Nchimbi: A spear thrown in the forest

Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has a new secretary general in Dr Emmanuel Nchimbi, following the resignation from office of his immediate predecessor.

It is a remarkable turnaround in political fortunes for a man whose appointment as an ambassador was seen as a form of political exile after the dust from the political storms of 2015 had settled.

In many ways, he is the person CCM needs at a time of political transition and elections on the horizon.

To some, his political comeback was ‘inevitable’ after the abrupt exit of his immediate predecessor.

His vast experience within the party and having survived some of the most trying times within CCM, they see him as a person with the required skills set to survive factional battles at a time of endless whispers regarding CCM’s presidential candidate in 2025.

To some, his political comeback is a worrying sign of going back in time to the years of fierce factional battles within the CCM’s youth wing and their role in presidential politics.

Regardless of how one perceives his record within CCM, his return, in part, signifies that CCM’s chairperson is growing into her position, where she is willing to work with those who are not her political kindred spirits to get the outcome she desires.

Her message has struggled to get through to the intended audiences because within the party, there were no party stalwarts to make sure that they could sell it.

Most of the individuals she picked in her earlier secretariats were either idealists or those who were untested on political podiums.

They did not have name recognition and had sketchy records of delivering in prior assignments. Dr Nchimbi is none of the above.

The other part is that Dr Nchimbi’s return is a matter of political necessity and compromise.

His immediate predecessor was felled by, among other things, factions within the party and their succession plans post-2025.

When circumstances dictate, CCM’s deal makers have shown remarkable political maturity to coalesce around a compromise figure to sail the party through turbulent political times. 

He returns to a somewhat familiar political scene of public rallies and public demonstrations.

There is an opposition that is increasingly agitating for more open political space and a playing field that is relatively balanced.

Dr Nchimbi spoke of rank and file party members when he arrived in Dodoma.

It was clear to him that the party still struggles to reconnect with its most vulnerable but dependable members.

These are the people who turn up to vote every time there is an election but have been let down by years of political neglect.

From time to time they have ‘punished’ their party by not showing up to vote or voting for candidates from other political parties. He urged them to defend their party.

For that to happen, they must know and value the party they are defending.

CCM has rank and file members of many political stripes.

Some crossed the political divide to join the ruling party. Some were there right from the start. Some have never left the party regardless of what hand they were dealt with within the party.

Some are there for their own good. Some are there because of the party’s illustrious past. Some are there because they have always been suspicious of opposition parties.

Some are there because they simply do not think opposition parties have a decent chance of defeating CCM at the polls.

Put differently, not all CCM’s members know anything meaningful or useful about their political party.

There are those who have never cared about the party’s political ideology or it’s past. They live in the moment.

That is not to say that opposition parties have the most informed and committed members but at least their members will not expect any posh appointments in the government any time soon.

He mentioned corruption and that CCM is never afraid of changes. However he should know better than most that the party he leads now has always struggled and failed to root out corruption during its intra-party elections.

With changes, CCM frequently responds the same way many historical institutions do: warily and slowly. At times, they miss the opportunity altogether.

He has his work cut out for him. As such he is expected to offer stability and a degree of certainty.

There is no doubt that he is at home as far as politics is concerned.