Did CCM cheat Tanzania voters to win 2015 elections?

By Osoro Nyawangah, MWANZA Tanzania

Tanzania’s incumbent President, John Magufuli, Thursday August 7 picked presidential nomination forms from the National Electoral Commission (NEC) headquarters in Dodoma intending to defend the position for the last five-year term in the country’s coming general elections.

Addressing his party cadres immediately after picking the forms, President Magufuli who is also the Chama Cha Mapinduzi party Chairman explained that the party he leads had done a lot in the implementation of the 2015/2020 Election Manifesto.

“I have decided to seek an additional five years in office so that I can supervise the implementation of all pending development projects that are still at the implementation stage.” He said.

Talking at the CCM headquarters, Magufuli reiterated that he had decided to seek another term in office because he didn’t see any person who could facilitate the accomplishment of the pending projects that he had initiated since he took the highest office in the land five years ago.

Looking back at the 2015/2020 CCM Election Manifesto, it is obvious that the party cheated Tanzania voters in 2015 after failing to implement crucial social welfare, economic and poverty alleviation projects that it promised. 

According to its 50,000 word Election Manifesto, CCM government promised to focus on four issues: tackling youth unemployment; alleviating rural poverty; combating corruption; and maintaining peace and stability.

The Tanzanian general election of 2015 was the 5th quinquennial election to be held since the restoration of the multi-party system in 1992. Voters elected the president, members of Parliament, and local government councillors.

In the 2015/2020 CCM Election Manifesto section 52 (i)(i) the party and its flag bearers John Magufuli (President) and Samia Suluhu (Vice-President) promised to ensuring access to basic education to all children by reducing dropouts from 8.2% in 2015 to 2% in 2020.

In section 52 (i)(ii) the same leaders promised to re-accommodate back to school all pregnant schoolgirls.

A law passed in 2002 allows for the expulsion of pregnant schoolgirls. The law says the girls can be expelled and excluded from school for "offences against morality" and "wedlock".

In June 2017, President Magufuli went against his promise to the country by publicly banning pregnant schoolgirls from readmission to school. “As long as I am president … no pregnant student will be allowed to return to school … After getting pregnant, you are done.” He told a rally in Chalinze town.

Women’s groups and Human Rights activists in the country said the ban is out of touch with public opinion and breaks international human rights conventions. It also contradicts a promise set out in the ruling party’s 2015/2020 CCM Election Manifesto, which pledged to allow pregnant school girls to continue with their studies.

According to the Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics’ Women and Men Facts And Figures, 2018 the average primary school completion rate for girls is 53% compared and 47% percent for boys.

In Education Challenge published by UNICEF Tanzania; girls, the poorest children, children with disabilities and children living in underserved communities are most vulnerable to dropping out of school or never going to school.

Early marriage and pregnancy keep girls out of school. Adolescent pregnancy led to almost 3,700 girls dropping out of primary and secondary education in 2016. More than one third of all girls are married by the age of 18, but girls from poor families are twice more likely to be married early than girls from wealthier homes. 

Other ‘fake’ promise that helped the ruling party win the election was pledge to disburse 50 million shillings to every village in the country.

In the election, John Magufuli of CCM scooped 8,882,935 votes (58.46%) with Edward Lowassa of opposition (CHADEMA) emerging second with 6,072,848 votes (39.97%). Magufuli’s party won 252 seats in the National Assembly, Chadema (70), CUF (42), ACT-Wazalendo (1) and NCCR-Mageuzi(1).

In section 57(d) of the manifesto, the party promised to disburse 50 million shillings as revolving fund to every village in the country for loans to entrepreneurs through Savings and Credit Co-Operative Societies (SACCOS).

In the 2016/2017 government budget (section 59) tabled by Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Philip Mpango, the minister confirmed that 59 billion shillings was set aside to address one of poverty alleviation cluster policies that reduce income poverty and increase economic growth.

In July 2019 the CCM Secretary General, Dr. Bashiru Ally, the government and party leaders for the Moshi Rural constituency that the money had been used to improve rural livelihoods through the construction of roads, health, water and education infrastructure.

“I can confirm that we have already disbursed the funds in excess, and we did not mean that we will give them to each villager,” Ally said.

Another promise that CCM failed to abide with is to solve unemployment to the youth as promised in section 60 of the 2015/2020 CCM Election Manifesto.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics’ Employment Estimates in Tanzania Mainland 2018, the projections reveals that unemployment rate in the country stood at 9.7%.

The party promised among others; all district, municipal and city councils set aside proper areas for respective income generating activities and enable all youths’ SACCOS get loans.

To enable all graduates from colleges or universities establish companies with respect to their skills and provide them with capital from financial institutions.

Young people who want to make their own jobs by starting businesses often struggle to find access to affordable loans, or loans in general. This is partially due to a lack of collateral. High interest rates also make it difficult for young people to repay their loans on time.

After 38 years in power, CCM believed it still had much to offer to Tanzanians, it has failed miserably in the named areas and others that will be analysed - Africa