CCM has no future for Tanzanians, opposition says

Tanzania’s opposition Chadema now says Tanzanians need better leadership that is all inclusive and development oriented.

While launching his presidential bid at the Jangwani grounds on Saturday, Chadema’s flag-bearer Edward Ngoyai Lowassa accused the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) of playing populist politics and offering nothing substantive to the electorate.

CCM has been in power for over half a century now and has been using the Julius Nyerere’s factor as the uniting factor to propel it to power. However, Chadema says time is up for the Nyerere doctrine since it has not had a positive impact on the lives of Tanzanians.

Lowassa said that Chadema aims at uniting all Tanzanians despite their political and social-economic differences, give a new life to the country’s economy and ensure the rule of law is observed and upheld by everybody regardless of their status in the society or ranking in the government.

Lowassa further said that Chadema will ensure basic services are a right to every citizen and not privileges as it has been in the past. He argued that services like healthcare, education, access to clean water and sanitation have been a reserve for the rich in the post-colonial Tanzania, something he says must change.

Poverty, according to Lowassa, has been Tanzania’s biggest undoing as over 70% on Tanzanians live below the poverty line while a majority of the population cannot afford a decent life. He says that Chadema has put in place measures to address poverty among them creating jobs for the youth and women as well as empowering the less privileged in the society.

“Poverty cannot be fought by shouting at it but by putting in place elaborate measures to address its causes,” said Lowassa in Swahili.

“Our competitors in CCM have been in power for over 50 years, they have been unable to address the biting question of poverty. We should not entrust them with our country any longer.”

Lowassa said that the Chadema will give priority to growing areas that contribute directly to the country’s economy like agriculture, small and medium enterprises, pastrolism, industry, fisheries and tourism.

He said that Chadema will create a friendly environment for investors saying that in the past, it was difficult to invest in Tanzania because of stringent government regulations that locked out both local and international investors.

Lowassa has been termed as CCM’s Dr. John Pombe Magufuli’s closest rival despite having served under outgoing President Jakwaya Kikwete’s as Prime Minister before resigning over corruption allegations.

Over the last one month, Lowassa’s political meetings have attracted thousands of supporters in what has been seen as a break from the past where political rallies have attracted very small numbers.

But will Lowassa take over as Tanzania’s fifth President? It is a wait-and-see situation as the electorate gears up for the parliamentary and presidential polls set for October 25^th this year.