AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has issued a strong warning to members who are engaging in premature campaigns as the general election heat mounts.
Speaking yesterday at Lumumba’s CCM sub-head office in Dar es Salaam, the party’s Secretary for Ideology and Publicity, Mr Humphrey Polepole, said all defiant members risk disciplinary measures.
At the event, Mr Polepole announced the reopening of all party activities that were suspended in mid-March after the country started reporting cases of Covid-19.
“I am now declaring the revival of all party activities. However our members must be aware that it is against the CCM constitution, morals and ethics to campaign before the appropriate time. “Our members, supporters and the general public must be duly informed that CCM leaders have not endorsed any individual for early campaigning.”
Mr Polepole explained that CCM had a comprehensive internal system capable of identifying all defiant individuals.
He said a special mobile phone number had been set for members to report on individuals engaging in early campaigns in the constituencies and wards.
He said that unlike other parties, CCM believed that leadership positions were not the result of crooked efforts, but instead, people themselves should choose who they want.
“V iolators of these norms and procedures are risking losing it all. They will be put aside and if they opt to vie through other parties, CCM which is well established, will still beat them at the ballot box come October,” he asserted.
Beyond the politics, Mr Polepole praised all CCM leaders, including Members of Parliament (MP) who stood with the government in fighting against the Covid- 19 pandemic.
He asked voters to deny votes to opposition candidates during the October election as a punishment for staying away during the difficult time when they mostly needed them for representation in Parliament.
“Voters now know well who their friends are, willing to stand by their side in times of difficulties. Those who went into hiding with their families in the middle of the coronavirus crisis are not worth re-electing,” he said, obviously referring to some Chadema MPs who went into hiding recently under the pretext of quarantining themselves in Dodoma when Bunge sessions were underway.
Mr Polepole said that the party fully sided with the Chairman’s decision against lockdown, which would have triggered hunger and frustrations.
