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Mkapa: CCM still stands strong
2006-06-26 08:59:54
By Bilal Abdul-Aziz, Dodoma
Former CCM chairperson, Benjamin Mkapa yesterday scoffed at critics claiming the party had lost its direction.
Delivering his final speech as CCM chairman, a few hours before handing over the baton to the new Chairperson, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, at the CCM national congress in Dodoma, Mkapa said the party was on the right course and has the support of farmers and workers of this country.
’’Have we lost the direction? No!.. We haven’t insulted our Founding Father of the Nation nor have we let down farmers and workers of this country,” insisted Mkapa, in his eloquent, historic and moving speech.
He conceded that there were conflicting opinions within the party, but the situation was understandable.
’’It is democracy within the party. Opposing opinions stimulate constructive debate for a stronger party,’’ he said.
Mkapa said the continued support from the people as proved in the last three multi-party elections and the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar, prove that CCM is strong, despite a few anomalies.
’’I believe that the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar is a good test of the CCM strength,’’ he said.
He reminded the delegates that the party was established to fulfill a number of responsibilities including building a country of farmers and workers, as provided for in the Vision 2025 development strategy.
He said the party has struggled to capitalise its four key resources - people, land, good policies and governance, but said the country urgently needs capital as its fifth resource.
Mkapa said he was happy to hand over a united CCM to President Kikwete, adding that after setting his priorities, the President should hold both leadership of the party and the government.
He said he was stepping down prematurely to give President Kikwete full powers so he could effectively implement his strategies towards establishment of the East African Community (EAC) federation and involvement in activities of various international bodies.
Mkapa follows steps of the Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and the second-phase president, Ali Hassan Mwinyi, who stepped down voluntarily from presidency and party duties in 1985 and 1995 respectively.
Meanwhile, the Seventh CCM National Congress presented yesterday two retired presidents, Ali Hassan Mwinyi and Benjamin Mkapa, with a high CCM award in recognition of their contribution to the party’s progress.
The member of the Central Committee (CCM), Abdulrahman Kinana, announced this when reading declarations of the Seventh CCM Congress
Among other things, the congress called for stern measures against party members who intentionally disobey the CCM constitution.
He also appealed for increased female representation in decision making bodies to 50 per cent by 2010.
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