CCM defends Mkapa, asks Butiku to follow channels

Former President Benjamin Mkapa

Barely three days after the Executive Director of Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation, Joseph Butiku, challenged former President Benjamin Mkapa to come out and defend himself against the allegations that he privatised the ruling party to businessmen, Chama Cha Mapinduzi yesterday surfaced to clear his name over the claims.

CCM also asked Butiku to follow party procedures of presenting such serious accusations instead of using the media.

``If there was anything burning and if he can`t follow the party procedures, then the party will follow him so that he tells it what he thinks wasn`t going well,`` said Aggrey Mwanri, CCM�s Ideology and Publicity Secretary.

Mwanri made the reaction when speaking at CCM offices in Mwanza yesterday, while on his way to Shinyanga Region.
He said the claims made against Mkapa through the media had no truth and were baseless.

However Mwanri refuted to comment over other allegations levelled against Mkapa that while he was at the State house he embarked on business other than what he was constitutionally entitled to do.

He therefore concentrated much to respond on the allegations that concerned Mkapa as a retired CCM chairman and not as a former President.

``We all respect retired President Benjamin Mkapa for the good job that he did for the ten years in his service of strengthening the country`s economy and bringing economic revolution in the country,`` he said.

Mwanri said Mkapa performed his duty well as CCM chairman. ``It is not true that he left the party to the businesses or the rich as claimed,`` said Mwanri.

``We are saying CCM is still a party for the farmers and workers of Tanzania, though inside our constitution, we consider some groups like those of the business community,`` he noted.

``In the current multiparty system, you can not continue to say CCM is for the farmers and workers alone and leave out the businesspersons,`` he noted.

He said the business community needed also to join the party as far as they followed the party`s constitution.

While holding a weekly newspaper that published the allegations levelled against Mkapa and quoting Butiku`s letter, Mwanri said: ``It`s very unfair to say that Mkapa was selling the party to businesspersons.

``Our party is a mass party, therefore every one has a right to join as far as s/he accomplishes the laid down conditions,`` he said.
He urged Butiku to follow party�s laid down channels before making such heavily embedded allegations.

``Every CCM member who thinks that there is something that is annoying him/her the door is open for him or her to bring it before the party`s committees. We use the committee to discuss our issues and not other wise,`` Mwanri cautioned.

He added that he had not seen a letter from Butiku in one of party committees. ``If it's true that Butiku has an issue that he wanted to speak therefore there were proper channels for him to present it or even to see the CCM secretary general. Even us we would follow him,`` he said.

Mwanri's reaction came after Butiku, challenged the former
President to come out before the public and clear all the graft allegations leveled against him.

``I personally don�t believe that Mkapa conducted business during his reign at the State House.

However I believe it would be noble of him to come out and clear the air,`` Butiku said before a press conference he held in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday.