AfricaPress-Tanzania: TANZANIANS have witnessed new dimensions in the country’s history, after several Members of Parliament defected from the opposition to the ruling party and ultimately becoming ministers.
Apart from the MPs, more than 100 ward councilors have defected from the opposition to the ruling party since 2015 General Elections.
Majority of those who defected to the ruling party admitted that the fifth phase government was recording a stellar performance and that there was no reason for them to stay far from such successes.
Some of MPs who defected and appointed to the post of Deputy Ministers include Siha MP, Dr Godwin Mollel and Ukonga MP, Mwita Waitara.
Announcing his decision to quit the opposition on 28 July 2018, Mr Waitara said he decided to join the ruling party to support President John Magufuli’s efforts of achieving the 2025 development government agenda of industrialisation.
Mr Waitara was the second MP from Chadema and the third MP from the opposition to defect to the ruling party since the 2015 General Election. He resigned all his positions from the opposition party and joined CCM.
He was later nominated by CCM to vie for the same position in the Ukonga by-election held on Sunday September 16 2018.
On Monday September 17, Mr Waitara was declared the winner by 77, 795 votes, equivalent to 89.19 percent, and regained his parliamentary seat.
On 10 November 2018, Mr Waitara was appointed the Deputy Minister of State in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government) by President Magufuli.
Dr Molel defected to the ruling party at the end of 2017. He was re-elected on the ruling party ticket in the same constituency on February 2018.
On Saturday, May 16 2020, President Magufuli appointed him as the Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender and Elderly, replacing Dr Faustine Ndugulile.
