Yesterday, the party's chairman and former president Jakaya Kikwete whose chairmanship ends today, chaired his last NEC meeting that saw Dr Magufuli receiving support from all members. CCM will get its new chairman after the party's National Congress convenes here today, the spokesperson of the party, Christopher Ole Sendeka, said at a press briefing yesterday.
In what appears to be yet another milestone in the circles of politics in the country, Tanzanians will be glued to their Television sets to witness the two leaders handing over leadership to each other. According to Mr Ole Sendeka, all local television stations and more than 50 radio stations had by yesterday confirmed to broadcast live the CCM National Congress.
As per the party's constitution, for a person to be confirmed by delegates of the national congress, he or she must garner more than half of the total vote casts. According to Mr Ole Sendeka, there was no doubt whatsoever, Dr Magufuli will get a landslide victory from the party members because of his flawless record in leadership.
According to him, after his name was endorsed by NEC members, Dr Magufuli was given time to thank the NEC members where he pledged to collaborate with every member in ensuring that the party remained strong. Usually, before voting for the new chairperson of the party, two influential people within the party ought to be given time to request for votes for the proposed name.
A person who is vying for that position is not supposed to request for votes due to the fact that he or she did not ask to be elected. It is only the party's Central Committee (CC) and later the National Executive Committee (NEC) that proposes the name of a person to be elected by delegates at the party's National Congress that meets today at the Dodoma Convention Centre.
As per the party's constitution, Mr Kikwete who is the current chairperson was supposed to continue with his leadership until 2017, but he decided to relinguish his position to allow Dr Magufuli to take over. President Magufuli will become the fifth chairperson of the party after Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Benjamini Mkapa and Mr Kikwete who is handing over the leadership to Dr Magufuli later today.
Earlier yesterday, when opening the NEC meeting, the outgoing chairman thanked the party members for their support during his leadership, saying he would attend the NEC meetings only on official invitation from his immediate successor.
"This is a historic meeting because it is my last meeting with you as the party's chairman. We decided that after accomplishing our duties we stay aside in our elders council and we can only attend meetings when need arises.
He said he had faced challenges in leadership especially towards the end of last year when there were factions within the party during the presidential nomination. Mr Kikwete said if CCM did not collapse last year, it will never do so.
"Whether you like it or not, CCM will continue to be strong not because of force but it is because of the important things that we have been doing for our people. We have been putting things in order for our people, that is why we have continued to win their trust,'' said Mr Kikwete.
He challenged Dr Magufuli to remain firm in leadership telling him that there are times where as the top leader of the party he will face problems and challenges.
"I remember last year when I chaired a meeting members started singing songs in protest of the meeting, but later because of my wisdom things came back in order.”
He was alluding to an incident when the party members started chanting songs when the name of the now Chadema member Edward Lowassa was axed from the presidential nomination within the ruling party. Mr Kikwete, who was in a jovial mood, took a swipe at some newspapers that were publishing imaginary stories against the ruling party.
"I read one of the local newspapers that published a story with a headline 'Magufuli's appointment to be quashed by NEC. These were mere rumours because there are people with their own industries that have been manufacturing lies,'' he said.
Meanwhile, preparations for the first historic Heroes Day have been finalised and after politics within CCM, President Magufuli is expected to officiate at the function tomorrow in Dodoma.
Dodoma Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Jordan Rugimbana, told reporters yesterday that the Heroes Day would kick off from 6:00 am to 10:00 am, thanking the government for choosing Dodoma as the first region to mark the event in the country. The RC was speaking during a rehearsal of the military parade mounted in honour of Dr Magufuli at Mashujaa Grounds in Dodoma.
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