Of “house cleaning” and party’s supremacy over the individual

In the early days of the Magufuli presidency, Bernard Membe gave an interview to a local tv station in which he was effusive in his praises to the then-new president, going as far as saying he thought even he could not have done a better job than the eventual winner. He talked of “house cleaning” that that is what President John Magufuli was doing.

However, a few years down the line Membe had lost trust in the abilities of President Magufuli to lead the country and the ruling party.

This culminated in him being expelled from the ruling party, CCM. There is a long list of political titans who were expelled from the days of TANU, and taken into context, he pales in comparison.

In expelling him, CCM referenced 2014 where he and other five 2015 wannabe presidential contenders were sanctioned against “early campaigning”. In response, according to media reports, Membe said the problem is the presidency and not party ethical matters.

That, his plan to challenge President Magufuli for the presidency within the party, was the crux of the matter in his current political troubles.

While this appears to be the most plausible explanation, it does not explain the entire situation.

In our political set up, in all political parties, the top spot though party constitutions declare such seats free for everyone to contest, the reality is very different. There is a long list in our political parties, of those who tried their luck to get the top job but eventually ended up pitching their political tents elsewhere. John Shibuda toyed with the idea of running against former president Jakaya Kikwete in 2009, by 2010, he had decamped to Chadema.

There are many who have tried to take on Chadema’s Freeman Mbowe only for them to crash land in their efforts. Even NCCR Mageuzi’s James Mbatia almost threw out of the party a challenger before they mend ties.

All those who were shown the exit door from the ruling party since the days gone by of TANU and ASP had their political fortunes turn south. Few, especially those who came with the multiparty wave have survived the rough tumble of opposition politics.

The way our political system gives us presidential candidates from leading parties is such that the eventual nominee is a flag bearer of their political party.

That means we know so little of the things they personally hold dear.

Once nominated, they have to sell their party’s vision to the rest of the country, trying to convince voters that they are better positioned to implement what they largely did not participate in preparing, especially if they are not the incumbent.

In the ongoing debate of the presidency “being the problem”, what is missing are the details, the alternative, of what Membe would do differently within the same political party where the nominee has to present to voters the party’s election manifesto not the candidate’s own election manifesto.

Precisely because of this, it is common every time there is a general election, and headlines like “Urais waipasua CCM”, “Urais kaa la moto CCM”, or “Urais waivuruga CCM”, are all too familiar. This is deeply problematic because it projects an image of individuals interested in nothing but their own personal glory; their own political adventures which have little to do with offering credible alternatives.

That the differences among individuals who want to rule this country are not based on any policies but some personal political projects.

CCM closed ranks against Membe to prevent past precedents where the incumbent goes to the party’s nomination congress with uncertainty of whether some opponent would spring up to soil the moment.

After all, Membe has never made it a secret that he still harbors political ambitions. It is also intended to send a message for those eyeing the presidency in Zanzibar which will be up for grabs this October.

As 2020 rolls on, opposition parties might be tempted to forget any lessons of 2015 and the headaches and heartaches they have endured ever since and offer room to Membe, who is yet to offer details of his next political move.

The “house cleaning”, as Membe put it, was intended to remind everyone that the party is supreme to the individual. CCM survived the Lowassa political juggernaut; it can surely handle Membe, as the ruling party looks set to dominate the political landscape post-October 2020.