It’s ‘soccer style’ defence for Heche and Waitara in Tarime Rural ‘match’

Tarime. In the football world, there is this popular saying “Ukitia kichwa, natia mguu”, which can loosely be interpreted as man-to-man marking during a highly-contested match.

This soccer philosophy is likely to be applied in the Tarime Rural constituency where Chadema’s John Heche and CCM’s Mwita Waitara will be in heated campaigns for the parliamentary seat.

The two heavyweight politicians are renowned for their utterances and determination to act, taking into account their schooling and political histories.

Histories of the contestants

Both are school teachers. Mr Heche, who is seeking reelection, got his degree from the St. Augustine University of Tanzania (Saut), while Mr Waitara is a graduate of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM).

Both are confident and daring leaders, characters that helped them influence students on various issues during their times at their respective universities.

During Mr Waitara’s time at UDSM, he was in the student’s government and the ruling party CCM’s youth wing (UVCCM).

Even after leaving CCM for Chadema - having differed with the then UVCCM’s leader of the day, Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi - Mr Waitara’s influence continued, and he managed to win the 2015 parliamentary seat for Ukonga constituency on the Chadema ticket.

Before opting to represent Ukonga, Mr Waitara had unsuccessfully tried to vie for a similar position in Tarime.

As a student at Saut, Mr Heche contested in Tarime and defeated the once powerful Peter Zakaria as the councilor of Tarime Urban. This budding politician was later elected as the Chadema’s youth wing (Bavicha) national chairman and later Tarime Rural MP in 2015.

His national profile in opposition cycles and his close links to Chadema presidential candidate Tundu Lissu gives Mr Heche an advantage against CCM that has stood with Mr Waitara who shifted his base from Dar es Salaam.

Mr Heche is an experienced grassroots mobiliser and prides on the work they have done under ‘Chadema Ni Msingi’ campaign to give him the backing he requires to win the election.

His oratory skills and daredevil mannerism has won him both foes and friends, but in the base of his supporters, Mr Heche believes the opposition has won the heart of the people by standing for justice and their rights against an unjust system when it matters.

He has been arrested several times and does not hesitate to take a stand even against his own party if it goes against his beliefs and the interests of his followers.

His running battles with the police and crusade over Nyamongo gold investor disputes and the Tanzania-Kenya boarder business interests have won him huge support among the youth while opening up of rural areas to social services under the Chadema-led council is a record he is selling to voters.

Mr Heche’s reaching out to garner support among all Kuria clans will be an added advantage against Mr Waitara, who comes from a much more bigger clan, if conservative voters stick to their usual support of a member of respective clans.

Development record

“For the five years, under Chadema, we have built nine heath centres among them Sirari Health Centre that is of high standards,” said Mr Heche.

Speaking to Mwananchi via the phone, he said Tarime district council under Chadema has built 30 dispensaries in addition to the 19 that existed in 2015.

He said 12,500 school desks have been purchased and supplied to all schools using taxes from Barrick Gold Corp. in Nyamongo.

“We have improved and availed infrastructure to 102 primary schools, constructed roads in the villages to murram standards and dug wells to ease water problems,” said Heche. According to him, the Tarime district council has facilitated the supply of electricity to 72 villages out of existing 88.

He also boasts playing a role in redeeming land belonging to residents of Komuswa, Manga, Kibasuka Mmatongo and Kyore that was taken by an “investor” in sugarcane farming.

Mr Heche said if he is given another chance to chance to be Tarime Rural legislator, he will be in the forefront in scrapping all payments in health centres, construction of more health centres, dispensaries, secondary schools and enhancing profitable coffee farming.

Using 0.03 percent of taxable income from Barrick Gold that has been on the rise from Sh200 million in 2015 to Sh1.2 billion in 2020, Mr Heche said all projects including Veta in Matongo will be completed without depending on government subsidies.

Waitara banks on CCM muscle

In 2015, Mr Waitara won the Ukonga parliamentary seat through Chadema before decamping to CCM and recapturing the seat via a controversial by-election.

He has since changed direction and returned to Tarime Rural to try his luck against a formidable former ally. He is selling his candidature on the record of national projects undertaken by the government as the district UVCCM’s chairman Godfrey Francis points out.

Mr Waitara specifically mentions the construction to bitumen standards of the road joining Tarime and Mugumu, which he said would make it easier for people to trade.

“The construction of the road to bitumen standards will reduce bus fare from between Sh7,000 and Sh8,000 to Sh5,000. Already, the government has built a bridge across River Mara,” he said.

In this strategy, CCM says all streets and village roads will be constructed to be passable throughout the year.

“Tarime is one of districts that receive large incomes from Barrick Gold. We shall use it to build dispensaries in every village not forgetting drilling wells,” said Francis.

“After winning in 2015, Chadema promised to avail electricity to all villages, build new schools, but nothing has been done,” claimed Mr Francis.

He, however, admits that new schools have been built, but most of them have not been registered, thus forcing students to walk long distances to schools.

Another area will be to establish closer ties with between Tarime Council and Serengeti National Park.

“Unlike other parts of the country bordering the national park, there isn’t any good relations between the national park authorities and Tarime Council,” he added.

However, this is also a point that the opposition uses to discredit the record of the ruling party.

Individual party influence

Apart from party influences, each party will depend on their networking.

The two candidates will be counting on the strengths of their individual parties. While Mr Waitara prides himself of the ruling party’s prominence, Mr Heche counts on the people’s power and massive support he is given. While Mr Heche will be at pains to explaining failure to deliver on some promises earlier made to the electorate, Mr Waitara will struggle explaining why he dumped the Ukonga voters in 2015 and now wants Tarime Rural seat.

While the contest between the two ultimately assume the party lines, one cannot rule out the clan arithmetic as each one of the candidates eye a chunk of support among the large clans in the area that tend to sway the votes when it matters most even when such issues as a market for tobacco and the failed sugar factory takes the back banner.