It’s now or never for MPs, ward councilors seeking to defect to CCM: Polepole

CCM Ideology and Publicity Secretary Mr Humphrey Polepole

What you need to know:

Opposition parliamentarians who want to defect their parties to Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) have been given two months to do so or the door will be closed until 2020 during another general elections.

Dar es Salaam.  Days are numbered for opposition parliamentarians who are planning to defect from their parties to join the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).

They have until December this year to do so. Or else, they will find the door closed.

CCM’s Ideology and Publicity Secretary Mr Humphrey Polepole wrote on his twitter account on Sunday, October 7, saying that 2018 will be the last year for all parliamentary by-elections for constituencies which fall vacant because of MPs who defect from their parties to CCM.

“Those who miss this round, you remain where you are now, and we meet in 2020,” he wrote.

This means that parliamentarians and councilors who will defect their parties to CCM will never be nominated as flag bearers during by-elections as it will be nearly 24 months before another general election in 2020.

Mr Polepole said the party will direct all efforts to solving people’s problems.

Mr Polepole’s comments come at a time when opposition parliamentarians and ward councilors are currently defecting to CCM, claiming that they are doing so in support of “the development efforts made by President Dr John Pombe Magufuli.”

MPs who have left their opposition parties to join CCM, and later being nominated as CCM flag bearers for by-elections include Mr Maulid Mtulia (Kinondoni-CUF), Dr Godwin Mollel (Siha-Chadema), Mr Mwita Waitara (Ukonga), Mr Zuberi Kuchauka (Liwale-CUF) and Julius Karanga (Monduli-CUF).