Membe urges opposition to field single presidential candidate

Dar es Salaam.  It is now official; the former Foreign Affairs minister Bernard Membe will be the ACT-Wazalendo’s presidential candidate in the forthcoming October General Election.

The renowned diplomat said today, July 17, 2020 that he has accepted to run for the position after being requested by the party yesterday during a colorful event to welcome him as a new member.

“This is an appropriate time for me to engage in talks with other political parties like Chadema so that we can have one strong candidate,” noted Mr Membe via his twitter account.

He is of the view that if the opposition parties came together for this year’s general election, the doors to the State House would be open.

“For all parties, big and small, we need to borrow a leaf from our Malawian counterparts (opposition parties joined their forces to win the election held last month),” Mr Member urged.    

Mr Membe, who is expecting to collect presidential forms today at 2pm, officially decamped to ACT-Wazalendo yesterday.   

He was expelled from CCM early this year for allegedly violating the party’s rules.

However, speaking to members of ACT-Wazalendo yesterday, he insisted that he was expelled because of expressing his intention to run for the presidency under the ruling party CCM, challenging the incumbent President John Magufuli.

Mr Member gave thumbs up to his new party, saying it was the fastest growing opposition party.

“What interested me in ACT-Wazalendo party was the party’s constitution and its ideology of wanting to see change in the country's governance,” he noted.

He added: I have joined this party to work with its leaders and members in persuading the people to bring about real change in the country.