Don't fear the President, respect him, says Butiku as NCCR picks candidate

Dar es Salaam. NCCR-Mageuzi’s General Congress yesterday endorsed Mr Jeremiah Maganja as the party’s presidential candidate for the United Republic.

The meeting, held at the Diamond Jubilee Hall, also picked Mr Haji Khamis Ambari as Mr Maganja’s running mate - and that no candidate would be fielded for the Zanzibar presidency during the October 28 General Election.

Speaking during the event, Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation’s (MNF) executive director Joseph Butiku called on Tanzanians to be free and avoid fear, saying respect for each other should be upheld.

“Respect the president you have chosen and don’t fear to tell him or her the truth. Display respect to a leader because failure to respect and tell him the truth will lead you to start talking at the leader’s back which will be regarded as hypocrisy,” he said.

He said the National Electoral Commission (NEC) was responsible to ensure elections were held according to the Constitution and laws, hinting that legislations should promote justice.

Earlier, Mr Ambari, who doubles as party’s vice chairman (Zanzibar) had expressed interest to vie for the Zanzibar presidency, but later he withdrew from the race.

In 2015, NCCR-Mageuzi didn’t field a presidential candidate, but instead the party supported Chadema’s presidential candidate Edward Lowassa alongside other members of the Coalition of Defenders of People’s Constitution (Ukawa), CUF and the National League for Democracy (NLD).

Mr Maganja who defected to the party from ACT-Wazalendo remained a sole candidate after Samwel Ruhuza and Peterson Mshenyera withdrew from the race for the broad interest of the party and directed their support to Mr Maganja.

Announcing voting results, party’s election chairman Anthony Komu said Mr Maganja collected 231 out of 258 votes, which is equivalent to 89 percent.

“He was rejected by 20 votes which is equivalent to eight percent of all votes,” said Mr Komu who is Moshi Rural Member of Parliament (MP).

Asking for votes from General Congress members, Mr Maganja said he has visited almost all parts of the country and that he was aware of grievances facing Tanzanians.

“We will put strategies to lift the country’s tourism in order to improve our economy. We will transform our education in order to make our children and the youth think critically,” he said.

NCCR-Mageuzi national chairman James Mbatia said the party’s 2020-2025 election manifesto carries three fundamental principles of the Constitution that advocate for citizen’s rights of assembly.

“Building an economy associated with citizen’s education that benefits the general public,” he said.

He commended speech delivered by Mr Butiku, saying leaders in power should strive at leaving legacies in order to avoid future complaints.

“We should put helpful systems at the top for the future generation to see how we utilized the opportunities we had to serve the country,” he said.

According to Mr Butiku, sections of the laws shouldn’t promote violation of justice, saying the Office of Registrar of Political Parties (ORPPs) should continue executing advisory roles to political parties.

“This is a Tanzanian organ that should assure there is humanity, equality and freedom. The qualifications of humanity include freedom, respect, cooperation and many culminating to democracy,” he said.

He said humanity requires people’s participation in planning, discussions, decision making, execution and evaluation through which agreed procedures should be followed whenever changes are required.

“There is no opportunity to change an organ owned by Tanzanians to individual ownership or a group of few people,” he said, cautioning NCCR-Mageuzi delegates of the general congress to carefully vote for their presidential candidate.

Deputy Registrar of Political Parties (RPPs) Sisty Nyahoza said the General Election was a competition; therefore political parties should respect laws, regulations and guidelines.

“There is no need for leaders to take citizens in the streets. I remember Mr Chairman (Mbatia), you lost your election bid in the Kawe Constituency, but you didn’t mobilise people into the streets,” he said, adding.

“You followed procedures and petitioned results in court. However, you later dropped the case, sought for a place with enough support and won the parliamentary seat.”

He cautioned leaders of political parties to be responsible citizens in order to avoid blaming his office when measures are taken against them, reminding them to hold civilized campaigns.

ACT-Wazalendo Vice Chairman (Zanzibar), Mr Juma Duni Haji ceased the opportunity to send a cooperation message, saying despite troubles they were facing, cooperation was of paramount importance if they were to remove CCM from power. “ACT believes in cooperation. We need to cooperate in order to compete with the ruling party, regardless of the bitterness you have. NCCR-Mageuzi should consider cooperation agenda in its decisions.

Speaking during the event, outgoing Rombo legislator Joseph Selasini said NCCR-Mageuzi was ready to cooperate with other opposition political parties.

He said it was NCCR-Mageuzi that carried a transformation agenda emphasizing on national unity, humanity, good governance, rule of law and constitution that allow proper execution of duties.

“NCCR-Mageuzi will make a decision on Mr Duni’s cooperation agenda.

“But, if it hits a block, then our party will campaign for strong candidates carrying citizens’ agenda in the constituencies and wards during this year’s general election. This is regardless if it is Chadema, ACT-Wazalendo or any other political party,” he said.

According to him, NCCR-Mageuzi will take issues of cooperation to citizens at the bottom if it is neglected at the top.

For his part, party’s elections committee chairman Anthony Komu called on Tanzanians to avoid giving control of Parliament or councils to one or two political parties arguing that such powers were most of the time misused by respective political parties.