Lowassa pacifies millions of supporters over defection
Former Prime Minister Edward Lowassa (right) waves to supporters as he arrives at CCM grounds in Monduli District, Arusha Region yesterday. PHOTO | FILBERT RWEYEMAMU
Monduli. Edward Lowassa, one of the most famous politicians in Maasailand, returned home triumphantly after ditching the opposition for the ruling party.
Immediately after arriving in Monduli, he showered praise on President John Magufuli, who, he said, was one of the people, who convinced him to rejoin CCM.
“It was because of his appeal that I am back home,” he told the cheering CCM members and supporters in his home town.
Mr Lowassa, who served as Monduli MP for the ruling party for a record 20 years (1995-2015), ditched CCM in July 2015 after his name was deleted from aspirants of the presidential race on the party’s flag.
He crossed over to Chadema, arguably the strongest opposition party, where he was picked the presidential candidate for the opposition coalition called Ukawa, coming second only to Dr Magufuli. In a surprise move, the former prime minister and long serving minister in the second and third phase governments, on March 1 he announced rejoining CCM.
He did not give reason although defections to the ruling party by Chadema politicians have been too common in the last two years.
Yesterday, when addressing his followers in Monduli, he apparently distanced himself from the reasons why he ditched CCM but said he still have the confidence in millions of Tanzanians.
“I garnered six million presidential votes,” he said, noting that they were not small amount despite losing to Dr Magufuli, the CCM presidential candidate.
He urged his followers within and outside CCM to rally behind President Magufuli.
Mr Lowassa, as expected, was received by hundreds of people when he arrived at Monduli township at 1:34pm in a long convoy of vehicles led by boda boda riders.
Those to receive him included Monduli MP Julius Kalanga, who defected to the ruling party only last year to be re-elected. He had won the seat on the Chadema ticket in 2015.
Other senior CCM cadres included the Secretary for Ideology and Publicity, Mr Humphrey Polepole, and the ruling party’s member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) Daniel Awakii.
The influential politician was, immediately after arrival, ushered in a closed door meeting at the CCM district offices where he was expected to be handed over with a new CCM membership card.
Earlier Mr Lowassa, until recently a member of Chadema Central Committee, received what appeared to be a triumphant return, when he landed at the Arusha Airport at 12:20pm.
Those to receive him included a significant number of famous gemstone traders in Arusha, who were among those who supported him in his failed presidential bid in 2015.
