Nyalandu warns CCM against divisions

Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Lazaro Nyalandu has said the race to succeed President Jakaya Kikwete should not divide CCM members and instead it should unite them.

Nyalandu, who has picked up CCM presidential nomination forms, said the huge turn up of CCM members for the presidential race is proof that the party has a good number of leaders in its ‘stock’ who can lead the nation.

He said despite a huge turn up of CCM cadres for the presidential race only one person will, at the end of the day, be nominated by the party as its flag bearer and every CCM member will be required to rally behind him or her.

Nyalandu, one of the middle aged ministers in President Kikwete’s government, made the remarks yesterday in Musoma, Mara Region in his tour to seek sponsors in fulfillment of the party’s election regulations.

 “My dear brothers and sisters, everyday our leaders insist to place ahead the party’ s interests.

So many cadres are participating in this race with high hopes to be nominated. But, at the end of the day only one person is going to be picked by the party,” Nyalandu insisted.

He said the nomination process within CCM was democratic and was in line the party’s rules and regulations. “At the end of this process we are going to be one.”

“Divisions among CCM members, if condoned, would bring negative and horrendous consequences to the party,” the minister underlined, amid applause from CCM members who turned up to receive him. He said that he was all out to ensure he unites all Tanzanians and speed up development.

 He said Tanzania was blessed with abundant natural resources such as wildlife, minerals, water bodies and natural gas but human beings (Tanzanians) were the most important resource.

“Today I am here in Mara, a region with great history for the nation. We all know that the Father of the Nation hails from this region. Therefore it is my hope and our duty to cherish all what Mwalimu  Nyerere advocated for,” he said.

“No one knows who the next president will be except God,” he further asserted. adding that due to that fact it was meaningless for CCM members and Tanzanians at large to quarrel about the issue, he added.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY