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Crucial CCM meeting: Musoma overwhelmed
2008-03-29 09:49:07
By Lusekelo Philemon, Musoma
Members of the National Executive Committee of the ruling CCM were still streaming into this municipality by late yesterday, ready for a two-day ordinary meeting scheduled for Butiama village - over 30km from here - beginning today.
Both the municipality and Butiama, Founding Father Mwalimu Julius Nyerere`s home village, are overwhelmed by the hundreds of the party`s officials, plain NEC members and their assistants arriving for the powerful committee`s meeting.
The CCM National Chairman, President Jakaya Kikwete, is expected to chair the crucial meeting.
Insiders interviewed yesterday said everything was set for the meeting, the first such to be held in this part of the country.
The eyes and ears of most Tanzanians and Tanzania watchers in different parts of the world are focused on the meeting, believing that it will come up with important decisions or resolutions that would shed crucial light for the country`s future.
Items widely expected to be high on the agenda of the meeting include disciplinary and other action to be taken against CCM and other public officials named in connection with the corruption scam involving Richmond Development Company.
This is the enigmatic firm controversially contracted to supply emergency electricity to the national grid.
Among the heavyweights whose names are likely to be mentioned are immediate former prime minister Edward Lowassa, immediate former Energy and Minerals minister Nazir Karamagi, and immediate former East African Cooperation minister Ibrahim Msabaha.
All three resigned following last month`s tabling in the National Assembly in Dodoma of the report of the parliamentary select committee that probed the scandal allegations.
The powerful committee also is expected to discuss the reports of the embezzlement of a staggering 133 billion/- from the Bank of Tanzania`s External Payments Arrears (EPA), out of which more than 60bn/- is said to have been recovered.
Another topical issue likely to feature prominently at the meeting is progress on the peace accord, popularly known as `Muafaka`, between CCM and the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) over the political stand-off in Zanzibar since the 2005 General Elections.
The NEC is expected to endorse an arrangement meant to end the stalemate and set the stage for a more conducive political environment and improved relations among Zanzibaris.
A quick survey by The Guardian shows that the prices of most consumables and public transport services in both the municipality and Butiama have skyrocketed following higher demand.
The rise is especially noticeable in respect of food items and hotel accommodation
Bus fares from Mwanza to Musoma have risen from 5,000/- one way on average to as much as three times the amount, while taxi drivers within the municipality have also inflated their charges.
Hotels and guest houses here are packed with NEC members, who number just under 200, and scores of other CCM leaders and members - many saying they are on special assignment.
Local residents have received the fast unfolding dramatic events with mixed feelings, with traders happy that they are reaping a short-lived windfall and the most of the rest having to silently bear the brunt of the inflated prices.
Heavy rains are reported falling in most parts of Mara Region, the entire Lake Victoria zone and elsewhere in the country.
This has forced some NEC members out to make it to Butiama by road or railway from various parts of the country to make more stopovers than is usually necessary.
As usually happens, the NEC meeting was preceded by that of the ruling party`s Central Committee.
The earlier meeting was held at Butiama under Kikwete`s chairmanship.
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