The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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The ruling party in Tanzania, Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), has passed a resolution nominating President Samia Suluhu Hassan as its presidential candidate in the general elections expected to be held later this year.
The resolution was passed by the CCM General Assembly, which is the final decision-making body for the nomination of a presidential candidate through the party. The party has also endorsed Dr. Hussein Mwinyi to contest for the Presidency on behalf of Zanzibar.
The decision was made earlier than usual, and at a meeting that was not originally scheduled to have such decisions on its agenda. The meeting had one main agenda to approve the name of the Vice Chairman (Mainland) where veteran politician Stephen Wasira was approved to hold the position yesterday, Saturday.
Today, some delegates who were making their contributions on the implementation of the CCM election manifesto proposed to the meeting to approve President Samia and President Mwinyi as presidential candidates due to the progress they have managed.
Retired President Jakaya Kikwete, speaking as one of the party’s elders, insisted that CCM has the authority to choose its own candidate at any time. “This is within our power, to decide at any time, for example, our colleagues (of Swapo) in Namibia are holding elections to approve their candidate a whole year (before the election). Now we too can decide. The main thing is for the resolution to pass and we should get legal advice so that it is in line with the wishes of the electoral commission.”
This is the first time that CCM has approved presidential candidates so early in the year and in a session that was not specifically on its agenda. Usually, such decisions are made a few months before the start of the official general election campaign.
This move marks the first time in the history of the old party to field a female candidate for the presidency.
Image source,CCMA
The final phase for Samia and Mwinyi
Both Presidents Samia and Mwinyi are completing their first terms of office this year. And according to the party’s tradition, incumbent presidents are not given a chance to run for a second term.
President Samia assumed office in March 2021, immediately following the death of Tanzania’s former president John Pombe Magufuli. He assumed office in accordance with the constitution as the heir apparent to the presidency, in the capacity he held at the time as Vice President.
According to the Tanzanian constitution, since he has been in power for more than three years since Magufuli’s death, this period is considered his full term and he will be allowed to run for president only once.
“If the Vice President holds the office of President in accordance with the provisions of Article 37(5) for a period of less than three years, he shall be permitted to contest for the office of President twice, but if he holds the office of President for a period of three years or more, he shall be permitted to contest for the office of President only once,” explains the Tanzanian constitution.
Therefore, after being approved as a candidate today and if he wins the presidency in the elections expected to be held in October this year, President Samia’s term in office will end in 2030.
The same will be true for Zanzibar for President Mwinyi, who ran for the presidency for the first time in 2020, after going through a competitive primary within the party.
