Three Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) members yesterday declared their intention to enter the Union presidential race as three others collected nomination forms from the party’s headquarters in Dodoma to contest for the country’s top post.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Bernard Membe
The new entrants bring the number of aspirants for the presidency on CCM ticket to at least 15. Foreign Affairs and international Cooperation Minister Bernard Membe, speaking at a public rally at CCM Grounds in Lindi, said he was determined to serve Tanzanians ‘’from the sacred office at Magogoni in Dar es Salaam,’’ stressing that his priority will be on transforming the country into an industrial economy.
Mr Membe promised to use natural resources, especially gas and oil to transform the economy. “I have decided to declare my target to enter the high office after soul searching and survey through, which I have concluded that I have all the required qualities to make a good president.” Also launching his journey to the State House in Dar es Salaam yesterday,
Deputy Minister for Science, Communication and Technology January Makamba, said he was ready to lead Tanzanians to the next level, saying the party had prepared him adequately for the job.
“I want to lead a team of patriotic Tanzanians founded on the philosophy of broadly facilitating and empowering the people,” said Mr Makamba, boasting of integrity by birth.
“My government will contribute on empoweringpeople to make decisions, where to live, take children to school … we will build the capacity of ordinary people to take part in their country’s future,” he said in his live televised speech from Mlimani City Shopping Mall, pledging to lead a corruption-free government.
Nzega Member of Parliament (MP), Dr Hamisi Kigwangallah, speaking from Ngega, said his envisaged government will focus on education and providing all Tanzanians with health insurance within the first year in office.
He further promised to put in place local industries not based on foreign investments, fight poverty by creating more jobs. “We will have major objectives like having capacity to build our lives, we will put in place a fiscal regime that favours and empowers ordinary people,” he said.
Mr Membe said the gas should not be meant for electricity only but it should be a resource used to improve industries to produce consumable goods. Mr Membe emphasised on the importance of working closely with a private sector once elected, since he believe they are a key national economic development.
“I am a true believer in the importance of private and public sector for national development, if only you have a strong relationship in which the two will work to achieve set national development goals,” he quipped.
He added: ‘The private sector will have to be empowered so that they have strong capitals which will make it be able to support the people with soft loans to come up with micro industries and in so doing create employment.”
Mr Kigwangallah promised to ensure that gender equality is attained whereas culprits of gender harassment will be dealt with accordingly, while he would empower women economically so that they can handle their affairs independently.
Mr Membe said he will not feel shy to take into relevant legal bodies those involved in corrupt practices, adding that he will call for amendment of the corruption act whereas those receiving bribe will be the offenders. “I will be very tough on corruption and I will show that by action.
All those implicated once let free by the country will be retired on public interest for openness and good governance,’’ the foreign minister told his audience.
He issued an ultimatum to albino killers, rapists, drug dealers, armed robbers and terrorists, saying a system will be set in place whereby sophisticated equipment will be in place to trace offenders.
Independence-time cabinet minister and long-serving administrator, Mzee George Kahama, said at the occasion that the presidency was an institution that should be respected and not the one to rush to without careful planning, as it needed someone with integrity and patriotism to hold it.
“Membe has the presidential quality; that is why I am here to support him in his move to seek party clearance and stand as its candidate during the October general elections,” said Mzee Kahama, popularly known as Sir George.
The Lindi Regional CCM Chairman, Mr Ally Mtopa, told the rally that when the time comes, they should support Membe ‘’for the road of excellence.’’ Mr Makamba pledged that the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) reports should ensure that if anyone’s organisation is implicated in CAG reports, they should be held accountable.
He said he will put up a national economic council with economic experts and people from the private sector. On peace and stability, he pledged that he would start a presidential forum with all religious groups to meet him every two months to discuss on peace and security. On employment, he said there are 900,000 young people fed into the job market each year
Source: allafrica.com