|
Mkapa to give CCM baton to Kikwete today
2006-06-25 10:08:08
By Bilal Abdul-Aziz, Dodoma
The ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), is set to elect President Jakaya Kikwete its new chairperson today, following the premature retirement of its current boss, Benjamin Mkapa.
A total of 1,799 party members from around the country, are attending the meeting at the Chimwaga Conference Hall, a few kilometres from Dodoma town.
Mkapa, earlier this year revealed his intention to step down before the end of his official term in office next year and his successor, the current President, Kikwete, was nominated to fill the post.
However, he is due to announce officially the intention before members of the CCM national congress today, a few hours before his successor, Kikwete, is voted for the party’s top most job.
The out-going head, Mkapa, will give his final speech, as chairperson, in which, among other things, he is expected to review his party stewardship, outline successes, bottlenecks and possibly drop proposals for a positive way forward for his successor and the party in general.
Mkapa is following the steps of the father of the nation, the late Julius Nyerere and the second-phase President, Ali Hassan Mwinyi,who stepped down voluntarily from presidency and party duties in 1985 and 1995 respectively.
He is expected to give an eloquent speech this morning, as he promised when offically opening the Congress yesterday.
’’I will speak more when officially announcing my intention to step down tomorrow,’’ he said.
Opening the Congress, Mkapa commended the fourth-phase government for increasing the number of females in key decision making bodies, like Parliament and Cabinet.
However, the out-going CCM boss challenged the political Opposition to emulate the CCM example, saying that the initiative should be replicated and sustained for the country’s best future.
He expressed optimism that the Congress would act as an important impetus for the seccessful and bright future of the country’s leading political party, since independence in 1961.
Presenting report of the Union Government, the Prime Minister, Edward Lowassa, said the government has put and would continue putting in place necessary measures for implementing the CCM election manifesto.
However, he said the fourth-phase government faces major challenges, including drought, power crisis, rising crime levels, environmental degradation and rising education needs.
In his presentation on the Zanzibar government activities, the Chief Minister, Shamsi Vuai Nahodha, said the isles government made a number of strides over the past few years.
He said the Zanzibar government was now concentrating in improving higher education and stimulating the economic growth to make it modern and competitive.
The Seventh Ordinary CCM Conference, which started yesterday in the country’s designated capital, Dodoma today will, among other things, elect Kikwete the new chairperson of the party.
The National Executive Committee of CCM unanimously nominated Jakaya Kikwete, currently the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, the sole candidate for the post.
The nomination was made in accordance with articles 108(13(a) and 110(6)(a) of the CCM Constitution of 2005 and with due consideration of rule 1 of the CCM Election Rules of 2005.
Only Kikwete’s name will be submitted to members of the Congress for election this evening.
The Congress is essentially a working meeting, whereby members received the report on party work and deliberate on the implementation of the 2000 CCM Manifesto, among others.
The meeting started shortly after 10am and is expected to end end tomorrow at around 6.00pm, the Congress schedule shows.
The major events yesterday included the presentations of the CCM election manifestor, by CCM Secretary-General Philip Mangula, and reports of activities of the Union and the Zanzibar governments.
Before the presentations, one of the members of the Congress organizing committees, Jackson Msome, announced winners of the party’s competition on various categories.
The categories are regional best performance in last year’s elections, party meetings, writing new members and prompty payment of membership fees.
Regions, which emerged winners include, Iringa, Singida, Rukwa, Kusini Unguja, Kaskazini Unguja, Mjini Magharibi, Mwanza, Dar es Salaam and Shinyanga.
Others are Mtwara, Kilimanjaro, Kagera, Ruvuma, Mara, Pwani, Tabora, Arusha, Tanga and Mbeya.
Congress members also were given an opportunity to debate the three presentations.
The genaral schedule for the Congress shows votes will be cast tomorrow and the new chairperson is scheduled to address the congress at the last hour of the congress, from 17 to 18 hours.
Meanwhile, the CCM Regional Chairman for Mwanza, Ntemi Mgema, is dead . Mgema died yesterday.
His death was announced yesterday by CCM Secretary-General, Philip Mangula at the party’s National Congress in Dodoma.
Funeral details are yet to be released. The National Chairman, Benjamin Mkapa, led party members attending the Congress in observing one-minute silence to remember the CCM leader, shortly before he opened the meeting.
|
