Ukawa stole the show on CCM’s big day

The first round of campaigns has come to an end. I hand it to the opposition coalition Ukawa, which has not even launched its drive. The coalition should thank its main rival, CCM, for this outcome.

Last Friday, I argued that CCM is wounded and in agony. The ruling party went ahead and proved it two days later, when it launched its campaign at Jangwani grounds in Dar es Salaam. The grand launch, addressed by former presidents Ali Hassan Mwinyi and Benjamin Mkapa, and outgoing Head of State Jakaya Kikwete, gave free points to the challenger, Ukawa, whose campaign is set to be launched tomorrow.

Ukawa managed to steal CCM’s big day on two grounds: Strategy and Sobriety. The opposition appears to have some smart political strategists, judging by the way they have played their cards in the first week.

Ali Trick Reversed

They have employed what I call the Ali Trick Reversed. The legendary American boxer Muhammad Ali (formerly Cassius Clay) used to knock out his opponents mainly by playing on their feelings before and during the fight.

Before the October 30, 1974, “Rumble in the Jungle” against world heavyweight champion George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire (now DR Congo), Ali said at a press conference: “I’ve done something new for this fight. I done wrestled with an alligator, I done tussled with a whale, handcuffed lightning and thrown thunder in jail. Only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalised a brick. I’m so mean, I make medicine sick.”

And during the fight, The Greatest—as Ali came to be known—retreated to the ropes and invited Foreman to hit him, covering up and counter-punching—all the while verbally taunting Foreman with the question, “Is that all you got, George? They told me you could hit.” The enraged Foreman threw punches aimlessly and, at round eight, Ali unleashed devastating punches that sent his tired challenger to the floor.

The Ukawa tricks might as well be “reverse” because, unlike Ali who used verbal attacks to infuriate his opponents, the opposition has provoked CCM into throwing insults at the Ukawa camp, making the ruling party cadres appear panicky.

Last Saturday, one day before CCM campaign launch, Ukawa set a trap that CCM easily fell into. It infuriated the party by welcoming former Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye, who announced that he had ditched CCM to help the opposition with his experience on how to run the government after the October 25 poll.

Stupid loafers

At the end of the mammoth rally, the take-home message—the catch-phrase that almost overshadowed all the good things CCM candidate John Magufuli and his running mate Samia Suluhu said—what went viral on social media were the words stupid and loafer. Former President Benjamin Mkapa referred to defectors, who have grown in number since Mr Lowassa decamped last month, as “stupid and loafers”.

They are unintelligent and good-for-nothing because they claim they want to liberate a country that was already liberated by Tanu and ASP, and CCM is continuing the good work, Mr Mkapa said.

Sober response

Mr Lowassa’s response, posted on social media, went this way: “Ukawa supporters and all good citizens, please forgive former President Benjamin Mkapa for calling people who are in the opposition stupid and good-for-nothing. Please don’t repay evil with evil. As I said before, we will conduct our campaign in a civilised manner and we will clearly chart where we have come from and where we are going.

“I ask you to share this message with all your groups to cool down emotions among Ukawa supporters. Anger is not a good thing. Sobriety and wisdom are vital in our quest to bring change.”

The following day, at 7am, Mr Lowassa and his running mate Juma Dunu Haji were at Gongo la Mboto daladala stand, where they commuted on public transport, shared some light moments with ordinary citizens and asked them their views and expectations in this year’s election.

“We’ve come to see you, our fellow loafers,” Mr Duni said, to thunderous applause from the crowd.

On Tuesday, the meet-the-people tour proceeded to Tandale, Tandika and Kariakoo markets—just to say hi to fellow loafers. Ukawa managed to project the “stupid loafer” remark meant to cut down the few defectors from CCM to all Tanzanians who want change. These antics tell stories about political strategy.

If you look at it carefully, the meet-the-people expedition that took the two leaders to mainly high density and low income areas of the city was quickly but painstakingly planned to connect with the man/woman on the street, the thinly-veiled message being “They don’t care about you, the poor. They call those of us who want change stupid.”

The Rumble in the Jungle went all the way to round eight. This campaign will also run for eight rounds (weeks). But a knockdown is not a knockout. The rumble continues. We will get to know the winner after October 25.

Songa wa Songa is a senior reporter with The Citizen. [email protected]