By Lake Zone Watch Writer
The days of Chadema leaders who have overstayed in power are numbered as the opposition party’s vice-chairman, Tundu Lissu, has declared that they ought to pave the way for a new generation of energetic young men and women as future leaders.
He said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that he has been persuaded to seek the chairmanship of the party in the quest of maintaining the culture of changing leaders as set out by the founding fathers.
He said since the 2015 general election in Tanzania, there have been many attempts from some Chadema supporters and leaders to persuade him to seek the position of the party chair as a step to allow the inclusion of new blood in the leadership.
“I’ve always taken this persuasive initiative as a good move of ensuring the maintenance and strengthening of our culture of changing leaders through democratic means as set out by our founders, Mzee Edwin Mtei and the late Bob Makani,” Lissu said on Thursday when addressing Chadema members on his plan to seek the party’s chairmanship post.
He said it was the decision of the party to allow young blood in leadership to take over from those who have overstayed in power to the extent that they have lost their usefulness.
According to Lissu, both the octogenarian Mtei and the late Makani were selfless and dynamic leaders educated during the colonial era who knew the dangers of overstaying in power.
He said because of their deep knowledge and history of how power corrupts, they decided to resign their positions to avoid being embarrassed and kicked out by force by the Chadema adherents.
As Chadema chairman, Mzee Mtei launched a constitutional process of change to allow the young Chadema supporters to become members of the party’s policy-making body, the central committee.
“It’s important that all changes in the party’s top leadership are conducted according to the constitution,” Lissu emphasised.
He urged Chadema members to bear in mind that the struggle of fighting for Tanzania’s new democratic constitution, new electoral system and rights to all, still continues.
This struggle, he said, would be carried under the banner of NO CHANGE, NO ELECTION.