Author: KATARE MBASHIRU
AfricaPress-Tanzania: IT was pomp and fanfare as President John Magufuli returned nomination forms at Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) headquarters here yesterday, giving reasons as to why he seeks re-election to the highest office of the land.
And, to signify that he commands massive support within the party, a total of 1,023,911 members from across the country turned out to sponsor his presidential candidacy.
The incumbent president and only CCM Presidential aspirant said he decided to seek for the second term in office because he was yet to accomplish all the plans he initiated after taking the oath of office in 2015.
Speaking after handing over nomination forms to the party’s Secretary General, Dr Bashiru Ally, the CCM presidential candidate said that there were still flagship projects that are on the implementation stage.
“We have the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), the Julius Nyerere Hydropower and the Tanga-Hoima oil pipeline projects that need my supervision and I don’t see someone else, who can finalise these projects,’’ he said, adding that there were many other projects currently being undertaken in different parts of the country.
However, Dr Magufuli insisted that many plans that were set in motion since 2015 had been fully implemented, while others were still at implementation stage and that there was still more to do for the country.
“On June 17, this year, I came here to collect nomination forms and today, I have decided to return them because I am your servant and I surely, believe that many people still need me to serve them,’’ he added.
Dr Magufuli was received by a large group of fellow party members and supporters at the CCM headquarters where party chairpersons from all the regions of Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar presented before him lists of the party members who sponsored him.
In order to be eligible in CCM primaries, he required signatures from not less than 250 party cadres.
According to the party Secretary General, Dr Magufuli was sponsored by a total of 1,023,911 party members from across the country, adding that the party’s Central Committee (CC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) will later meet to endorse the name of the party’s flag bearer.
Dr Bashiru further said that from today, all parliamentary, Zanzibar’s Representatives and councillor seats will be vacant and that all aspirants wishing to vie for those positions were now allowed to visit their areas to bet briefing on how they can collect forms.
However, Dr Bashiru warned those who would start campaigning early, saying that they should wait until the party allows them to do so, or risk being disqualified for breaching the party’s code of conduct.
Collection of nomination forms according to the party’s secretary general will kick off on July 14th this year.
At the occasion, Dr Magufuli advised presidential aspirants in Zanzibar, to refrain from attacking each other in the social media, advising them to conduct civilized campaigns.
“They should know that at the end of the day, only one person will be endorsed to vie for presidency and that nobody knows except God,’’ he said.
