Tanzania’s CCM wants candidates from respective constituencies

Dar es Salaam. CCM will hence forth only allow its cadres residing in a particular constituency to vie for its parliamentary seat in 2020 elections, party’s ideology and publicity secretary Humphrey Polepole revealed.

The trend has been that even people residing elsewhere other than the respective parliamentary constituency to vie for its seat during elections, but this will now change for CCM cadres.

Mr Polepole said this decision was based on evaluations the party made and established that voters preferred people living among them as they knew better problems they are facing.

During a live interview in a program aired by a local radio, Mr Polepole clarified that in order for a CCM member to vie for any leadership position, he must be a resident of the particular area.

“Take it from me, in the 2020 elections CCM parliamentary seat contestants will be those from their respective constituencies, who are familiar with the challenges facing constituents and who can address those challenges,” he insisted.

He also emphasized the principle of one position for one person.

“President Magufuli says once you become a leader, you need to hold only one position because a pileup of positions for one person is selfishness. We as CCM have been told that and there are some people, who are not used to that as they were used to becoming MPs, district chairpersons and district commissioners,” he said.

On claims that CCM’s Secretary General Abdulahman Kinana was planning to defect following his absence from party meetings for a long period, Mr Polepole refuted the claims, saying they were unfounded.

“Comrade Kinana is still within CCM. He is the secretary general and this year of 2017 he faced a bit of personal challenges. So, let’s keep praying for him so that he can get up and continue with his duties,” he said.