Salumu Mwalimu: money, threats will not persuade me to abandon Chadema
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In that regard, the candidate has stressed that money, intimidation or any other ‘earthly cause’ will never persuade him to desert his party in favor of any other political party.
Dar es Salaam. The Chadema candidate for the Kinondoni parliamentary constituency in the by-election slated for February 17 this year, Mr Salumu Mwalimu, has assured voters in the constituency that he will continue to remain a bona fide member of Chadema, arguably the strongest political opposition party in Tanzania.
In that regard, the candidate has stressed that money, intimidation or any other ‘earthly cause’ will never persuade him to desert his party in favor of any other political party.
Mr Mwalimu publicly declared his stand in Dar es Salaam on Monday, January 22, when taking part in a morning television show.
He also took the opportunity to pledge that, once elected to the National Assembly, he will faithfully and diligently serve his constituents in particular, and all Tanzanians at large, until the end of his statutory term as a member of the Union Parliament.
“I stand by Chadema. My mission is to develop Kinondoni residents, a thing that I can accomplish as a faithful member of Chadema,” he said – thoughtfully adding that “money, threats and guns cannot cause my defection to another political party!”
Noting that politicians who defect to other political parties – especially after being elected to serve the public – usually do so in search of personal gain, the candidate stressed that he strongly believes in Chadema’s philosophy and ideology.
Mr Mwalimu – who doubles as Chadema deputy secretary general for Zanzibar – refuted claims that his nomination to the party’s candidature for the February 17 by-election violated the principles of party democracy. In the event, he stressed that the applicable rules and regulations were strictly adhered to during the candidate-nomination processes.
“Constituency candidates are nominated by members of the party’s central committee (CC) after assessing all the nominees whose names have been submitted to the committee. In this particular case, I emerged as the best candidate compared to other nominees – and that’s why my nomination was declared,” he said.
Mr Mwalimu pleaded with the Kinondoni constituency electorate to vote him into Parliament so that they can all work together in developing the constituency and the district as a whole.
