CCM has reached Political Menopause, the signs are clear!

Nicodemus Minde

It is said that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks. The grand old party of Tanzania Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has been 'rebranding' itself. The party was in Dodoma in its National Executive Committee meetings where they 'elected new' members to serve as the party secretary, deputy party secretary and secretary for foreign relations. The quest for rebranding the now out of touch political outfit has been met with mixed reactions. The party and its top officials have been marred with graft and corrupt allegations, something that has really undermined it otherwise dwindling fortunes. The party has been on a roll of blaming its adversaries on witch-hunt. Its national chairman, President Jakaya Kikwete has failed miserably to provide leadership and sound judgement on methods of making the party regain former glories.

My thesis is that the party has reached its political menopause and it is finding hard to grapple with the reality of life. A story is told of the old lion and sly fox. In the hey days, the fox enjoyed abundant fortunes that came with the lion's grit and prowess in hunting. The fox could just wait for the spoils after the lion had hunted. Life was good! When the lion grew old and lost its mane and great hunting techniques, the fox knew that it had to invent a new way to survive. The sly fox one day persuaded a donkey to come vist the lion so that the lion could prey on it and the two could have a meal. This is what has become of CCM, it has now resulted to going back to the old guards who have lost their tegritude. The party elected with absolute majority former secretary Philip Mangula to the post of party vice chairperson of the mainland and another old guard Abdulrahman Kinana as the new Secretary General replacing 'the out-of-touch' Mukama. The other new members are former Finance Minister Zakia Menghji and Dr. Asha Rose Migiro. 

CCM has lost vision. It is a clear indication that it lacks visionary leadership. A clear indication that its days are numbered and as Jenerali Ulimwengu puts it, the party is showing its age and its creaking under the weight of long incumbency and just like the titanic, the iceberg lurks unseen and its a matter of when that the great party shall sink.