Author: FLORENCE MUGARULA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: AS the temperature for the October 28 General Election continues to rise, the ruling party, CCM, has said the assessment conducted since it officially launched campaigns in Dodoma shows that if elections were to be held today, Dr John Magufuli would garner 85 per cent of all votes.
The Party Ideology and Publicity Secretary, Mr Humphrey Polepole, told reporters in Chato that so far, CCM is recording great performance in its campaigns and that they expect a landslide victory in the October polls.
He said the party’s assessment on the past few days of the campaign shows green lights ahead of the general election.
He said so far, everything was on the right track and that the party had recorded a magnificent performance.
He said the party’s special research unit, which is under the Secretary General, Dr Bashiru Ally, had been conducting opinion polls on the performance and views of voters ahead of the general elections.
He said for more than 10 days since the official launch of the campaign, all signs pointed to victory by Dr Magufuli.
According to Mr Polepole, CCM is recording good performance because it is ‘selling’ its policies as stipulated in the manifesto and not otherwise.
“We are conducting ‘scientific’ campaigns guided by high level discipline amongst our candidates at all levels, anchored on telling people why CCM should continue leading this nation,” he said.
Mr Polepole said the party was eying at having 17 million active members, which translates into around 60 per cent of votes if all of them vote for the ruling party and Dr Magufuli.
“We are well prepared and organized to win this election, our party is eying 17 million members, these alone make 60 percent of votes, CCM is a strong institution with competent cadres and disciplined members,” he noted.
According to Mr Polepole, CCM is conducting its campaigns strategically by using all its cadres across the country and that former top party leaders are also active in the race.
He said the party’s presidential candidate had so far covered Dodoma, Singida, Nzega and Shinyanga. Other areas covered include Simiyu, Mara, Mwanza and Geita.
He said his running mate, Vice-President Samia Suluhu, has already covered Coast Region, Dar es Salaam, Lindi and now Mtwara.
“Our former party chairman and president, Dr Jakaya Kikwete, is dealing with southern zone; he is now in Lindi. “Dr Kikwete is in Lindi telling people what the party has done for them, we strategize and take the right person to the right place,” he said.
He said Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa was taking up Manyara, Arusha, Kilimanjaro and other areas while the central zone is being covered by former Prime Minister Mizengo Peter Pinda and former Kongwa MP and Speaker of National Assembly, Mr Job Ndugai.
“CCM is everywhere; we are campaigning in all parts of the country, our strategy is to cover all areas by September 27, this year,” he noted, adding: “In this first round, we will cover all parts of this country, and then we will go back again and again, this is because we have the capacity and it is easier for us to reach wananchi because we have a lot to show; there is no doubt that the CCM government delivered as expected over the past five years.”
Mr Polepole said the party was confident of winning the election due to its historical performance over the past five years.
He said the fifth phase government had recorded impressive performance in all sectors as it was stipulated in the 2015-2020 party’s manifesto.
On transport and communication, Mr Polepole said the government built a number of airports, renovated and expanded several of them.
He said the government also improved marine transport by buying ferries, renovating its vessels and building new ones. Plus construction of roads, bridges, flyovers and many others.
He added that the government improved the education sector by offering free education and building education infrastructure while on the health sector, several hospitals, health centres and dispensaries were built.
In addition, the Medical Stores Department (MSD) was strengthened, and ensuring supply of medicine and purchase of modern equipment is another crucial steps made over the five-year tenure of the Magufuli administration.
Commenting on party’s strategies in Zanzibar, Mr Polepole said there was no doubt on the victory in the Isles.
He said Zanzibaris understand the good intentions of CCM and that the presidential candidate, Dr Hussein Mwinyi, is among talented leaders.
“Our Zanzibar presidential candidate is widely accepted in the Isles; he is young and energetic, Zanzibar needs a person like him to bring positive changes,” he said.
