AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) National Chairman, President John Magufuli, has categorically stated that he does not personally back up any of the CCM cadres who have picked nomination forms seeking endorsement to vie for various posts.
He issued the statement on Thursday in Dodoma, as part of remarks after swearing in individuals to whom he appointed to various leadership positions on Wednesday, including regional and district commissioners.
Dr Magufuli explained that he was prompted to clarify the stance, after it came to his attention that some CCM cadres who have picked nomination forms seeking endorsement to vie for various elective posts, have been using his name as a scoring card.
The top CCM leader disclosed that by on Thursday morning, a total of 8,205 CCM cadres had collected nomination forms for legislative seats under different categories across the country.
” I haven’t personally sent anyone to pick the nomination forms; I have heard that some aspirants are claiming that I have instructed them to take the initiative. These are outright lies because I have not done that and this won’t happen,” he remarked.
He urged CCM cadres who are eligible to vote for aspirants to make wise choices, based on the party’s determination to field competent candidates.
The President said Dar es Salaam Region alone had so far attracted 829 aspirants.
Other regions with high numbers of aspirants are Kagera (328), Arusha (320), Kilimanjaro (82) and Zanzibar (53).
Dr Magufuli said out of 8205 aspirants, 65,133 are seeking for constituencies, 1,539 special seats nominations while 133 are seeking for seats in the House of Representatives.
“The high turnout is good as it shows that there is enough democracy within our party, and I hope the number rises further since there is one more day after today (yesterday),” he explained.
The President reiterated his call to his appointees to be satisfied with their current roles, through which to address challenges facing people in their areas of administration, instead of rushing for political posts.
“It would be good if you will be satisfied with the positions to which you have been appointed, since satisfaction is a good thing for facilitating development,” he remarked.
The Head of State expressed optimism that all appointees who took the oath yesterday would deliver to his expectations as they had enough experience for them to fit in their new positions.
To the surprise of those who attended the event, Dr Magufuli dropped hints on all the new appointees based on their work history, indicating that he was fully aware of their records.
The leaders who took oath yesterday include two Regional Commissioners Mr Aboubakar Kunenge (Dar es Salaam), and Mr Joseph Mkirikiti (Manyara).
Others are the Dar es Salaam Regional Administrative Secretary Mr Paul Makanza, the Executive Director of Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) Dr Maduhu Kazi, Mr Gabriel Malata the Solicitor General as well as Dr Boniface Luhende who is the Deputy Solicitor General.
Also sworn in was Seleman Serera, as District Commissioner for Kongwa in Dodoma Region, Mr Mayeka Mayeka (Chunya) in Mbeya Region, Colonel Patrick Songea (Kiteto) Alhaj Rajab Kundya (Moshi) in Kilimanjaro Region and Mr Gharib Lingo (Hanang) in Manyara.
