Former Chief Justice Augustino Ramadhani leaves CCM headquarters in Dodoma yesterday after collecting nomination forms ahead of the party’s selection of its presidential candidate next month. PHOTO | EDWIN MJWAHUZI
What you need to know:
The pro-Ramadhani camp maintains that he is Zanzibari and a devoted Christian. Though it is not put down in writing, choosing CCM’s presidential candidate always goes beyond the rules and focuses on religion and the Mainland-Zanzibar factor.
Dodoma. It started with speculation that former Chief Justice Augustino Ramadhani was being groomed by invisible forces in the government to succeed President Jakaya Kikwete. But yesterday it was not a romour anymore, as the former CJ picked nomination forms, joining the three dozen cadres of the ruling party who are jostling to succeed Mr Kikwete.
The pro-Ramadhani camp maintains that he is Zanzibari and a devoted Christian. Though it is not put down in writing, choosing CCM’s presidential candidate always goes beyond the rules and focuses on religion and the Mainland-Zanzibar factor.
The former CJ, who is also an ordained pastor in the Anglican Church, is a native of Zanzibar--and there is a push that the candidate should come from the Indian Ocean archipelago this time around. Mr Ali Hassan Mwinyi was the last president of Tanzania to come from Zanzibar and ruled the roost for 10 years--from 1985 to 1995.
Though there are written rules within the ruling party on how to select the presidential candidate, invisible forces--mainly within security circles--play a crucial role behind the scenes in determining the suitable candidate with their detailed dossiers on all possible candidates. These reports guide the Central Committee during the rigorous vetting process.
Soldier, lawyer, priest and pianist
The former CJ and Brigadier General of the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces (TPDF) picked the CCM nomination forms yesterday in Dodoma and boasted that he was experienced and fit for the country’s top job. Besides being a retired army officer, lawyer and priest, Mr Ramadhani is also the best pianist to have been actively involved in his Church choirs for many years.
Unlike the majority of CCM cadres announcing their presidential ambition in pomp, colour and style--not to mention supporters escorting them as they picked nomination forms and during their rallies--Judge Ramadhan was flanked by his wife Saada, his cousin Louis Majaliwa and a few members of his family. “I have faithfully worked for this country for more than 40 years,” he said. “I have never solicited or received any form of bribe and never have I been implicated in any corruption scandal.”
He did not make an official speech after picking the forms and instead addressed the media and demanded that journalists ask him questions.
True to their calling, they wanted to know the powers behind his presidential bid. Judge Ramadhan, who is the president of the Arusha-based African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights, said he has useful intellectual resources that could play a pivotal role in helping the country fight all problems bedevilling the country.
He added: “I do not fear anybody in this race because I retired from the army with the rank of Brigadier General, and it is impossible for a senior member of the army to fear people. He then fell back on the Kiswahili proverb Chema chajiuza, kibaya chajitembeza (literally meaning a good product does not need to chase customers). Judge Ramadhan has been an active member of Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) since August 1966. He told journalists he stayed out of the party after the 1992 amendment of the Constitution that demanded that judges and members of the uniformed forces remain neutral and avoid membership of political parties. He rejoined CCM after retiring in December 2010.
He now says he is fully committed to fighting corruption in order to boost the economy from the grassroots and will work against killings of people with albinism.
Judge Ramadhani will slug it out with 35 other CCM cadres who have already collected nomination forms ready to go for the top seat in the October 25 general election. The retired Brigadier General served as Zanzibar’s Chief Justice, Zanzibar Electoral Commission Chairman and Judge in the African Court.
New Constitution
Asked for his position on the proposed new constitution, the man who was the vice chairman of the defunct Constitution Review Commission said: “The process of writing our new Mother Law has followed all the stages starting from collection of Peoples’ views by CRC in which I was the vice chairman and to the Constituent Assembly. If wananchi endorse it at the referendum, I will continue leading this country with the constitution that they have overwhelmingly voted for.
Judge Ramadhan’s entry into politics comes as a surprise. He will probably attract great interest mainly because he was not among those mentioned early as possible candidates to succeed President Kikwete.
