THE CCM National Chairman, President Benjamin Mkapa, said here yesterday that he strongly believes that the party presidential candidate chosen yesterday will be the next president of Tanzania, scooping most of his votes from the youth.
He, however, warned of an impending danger for CCM to lose the ranks of leadership, if it continued to embrace the system of “recycling old guards” and challenged delegates to the one-day CCM extraordinary National Congress to produce an upright and capable president, not one who is out of touch with the times.
“CCM should march with the times, deliberately opening its leadership ranks to new blood. If we recycle ourselves election after election, our young people will lose hope and faith in us, believing the generation gap cannot be bridged and hence try their luck with the opposition camp,” he said as delegates and guests in the giant Chimwaga Hall listened attentively.
In his opening speech at the congress, Mr Mkapa said: “I am sure our candidate will be the next president. Our members know this; our people know this; foreign countries know this; the media know this; and even opposition parties know and admit this fact.
“If we choose carefully, we are guaranteed to win and to form the next government,” Mr Mkapa said.
In his 20-minute carefully-worded speech, Mr Mkapa outlined five additional qualities of a good CCM presidential candidate, on top of the 13 qualifications for CCM presidential candidates set by the National Executive Committee last February.
He mentioned them as a candidate who can be elected by all citizens, of a all political parties, and others with no political affiliation, who is electable on both sides of the union in a multiparty election.
Other additional qualities that he mentioned yesterday include a candidate who is not just a CCM member, but one who has committed love for the party, the Union and Zanzibar Revolution.
He then pleaded with the delegates to consider the profile of the electorate which, he said, is largely composed of young people and warning that if they are not given the kind of the presidential candidate they want, then they are likely to drift into the opposition camp.
“It is the young people who have most to gain from the kind of leadership we are going to have. Let us ask themselves what young Tanzanians want from their leaders. If we give them what they want, or what will give them hope for the future they will continue to vote for our candidates. If not, they will drift into the opposition camp,” Mr Mkapa said.
Emphasising on that point, he said CCM is the oldest party, but as long as it embraces the needs and hopes of different generations, it will continue to be attractive to all age groups.
“Ask yourself if the person you want to vote is not a hypocrite, is not hateful and vengeful, and is not short-tempered. He should be calm and collected, who listens carefully before making decisions,” he said as he read his speech eloquently, loudly and without mincing words.
Mr Mkapa then turned on the fourth additional quality, saying much as other countries do not have the right to choose a president for Tanzania, much care should be taken in picking the next president since his/her attitude towards the problems of the country's neighbours can have an impact on prospects for peace and development.
