Magufuli: Allow me to be your servant

Dodoma. CCM’s presidential candidate, Dr John Pombe Magufuli, said in his acceptance speech in Dodoma yesterday that he is set to be a servant of the people.

Dr Magufuli, 56, spoke of the overwhelming feeling he had to contend with since Saturday night when it dawned on him that he would be the chosen candidate to succeed President Jakaya Kikwete.

“I have nothing with which to pay you back; let me just thank you from the bottom of my heart for showing faith in me and entrusting this huge responsibility with me,” said Dr Magufuli, as he expressed his appreciation of CCM officials and members for their near unanimous endorsement of him as the incumbent party’s flag bearer in the elections.

“Today is a historic day for CCM and for me as an individual. On Saturday when I asked for your vote, I said I wanted you to send me out to work. I pledge now that I will be your servant. I will work with dedication and all my ability as blessed by God,” he told an ecstatic crowd, including President Kikwete who cheered him along.

The Works minister walloped two other aspirants in the last stage of what had been a tension-filled nomination process to clinch the prized ticket. He scooped 2,104 votes (87.1 per cent) against 253 votes (10.5 per cent) for Ambassador Amina Salum Ali and 59 votes (2.4 per cent) for Dr Asha-Rose Migiro.

The results announced to the filled-up auditorium at the mammoth 3,800 sitting capacity Conference Centre by the former Speaker of the National Assembly Ms Anne Makinda, was an emphatic endorsement for Mr Magufuli who built a profile of a forceful and result-oriented Cabinet minister for 20 years.

His victory appeared to a now galvanised CCM that went through a bruising contest pitting 38 aspirants, some of whom spared nothing in their pursuit of the prized ticket to State House.

The rivalry, especially among the powerful camps aligned to former Prime Minister Edward Lowassa and Foreign Affairs minister Bernard Membe, threatened to split the ruling party down the middle.

Mr Lowassa’s supporters in the decision making organs of the party threatened to revolt when his name didn’t feature in the Top Five list drawn by the Central Committee (CC) on Thursday.

For the first time in the history of the party, President Kikwete who doubles up as the party’s national chairman faced open defiance from the National Executive Committee (NEC) when members chanted in praise of the dropped Lowassa as the meeting to endorse the top three aspirants got underway.

Were it not for the intervention of retired presidents Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Benjamin Mkapa and Amani Abeid Karume of Zanzibar, as well as other leaders forming the party’s Advisory Council, the crisis might have degenerated into an unmanageable crisis. In the end, unease calm returned when Mr Membe was also dropped from the final list that had Dr Magufi and—for the first time in the country’s presidential race history—names of two women aspirants.

As he rallied the support of the losing aspirants and that of every other CCM member yesterday, Dr Magufuli said he would need their support to win the General Election on October 25.

“By your vote, you have showed the world that the party has resolved to move forward as one and our unity will guarantee us huge victory in the elections,” he said.

Alluding to the bruising battle for the nomination, Dr Magufuli said he was happy the end was peaceful and had left the party intact. He revealed that he had talked to all the losing aspirants who assured him of their backing.

“CCM has once again demonstrated that it has the capacity to overcome any big and small challenges. We have a time-tested leadership and internal structures that give me the assurance to march forward with confidence that I will triumph in the elections,” he said. The chemistry teacher who moved from the classroom to quickly climb the political ladder showered praise on President Kikwete, saying he had steered the party and the country well.

“I am delighted to receive the flag from a dedicated party servant and promise that I won’t let him down and will strive to work with all CCM members and tap from the wisdom of our retired national leaders as well.”

Dr Magufuli received a standing ovation when he finished giving his remarks and a brotherly hug from the man he may likely replace as the tenant of State House should CCM beat the Opposition in the polls to extend its over 50 years reign.

Meanwhile, Dr Magufuli and his running mate, Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan, were later introduced to CCM members and supporters at Dodoma’s Jamhuri Stadium by national chairman, Mr Jakaya Kikwete, where he addressed a mammoth rally.

In his address, he vowed to fight corruption, embezzlement and other forms of impunity, should he clinch victory in the October 25 polls.

“My government will fight corruption and corrupt officials politely, but without sparing lazy officials who are derailing our development,’’ he said amid cheers.

Dr Magufuli added that Tanzanians were eagerly waiting for quick development, adding that his administration would ensure that all social services are available for all Tanzanians regardless of their backgrounds.

The minister’s status has quickly changed since Saturday when it became clear he was the one to beat in the nominations. Yesterday, security was beefed around him, with more bodyguards shadowing every movement he made in and outside the Conference Centre.

The days ahead will get busier for Dr Magufuli as the country enters the homestretch for the election campaigns.

It is also going to be a new life for his little known wife, Janet, who was probably making her first major appearance as a VIP at the podium filled by who-is-who in the country’s political landscape. She was ushered to the platform as soon as her husband was declared the duly nominated CCM candidate for the presidency.

But the family will be comforted by the warm and glowing tribute that each of the speakers at the CCM meeting piled on Dr Magufuli, led by the losing aspirants, Dr Rose Migiro and Ambassador Amina Salum Ali.

Present at the function were Dr Ali Mohammed Shein who was endorsed unopposed to run for a second term as Zanzibar’s President, Vice President Dr Mohammed Gharib Bilal, Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda and the Isle’s Second Vice President Ambassador Seif Ali Idd.

Mr Pinda and Ambassador Idd earlier ran the delegates through the successes of the two governments during President Kikwete’s 10 years at the helm.

The meeting also approved the decision to have the NEC finalise the campaign blue-print to be launched by the President next month.