CCM Ideology and Publicity Secretary Nape Nnauye.The stage is now set for a bruising battle between two rival parties as campaigns for Kalenga by-election kicks-off in style today.
The ruling CCM and the strong opposition party
Chadema are expected to engage in a massive push-and-shove. However,
Chadema yesterday publicly accused CCM of foul play as preparations for
launch of election campaigns were ongoing. Chadema officials claimed
that CCM had already hired goons from all over the country, who,
according to Chadema head of election operations in Kalenga
constituency, Benson Kigaila, were preparing to cause mayhem by way of
attacking Chadema supporters at every opportunity.
He said his party had reliably learnt that there
was serious military training carried on by CCM at Ihemi camp in Kihanga
Village, Mgama Ward.
The training, according to him, was for preparing a gang of youths who would savage opposition supporters during the campaigns.
But in a quick rejoinder, although CCM Ideology
and Publicity Secretary Nape Nnauye dismissed the Chadema allegations,
insisting that his party had no plan whatsoever to create chaos in the
Kalenga by-election. “It is Chadema leaders who have been engaging in
such acts and I wonder why they are complaining,’’ he said.
Kalenga constituency fell vacant following the
death of Dr William Mgimwa who also doubled as Finance minister. Dr
Mgimwa died last month in South Africa where he was undergoing
treatment.
The flag bearer for CCM in the by-election
scheduled for March 16 is Mr Godfrey Mgimwa, son of the late Finance
minister. The younger Mgimwa who now wants to replace his father, will
battle it out with Chadema’s candidate in Kalenga by-election, Ms Grace
Mvanda
Yesterday, Chadema also took a swipe at President
Kikwete’s call to members of the ruling party to shun weakness in the
face of alleged opposition attacks especially during polls campaigns.
It fears that might be intepreted as a call CCM members to engage in violence even without provocation.
According to Mr Kigaila, the statement by the
President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, was
against the rule of law and was likely to instigate chaos in Kalenga
by-election.
He said the head of State should retract his
statement within a period of three days. But Mr Nnauye said Mr Kikwete
would not withdraw his statement.
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