LOWASSA’S DEFECTION SHAKE OFF CHADEMA

 

By TIMES OBSERVER REPORTER

Dar es Salaam

THE sudden move of Mr Edward Lowassa to Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has shaken Chadema and the opposition camp in Tanzanian politics, with no one to turn to in the 2020Presidential Election, Times Observer can report.

Lowassa, former Premier and Chadema’s presidential candidate in the 2015 elections under the Unity for the Peoples’ Consitution (Ukawa), rejoined CCM on Friday, March 1, 2019, in a devastation move that has puzzled the opposition at large, especially at a time when the government under President Dr John Magufuli has made a number of changes for the peoples’ development.

Previously, Chadema had lost seven Members of Parliament and more than 50 Councilors who crossed the line to the ruling party, with one MP’s win being nullified by the High Court.

Even after standing for by-elections in the vacated wards and constituencies, Chadema and other opposition parties couldn’t stand a chance infront of CCM who in most cases was represented by the former representatives who crossed the line.

Reports from political circles say, at least 15 other parliamentarians from Chadema are set to join CCM befote the 202 general elections.

Defections among opposition MPs has continued to hot up in the past months and in total, nine legislatures have joined CCM in a couple of years. Apart from the seven Mps from Chadema, two MPs are from the Civic United Front (CUF).

All MPs who defected to CCM were successfully reinstated their positions include; Maulid Mtulia (Kinondoni-CUF), Dr Godwin Mollel (Siha-Chadema), Mwita Waitara (Ukonga-Chadema), Julius Kalanga Laizer (Monduli-Chadema) and Mr Zuberi Mohamedi Kuchauka (Liwale-CUF).

Others are Marwa Ryoba Chacha (Serengeti-Chadema), James ole Millya (Simanjiro-Chadema), Pauline Philipo Gekul (Babati Urban-Chadema) and Joseph Mkundi (Ukerewe-Chadema).

However, the MP for Longido (Chadema) Onesmo Ole Nangole’s 2015 parliamentary election victory was nullified by the High Court sitting in Arusha on June 29, 2017 on the ground that he had incited chaos in the voting room and tampered with ballot papers.

According to insiders, Chadema is set to lose a number of key propagandists who shook the nation in 2015 general election as most of them were supporting Lowassa since when he was still at CCM.

The faction groups were 4U Movement-Friends of Lowassa and Team Lowasa, which is said to be the biggest group even within CCM circles.

This, however, leaves Chadema with their usual propagandists – Bavicha – who now seem toothless and are not seen even on social media as they used to be.

“There are fifteen more parliamentarians who are on their way to join CCM from the opposition, particularly Chadema,” said an impeccable source within Chadema without mentioning their names.

Those who have been mentioned more than often that they are on their way to jump ship and join CCM include the Ubungo MP, Saed Kubenea, though he has been refuting the allegations.

While joining CCM last year, the Ukonga MP, Waitara Mwita, named Anthony Komu (Moshi Rural MP) that he was among those who will defect.

Others are Cecil Mwambe (Ndanda), Esther Bulaya (Bunda Urban), Joshua Nassari (Arumeru East), Jafary Michael (Moshi Urban), Wilfred Lwakatare (Bukoba Urban) and Isaya Mwita, the Dar es Salaam City Council Mayor.

But in the list there are other Mps from CUF, who are Magdalena Sakaya (Kaliua), Abdallah Mtolea (Temeke), Maftaha Nachuma (Mtwara Mjini) and Musa Mbarouk (Tanga Mjini) who for a long time have been in a leadership conflict between the party’s Secretary General Seif Sharrif Hamad and chairma Prof Ibrahim Lipumba.

Credit Source: Times Observer