Analysts weigh in on CCM move to grill top stalwarts

Dar es Salaam. Political analysts have warned that the decision by the ruling party CCM security and ethics committee to summon its three cadres, Yusuf Makamba, Abdulrahman Kinana and Bernard Membe may place the party at the crossroads.

They have also cautioned that the move may intensify frictions and deepen rifts within the party.

CCM’s National Executive Committee sat in Mwanza Region on Thursday under President John Magufuli’s chairmanship after which the party’s Secretary for Ideology and Publicity, Humphrey Polepole, announced the three bigwigs have been summoned to appear before the party’s security and disciplinary committee after being implicated in voice clips that reportedly insulted the President.

Mr Kinana and Makamba have repeatedly claimed they have registered their complaints to the Council of Retired Leaders, but said there has been no response or any action. “They gave a statement over the complaints to the so-called cadres of the party. So, the issue was not supposed to go clandestinely as they decided to put it in the open. Their issue has now been ignored as instead of them being complainants, they have now been turned respondents,” said former Chunya MP Njelu Kasaka.

He added: “I’m not sure if it may deepen the rift, but it is important they put it in the open so that the truth is known. Some statements were issued by some people, who claimed to be CCM cadres, but I have not heard whether they have been questioned by any state organ. It is important we look at which direction we are moving.”

University of Dar es Salaam Political Science lecturer Dr Richard Mbunda said the move should not be handled in a way that will deepen the crisis but it should be a meeting on finding a solution.

Another University of Dar es Salaam Political Science lecturer Prof Bakari Mohamed called upon the party to be keen on the move, saying it may place the party in a bad situation.

He added that the cadres did not seek for forgiveness because they had nothing to lose within the party.

“I think that the three leaders did not beg for forgiveness because they think they have nothing to lose unlike what those youthful MPs did, who have realized that they still have a chance ahead of becoming leaders of the party and the government as well,” said Prof Mohamed.

Besides retired secretaries general Makamba and Kinana and former Foreign Affairs minister Membe, CCM has announced to be satisfied with the forgiveness given by President John Magufuli to three MPs, January Makamba, Nape Nnauye and William Ngeleja.

CCM’s International Relations Secretary, Col Ngemela Lubinga, said he could not comment on the issue as he was on safari. Mr Polepole could not be reached for more details on the move.

The summoning of Mr Kinana, Membe and Makamba to appear before CCM’s security and ethics committee is not a new phenomena in the party. Several other party stalwarts have appeared before the committee in the past year.

In February 2014, CCM summoned its six top leaders, who contested for presidency during the 2015 General Election.

They were Bernard Membe, former Foreign Affairs minister and International Cooperation; William Ngeleja, former Energy and Mineral minister and January Makamba, former minister for Communications, Science and Technology.

The others are former Prime Ministers Edward Lowassa and Frederick Sumaye; Steven Wassira, former minister of State in the President’s Office (Relations and Coordination).