situation, there would be even more divisions. “I ask myself how the former strong leadership fundamentals were lost,” he lamented.

Mr Malecela commended Central Committee member, Mr Paul Makonda, saying that he was courageous enough to rebuke former Prime Minister Edward Lowassa for demoralising the party in his struggles to secure the presidency in the upcoming general elections. “If party leaders will not be firm in action, these wealthy people will continue to use their money to lure the public to support their intention to grab power, not because they have a political will to serve Tanzanians, but because they want to fulfil their ambitions and personal interests,” he said.

Adding that; “It is painful to see efforts undertaken by the current party top leadership headed by the Secretary General, Mr Abdulrahiman Kinana and Publicity Secretary, Mr Nape Nnauye to defend the fundamentals of the party being disregarded.”

He called for collective efforts in support of the war against corrupt members initiated by the party’s leadership in order to get rid of the minority rich who seem to be more powerful than majority members.