Poll fraud bad for CCM, worse for us-Cheyo

Chairman of United Democratic Party (UDP), John Cheyo greets the CCM members during their congress in Dodoma yesterday

The Chairman of the Tanzania Centre for Democracy, John Cheyo has said if CCM allows itself to be devastated by election fraud, and then the opposition stands an even a greater chance of losing.

Addressing the CCM congress yesterday Cheyo said election fraud was increasingly becoming a problem. He called on the government to fight the vice so as to ensure that elections were free and fair.

On Saturday, CCM chairman Jakaya Kikwete called on national conference delegates to reject candidates who would tempt them with money.

A number of CCM members, including members of Parliament, were arrested by anti- corruption officers for allegedly bribing their way during the just ended district and regional party polls.

Cheyo, who is also the chairman of the opposition United Democratic Party and MP for Bariadi East, commended Kikwete for coming into the open to condemn corruption in his own party.

However, he appealed to the President to go further and tackle corruption in other kinds of elections.

?You should also scrutinize the other elections-councillorship, parliamentary and presidential elections. These are also unsafe,? he said.

Cheyo, who was among the invited opposition party leaders, said that if corruption would be allowed to take root, then the opposition would suffer most because their candidates didn?t possess enough resources to buy votes.

Cheyo, who was speaking on behalf of the opposition, also stressed the importance investing in peace.

Delivering her party`s message, President of Uganda People?s Congress, Miria Obote, commended Tanzania for sacrificing a lot for the African cause.

?Your commitment had freed Ugandans, Mozambicans, Angolans, South Africans and Namibia,? she said shedding tears as she remembered how she and her husband, the former president of Uganda Milton Obote, were sheltered in Tanzania when Idi Amin deposed her husband.

?We had nowhere to go but you welcomed us,? she said.
CCM national congress which ended last night was attended by 18 political parties from outside the country.

More than 50 diplomats accredited to Tanzania were also invited, plus leaders of eight opposition parties, which included UDP, PPT Maendeleo, NRA, TADEA, UMD, CUF and UPDP.

Meanwhile, CCM has amended its Constitution that will lead to increased women?s representation by 50 per cent.

The amendment was unanimously endorsed on Saturday by the party?s national congress.

Under the amendment, members of the East African Legislative Assembly will now automatically become members of the party national congress and other party organs.

According to the CCM constitution, MPS and members of the House of Representatives are automatic delegates to the national congress.

EALA members did not have such a privilege Under the amendment, retired presidents (union president and Zanzibar president) and will also become permanent members of the party`s central committee.

Under the CCM set up, the union president is the chairman of the party while the Zanzibar president is vice chairman.

The amendment also gives the party?s chairman powers to nominate five members as honorary members of the central committee.

This is the 12th amendment of CCM constitution since it was enacted in 1977.

As we went to press, the CCM national conference was still going on with the election of National Executive Committee members and top national party leaders. Results were expected well past midnight.