Mbeto: It Is Wrong to Think Democracy Means CCM Must Lose

By Our Correspondent, Zanzibar

The ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), has said that if the opposition interprets democracy as meaning that CCM must lose elections and surrender councillorship, parliamentary and representative seats, then such an interpretation is neither correct nor logical.

CCM also declared that it cannot be defeated by political parties that were formed in 1992, arguing that such parties do not yet possess the strength to unseat a party that has remained in power for more than sixty years.

The remarks were made by the Secretary of the Zanzibar NEC Special Committee, Department of Ideology, Publicity and Training, Khamis Mbeto Khamis, while speaking to journalists at his office in Kisiwandui, Unguja Island.

Mbeto said the strength of any political party anywhere in the world is determined by its age and stability, human and financial resources, investments and economic ventures, sound policies, strong organization and a solid political network.

He said CCM is a well-established party with networks across Tanzania, abundant human resources, investments and economic ventures, making it difficult to be defeated by parties established in 1992.

“It is surprising to hear the opposition claiming that their votes are being stolen. These parties are still politically immature and do not have the capacity to compete with CCM. Even young football teams cannot withstand the pressure of playing against Simba or Yanga on the field,” said Mbeto.

Without mentioning the name of a specific opposition party, he alleged that one party managed to purchase a new office building using government subsidies provided by CCM-led administrations, while at the same time boasting that it has the ability to remove CCM from power.

When asked whether CCM-led governments are prepared to implement constitutional, electoral, institutional and election law reforms, Mbeto responded that they are ready, but not as a result of pressure or threats.

“President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan has promised that before leaving office in 2030, Tanzania will have a new Constitution. But even if a new Constitution, system reforms and legal changes are introduced, the opposition will still not have the ability to defeat CCM,” he explained.

The publicity secretary further stated that if democracy, according to the opposition’s interpretation, only means CCM losing elections, then the opposition parties will have to wait many years because CCM will continue to enjoy public support and remain in power.

“I heard ACT Wazalendo Chairman Othman Masoud Othman claiming that CCM imposed itself in power. Ask him how exactly CCM imposed itself. Wasn’t an election conducted? Didn’t parties participate? Didn’t the Electoral Commission announce the winner?” he questioned.

Mbeto also claimed that the ACT Wazalendo presidential candidate in Zanzibar lacked the qualities needed to defeat CCM’s presidential candidate, President Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, yet continued to insist that his votes had been stolen.

“Which votes were stolen from Othman? Where was he when the votes were allegedly stolen? Where are those votes and why didn’t he arrest those responsible? If stealing votes were that easy, why did he and his party fail to steal them?” he asked.

However, the CCM publicity secretary described Othman as a relatively new politician in Zanzibar’s presidential race, lacking both national and international popularity within ACT Wazalendo, and argued that based on Zanzibar’s political history, he is not widely recognized or accepted.